even if he falls.

heart's all gone.

Henry stumbled over to me and laid down parallel to the couch. With a sigh and a pant, the pup was out once again.

I should call David, I thought to myself. The house was empty besides me and Ava and this house had extra rooms. Fuck, Jen probably wouldn't be home for at least a week, likely more than that. It's not the first time she's left me, honestly it seems like she's left more than she's here. It's the worst relationship I've ever been in.

I decided against calling David, at least for tonight anyway. Maybe a silent house would pull me from my thoughts, but then again, I said that every time Jen left, and things have only gotten worse.

It's such a harsh reality to face, knowing you and your wife are not meant to be, that the mother of your child can't bare to look at the tot without cringing and thinking of you. 

Jen has stayed at her parents' house more than she has stayed here. She never brought Ava with her. I guess that was supposed to be my "punishment" but right now it was the best present I could get. 

My little girl still lay on my chest. She clutched onto my shirt as she stirred. I held her tight and close, the polka-dotted blanket laying gently against the both of us. I closed my eyes and just tried to nod off. A light sleep overcame me. 

--

I was awoken by gently tapping on my face. My eyes opened slowly, revealing my little girl, sitting on my chest with a bright smile on her face. I smiled up at her and she giggled. I looked at the clock on the wall. It was just about 2:30. 

The hours seemed to fly by as we played together on the floor. She colored on the coffee table, scribbling harshly on the white paper. I stood back and observed as she focused on the paper. She would finish and hand the paper to me. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and she giggled, getting back to her work as I ran to hang the art on the refrigerator. Soon it was dinner time. I got Ava packed and dressed and got her loaded in the nicer car, this one not soaked or covered in sand. 

We went into a local restaurant that I couldn't be bothered to remember the name of. We sat ourselves in the back booth, secluded and left in the quiet. A man came over and handed us our menus, giving Ava a small pack of crayons for her to take home. She bounced happily in her high chair as I tore open the package. She began coloring as the man ran to get my drink. I got Ava her chicken tenders and myself the same but in a bigger basket. She drank milk from her pink cup as I sipped on my lemonade. We finished up after about a half hour and it was time to head back home. Her bed time was in about an hour. 

I packed her back in her car and went back home. The drive was short and Ava was getting tired again. I took her out of the car and got her shoes off, she played with a baby doll in the living room and I sat on the couch. 

Fuck it, the house is all too silent, I need someone else around. 

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called David. He answered quickly. God knows what he thought I was calling about.

"Tom, you alright? What's up," he said, sounding nervous and rushed.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," I hushed him, "I just wanted to see if you wanted to come over... for like a few weeks."

"Wait what," he said sounding confused. 

"Jen left again. For a while. It's different from the other times and her times away seem to be growing exponentially. It's just me and Ava here." 

"Yeah," he said, still sounding a bit confused, "Yeah, I'll be there. Lemme get packed up. Bringing Max along with me."

"Of course, couldn't let him stay home," I said with a chuckle.