You're My Best Friend

Ashton

"Uncle Lukey!" My three year old sequels, the moment Luke steps foot backstage. She runs up to him and throws her arms in the air. Luke grabs her under the arms and lifts her up over his head and onto his shoulders.
"Where to, princess Emma?" She giggles and Luke heads towards the the dressing room. He makes a couple laps around the couch, then stops, squatting to let her fall back on the cushion. As soon as she lands, Luke spins around and begins tickling her.
"It is way past someone's bedtime young lady," I had finally caught up to the two of them.
Luke stopped and Emma seized her comeback. She stood and wrapped her arms and legs around him, clinging like a leech to his chest.
"Ew! Get it off! Get this thing off of me!" Luke screams as he hops up and runs past me back into the hallway.
"Take her to my car," I yelled after them as they rounded a corner as disappears from sight. I slowly started walking that way letting my mind wander back to the night Emma's mom left us.

***
"Jaz!"
I walked through the front door of the house I had owned ever since the band moved to LA years ago. When Jasmine told me she was pregnant, I asked her to move in with me so I could help take care of her when I was in town. Now I was wandering through the house looking for Jasmine and our little baby who was only a bit over a year old.
I checked the kitchen first. Nothing there but a pile of dishes Jaz refused to do. She hated cleaning and never did anything in between the cleaning lady's schedule. Next, I went down the hall into our bedroom. The door was open. Something else she never did. The woman valued her privacy and always wanted to be left alone when getting ready or doing anything personal. She barley let me in the room when Emma was born. I stepped through the doorway and felt the hairs on my arms stand up. Something was wrong. Her favorite shoes were missing from the cubby in the closet where she neatly organized over 50 pairs. Her suitcase was still in its place, but her jewelry was gone. All except the necklace I had given her with our daughters name on it. I picked it up running my thumb over the silver wording. Then, it hit me. Emma. Where was she? I ran to her bedroom and sitting in the floor playing with a doll was my little girl. Completely unharmed. I slipped the necklace in my jean pocket, scooping her up and kissed her head.
"You hungry, sweetheart?" My focus now on her not her mom. She nodded and I carried her to the kitchen, sitting her in her high chair. I fixed her one of the toddler t.v dinners given it was the only thing in the freezer. Jaz also never cooked. She spent all her time shopping, partying, or taking care of our daughter. Although she had her vices, she was the most amazing mother. Never missed a doctor's appointment or an opportunity to play with her.
"Daddy. Gone." She had ate everything with no complaints. I guess Jaz had been gone for a while and Emma didn't get lunch.
"Good job! Now let's get ready for bed," I freed her from the chair and she followed me back to her room. "Go put your jammies on and I'll tell you a story." I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the covers back. She yawns and crawls into the bed as I tucked the blanket around her. "Where mommy? I want her to story." I frowned. "I don't know, sweetheart. She will be back soon." She smiles causing you to smile back. "Want to hear about my adventures?" She nodded again. I told her the first part of our new story. "Once upon a time, there was a prince who set out to find himself a queen. He had lost the old one and needed a new one." After a couple minutes she was fast asleep. I kissed her head and went to my empty room.
"This is Jasmine. Leave a message after the beep." I had called her ten times and had yet to get an answer. "Jaz? What the hell? Where are you? I got back and Emma was filthy and starving and you're no where to be found. Anyways, call me back. This shit isn't funny. You're daughter needs you." I paused for a few seconds. "I need you. I miss you and I'm worried." My voice cracked. "You always call if you're going to be out with one of your friends. So, um. Call me." Hanging up, I threw my phone on her side of the bed. I made my way into the bathroom, removing the necklace out of my jeans and sat it on the counter and then changed into an old pair of sweatpants. Crawling into bed, I spent the whole night tossing trying to ignore the feeling telling me that I'd never see Jasmine again.
***

"There you are? What took so long?" Luke asked, snapping me back to reality. He had Emma on the hood of the car and they were playing some version of patty cake. He stopped and sat her back on the ground. "You had the key, so I couldn't put her in her seat." I mashed the unlock button and he opened her door. "After you madam." He gestures for her to step in. "This is how a man should treat you. If he doesn't, I'm going to whip his butt." She twirled her curly brown hair, smiling. Bye Uncle Luckey!" "Bye Em." He shut the door and came to my side of the car.
"So have you figured out what you're going to do with Emma when we leave next week?" He leaned against the car facing me. "Not a clue. I thought my mom could watch her, but she's still got work so she will be gone through the day." "Damn dude. You can't take her to Spain with us. We would be too busy to watch her. You better figure something out." "I'm trying," I sighed and put my forearms on the roof of the car and my head between them. "I gotta go," Luke straightens up. "Michael and Beau will be looking for me soon being that I'm their ride home and there's only so much booze in the dressing room." Not moving from my position, I called out, "Hey Luke?" He stops about ten steps away from the car. "Yeah Ash?" "Would it really be that hard if I brought her with us?"