The Only Thing That Matters

Chapter 2

 “It’ll bring Darin back,” she had told me last night. But the truth was, he wasn’t.

 “Mommy. Mommy. I can’t put the shirt on,” Kayden screamed from down the hall. I sighed again, pulling myself up from the stool and drug my feet down the hall. I pushed open the door to her room and found her upside down on the chair yanking at her shirt. Her face was determined to fit the small opening, that was button from top to bottom, over her head. I couldn’t help but laugh as she gave up and chunked the shirt across the room, landing at my feet.

 “I hate that shirt,” she remarked, folding her arms across her chest and sticking her lip out. Her green eyes screamed anger. I chuckled, grabbing the shirt in my hand and strolling over to Kayden. A single tear fell from her eyes out of frustration. I pulled the buttons apart and handed it to my daughter, which she ungratefully accepted.

 “Try it again,” I said and she angrily whipped it over her head. Seeing that it had fit over her head this time, she smiled a little bit before running over to me and throwing her arms around my neck. I breathed in her familiar scent before she pulled away and looked me in the eye.

 “I’m sorry, mommy,” she whispered before planting a kiss on my cheek. I smiled at her, gazing into her green eyes, brushing the curls away from her face.

 “It’s okay, bug. Now, do you want to help mommy cover the green bean casserole?” I asked as her face lit up. She squealed as she charged towards the kitchen. It was funny how the littlest things could make a little girl’s day.

 The doorbell rang from inside. It bounced off walls and came bouncing back to the door. Kayden jumped up and down, excited to finally see her ChaCha and Papa. Her knit cap covered her head and her bubble coat grasped her body. She looked back at me with a huge grin on her face. She had always liked ringing the doorbell.

 “Are you ready, bug?” I asked as she vigorously nodded her head. I laughed as she practically fell through the door when my father opened it. At the sight of her Papa, she squealed and embraced him. My father smiled and pulled her up into a tighter hug before setting her back down on the ground.

 “There’s my little rascal,” he laughed. Kayden handed him a small bowl of the green bean casserole since she wasn’t able to carry the actual pan. My father graciously accepted her gift before reaching out his hand to pull me into a hug. The smell of aftershave filled the air and his wool sweater rubbed against my cheek. I suddenly had the same feeling I had every year. I felt at home again. Yet, home meant fights and hatred towards one another.

 “How’s my peanut?” he asked. I sighed and looked up at him. His eyes reminded me so much of my childhood; the way he’d stand over me on every little thing, the way he scared my friends as they came over because of how huge he was.

 “Fine,” I answered. I could tell he didn’t believe me as the word slipped out of my mouth. He was right to not believe me. Last week, Kayden had been invited to a party that was for fathers and daughters. She had cried herself to sleep that night knowing that Darin couldn’t take her nor her birth father. On top of that, I was head deep in bills; we were threatened eviction if I didn’t fork over money in the next few days.