Curveball

Chapter 78

Pulling up to Cora's school after practice, he sits in the pickup line in his truck, scrolling through his phone. He looks up from his phone and sees Cora heading towards the cafe which is only a block or two away, not even noticing Shawn sitting there waiting. Shawn pulls out of the pickup line and drives right beside her.

"Hey kid," he smiles.

"Daddy!" she smiles getting into his truck and putting on her seatbelt.

"How was school?"

"Good. We learned about the planets," Cora babbles as they drive by the cafe. "I always go to the cafe after school."

"Yeah well today you're hanging out with your old man," he smiles.

"Cool."

"What do you want to do?"

"Can we go to the library?"

"The library huh?" he smiles.

"Momma was going to take Conlan and me. She was going to leave work early. There's a Dr. Seuss thing happening."

"Let me call her," he smiles to Cora, dialing Jenna's number.

"Please tell me you remembered to pick her up."

"Yeah I did, come to the library. I didn't know she had a Dr. Seuss thing happening."

Jenna hangs up, not saying anything. About twenty minutes later, Jenna walks into the library with Conlan, taking off her coat and Conlan's.

"Momma!" Cora smiles, running over and hugging her.

"Hi baby," Jenna hugs her, rubbing her cold cheeks against hers, putting the stroller at the side of the room and lifting Conlan out and holding his hand as they walk towards where Shawn and Cora have seats. The moment Jenna sits down, Shawn takes Conlan out of her lap and places him in his own, the little boy all smiles.

The librarian starts talking and reading some of the books for the next half an hour before Cora runs off to start the activities as Jenna looks at Shawn. "I'll take him," motioning towards Conlan sitting happily in Shawn's lap.

"He's fine," Shawn answers.

Rolling her eyes, Jenna gets up and grabs one of the cookies off the table and handing it to Conlan before walking over to help Cora. Jenna is sitting next to her and helping her with some crafts. She doesn't notice Shawn's eyes watching her. Once finishing her craft and hugging Jenna she runs over to her dad, showing him the fishbowl with all different colored fish that she's colored and glued onto the paper fishbowl.

"Looks good babe," Shawn smiles as Jenna walks over.

"Alright, time to head home and get dinner started," Jenna looks at Cora, the little girl grabbing her backpack, holding her craft and new Dr. Seuss book. Jenna looks over at Shawn, waiting for him to hand her Conlan.

Shawn chuckles, walking past Jenna to the stroller setting him inside before kneeling. "Give me a hug sis," he motions for Cora.

"You're not coming?" Cora hugs him tightly.

"No, I'm going to go stay in a hotel."

Cora looks at Shawn oddly.

"I know babe."

"But why..." Cora looks at him. "You're supposed to stay here...with Momma and Conlan...and me..." she sniffles.

Breaking his heart, Shawn wraps his arms around her and pulls her in for a hug, looking up at Jenna and raising an eyebrow. Shawn not sure how to explain.

Jenna looks at him, thinking back to a few days ago when Shawn told her she wouldn't get her if they ended up in a dispute. She takes a deep breath. "She's your daughter," Jenna says quietly.

"I love you okay?" Shawn asks her, kissing her temple. "I'll be back home before you know it," he winks at her. "Remember I have baseball to play?" he says trying to get her to smile.

"Come on princess," Jenna says, holding the little girl's hand as the trio walk out the door, leaving Shawn.

"Dinner's ready..." Jenna says, walking upstairs to Cora's room a little while later.

"I'm not hungry," Cora says looking up from her book and then back down.

Jenna sighs, walking over and sitting next to her. "What are you reading?" she asks, wrapping her arm around her, pulling Cora into her.

"It's about dragons and a princess."

"Sounds very exciting. Are you sure you don't want anything? I made chicken fajitas..."

"Does daddy not love me anymore?"

"What? Of course, he does. He loves you very much."

"Then why didn't he come home?"

"Because daddy and I are fighting and it would be best if we didn't see each other for a little bit, so we don't say things that we don't mean."

"Are you going to break up?" Cora looks up at her. "Will I have to leave?"

Jenna hugs her tightly. "I will never leave you. Do you understand?" she asks, hearing Conlan call out for her. "Come on...let's go see what he wants," she kisses her cheeks and leads her downstairs, Conlan trying to reach the fajitas on the counter. Laughing softly, Jenna lifts him, and sliding him in his high chair. "Your daddy loves you, Cora. He loves you more than anything in this world. You will always be number one to him."

Cora keeping to herself.