My Baby's Daddy

Chapter 5

I hadn’t slept a wink all night and it was 6 am when Ella began jumping on my bed. I laid there for a long minute playing possum.

“Mommy, get up!” she stopped jumping and put her face next to mine. “I know your awake I can see you breathing!” I couldn’t hold in the laughter after that. I pulled her over me and started tickling her until she squirmed away and lay between me and Brad.

“You do know that people breathe all the time; not just when they are awake?” Brad faced her as he said this.

“No they don’t.”

“Yes, they do. You have to breathe to live so if you stop breathing while you’re asleep then you won’t be alive.” She looked at him like he was stupid. It was time to change the subject.

“How would you like some breakfast?” I crawled out of bed and pulled her into my arms as she smiled and we went to the kitchen.

I grabbed the ingredients for waffles and began the process. I knew I didn’t have to ask Ella what she wanted to eat; it was always waffles and milk or orange juice. I glanced at the clock and let out a big sigh, I was so tired that I could barely process the ingredients.

“So, Ella I heard you’re going to have a fun day with your dad?” Brad said as he poured the two of them orange juice and sat down at the table.

“Yup!” She was so excited that my chest felt tight and I got a strong feeling of fear. Push them aside Rainey. Don’t ruin this for her.

“What are you going to do today?” She shrugged her shoulders at him and took a drink of her juice and looked out the window. “Ella don’t shrug your shoulders, that’s what words are for.”

“I don’t know what we are doing today. Geeze!” I smiled. Not because the way she treated him but because it still amazed me how adult-like she was and wasn’t afraid to tell people anything.

I finished the waffles and grabbed out the syrup and butter and put them on the table and joined them to eat. As soon as we were done eating, Brad disappeared to the living room and Ella went to brush her teeth and get dressed for the day. That feeling still hadn’t left my chest. I couldn’t even describe it, like it was anxiety or something. I was probably because I was so tired. I finished the dishes and put things away and went to get dressed myself as the doorbell rang. I knew it was Chace and so did Ella; without missing a beat she was out of her room and to the front door before I could get off the couch, man I was really tired.

“Hi, Daddy. Come on in.” She moved aside so Chace could come in and she led him to the living room where they sat down on the couch and she began talking his ear off.

Chace’s POV

 Walking in to the house it smelled like waffles like when we were in high school still. It was my dad’s favorite breakfast, still is his favorite too. Now I wish I hadn’t skipped breakfast this morning. I greeted Rainey as I followed Ella to the couch and sat down. I loved my daughter. She looked so much like me that it was amazing. I never really wanted kids—not anytime soon, like five years down the road; but GOD had other plans for me. Just wished I could have known sooner. At least I know now.

“Daddy, Brad said people breathe when they are sleeping, is that true?” I looked over to Brad and Rainey and answered her. I could tell she only asked that to bother Brad as she wasn’t too happy he was right.

“I have to go to work, I will come over tonight.” Brad stood up and walked over to Rainey and gave her an ‘I’m a douche and this is my woman’ kiss and said by to Ella as he walked out of the house.