Picture Perfect

Chapter Nineteen - Tyler

I have returned! My break was grand. Also, we got a new cat! She's called Rolo and has joined Liquorice and Jellybean (Rolos are a toffee chocolate over here in the UK).

Welcome back to the balm that soothes my entire soul <3

Love, Cam

♡

Chapter Nineteen

Tyler

The first time round, with Colin, I had been a somewhat-free-spirited young man with lots of free time and a flexible work schedule. It had not been difficult to schedule dating around my life. This time round, with Elliot, I was a single father with a co-owned small business, and I was categorically screwed when it came to free time.

"I love my daughter," I said to Sorcha firmly.

Sorcha, who had been affixing shelves to a wall, frowned at me. "I know."

"I love her so much," I confirmed. "But she is the most profound cockblock known to humanity."

Sorcha snickered, and put her drill down. "I did wonder what had you so fidgety. Feeling a little frustrated, dear?"

I tried not to fidget and prove her point immediately. "Yes. Extremely so. Elliot is a very good kisser, and we have been on three dates now, and I'm dying because I keep having to be sensible and say no to staying over, either because I have the school run the following day or because I'm up at a god-awful hour to accept furniture deliveries or speak with artists. I'm dying."

"I'll help," Sorcha offered. "I'll babysit and you can go get yourself thoroughly railed."

"Colin and Andrew are coming to stay for a week," I reminded her. "But I'll remind you of that offer next week."

"You got it," she said, and then sighed a big sigh. "How are you feeling about it? Nervous?"

"Not so much nervous," I considered it, sitting down with her on the newly delivered seats for our little coffee bar area. They were still covered in plastic and were therefore wildly uncomfortable, but it was marginally better than the floor. "I do want to talk to you about it, though."

Sorcha eyed me. "You sound awfully like your sister, all of a sudden."

I grimaced. "I need you not to cause a problem."

"Ouch," Sorcha said, and she did actually look hurt.

I held up my hands. "I don't like saying it, you know I hate pointing out anyone's flaws, but you have a tendency to go with whatever you're feeling at the time. And most of the time, I'm completely behind that. You're a great role model for Sask, Sorcha, but you're pissed at Colin and you despise Andrew. And I need you to not follow those particular feelings, because it's so important that Saskie sees we all love her enough to not be arseholes to each other."

Sorcha considered my words, picking up a loose screw and fiddling with it. After a while, she said, "Okay."

"Okay?" I asked.

"Okay," she confirmed, and set her shoulders. "Look, I stand by feeling my feelings, and letting them be known. But I get that Saskie's five, and she needs people not to just feel their feelings, but to show her how to manage them properly. I get it. I don't love it, because it means changing myself, and that's a lot of effort. But she's worth it."

I took her hand. "You know I love you as you, right? It's just hard for a five-year-old to understand the complex nature of adult relationships. We've got to make it easier for her."