Micah King | ✓

t h i r t y f i v e

I turn the corner and walk towards the daycare on the far corner, my hands become sweaty. I don't want him walking into the day care centre. "You aren't coming inside," I mumble looking at him.

Pushing the door open I walk to the front desk, "hey, Linda."

"Ah! Rose, I'll go grab Zara and her backpack."

I nod leaning against the counter. Soon Linda comes back holding Zara's hand with her backpack, "Ma!"

"Hey, baby," I bend down to pick her up kissing her.

"You're late on last weeks payment, Rose."

"I'm sorry, I haven't got my check. Can I have it to you by tomorrow afternoon?"

She looks out back to the other workers, "you better, Claire is upset at you."

"I will! See you," I wave. Zara waves as well, hiding her goodbye. Late, again. How many consecutive weeks has that happened?

Micah smiles at Zara something his rarely given me. I shake my head. "What's wrong?" Micah asks.

"Nothing," I lick my lips. If he heard what Linda said he'd pull out a wad of cash out and hand it to her, then one to me. I don't want his money or his help, I can do it by myself. I am doing it by myself

"Would you like to come for lunch?" He asks.

"Uh.. We need to get home," I mumble my lie.

"I'm not busy," Micah tells me, "I'll take you home."

I know being around him is bad for Zara, I more than know it's the biggest risk ever. What if his sort of people come for Zara like they'd done to me? What if they take my baby from me? What if.. I can't stop thinking of the bad possibilities.

Zara pulls at my sleeve trying to get to the bush of flowers. I let her down pulling her backpack off, her small chubby legs move towards the purple flower. Micah picks her up, stealing her away from her fun.

She pouts her lips at him, frowning. I wonder what she must think about him.. I wonder if Micah will respect my decision of not wanting her to know anything about being her dad. It's Micah, like he'd respect any decision I make.

Zara giggles in his arms, their instant attraction hurts me inside. It hurts me most thinking of the day he'll be gone again leaving Zara to wonder where her father is. Do I lie to her? Tell her the opposite of the truth? That he left because he got bored? The he didn't have a choice?

I turn my thoughts away when Micah calls my name, "are you okay?"

"We should be going," I say again, pushing it further.

"I'll drive you home," he nods his head towards the street we came from.

Just like me, Zara get comfortable in his arms minutes into knowing him. I guess stupidity of trusting Micah runs in our blood.

"Mummy," Zara calls, frowning.

I realise how far I am from them, how slow I've been walking. Micah looks at me, I'm sure he can sense my feelings. "I'm right here, Zara," I reply with a smile that I can only give to her these days.

"Are you mad?" Micah asks, "-at me?"

"I'm mad that Zara is just like me, trusts you when she's known you for two minutes," I tell him my feelings.

"Rose.." he looks at me, then Zara. "Don't put me between two fucking lines-"

"I really don't appreciate you swearing in front of my daughter."

"Ours, Rose, ours."

"She doesn't know that and won't know that your her father," I yank her out of his hands. "I'm not letting her fall for your games."

With Zara in my hands and an angry attitude I storm down the street. I just want to get home so I can cry. Micah grabs my arm pulling me back. "Get your hands off me," I shout, attracting people who walk past.

"Rose, don't do this," he lets go stepping away from me.

"I'm doing what's best for my daughter."

"By letting her grow up without a father?"

"If you cared one ounce about her you'd realise she'd be better off without you," I whisper. I didn't think seeing Micah again would hurt this much. "I'm not going through the pain you bring, not again."

♔♔♔

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