Papá's Girl

Papá

©JRF2016

"Isabella," she heard Mama yelling from the front door. She ran down the stairs with her bag excited. She knew he was here. She'd heard the motorcycle up the road. "Papá !" She screamed and lept into his arms.

He laughed a he asked her, "How's my little Bella Rose?"

"Good Papá ," she responded as her blue eyes twinkled, "What are we gonna do this time?"

It's a surprise doll," he told her, "You got all yer stuff?" She nodded as he set her down.

"Wait, I forgot something."

"Well ya better go get it."

"Hey sugar tits," he smiled, "How's about a little quickie for old times sake while the kid's upstairs?"

"Don't start, Merle Dixon," she scolded him, "You're not getting another taste of these sugar tits again. You just better take care of our daughter."

He laughed, "Don't I always sweet cheeks?" That Italian accent of hers always drove him wild. If he was capable of loving any woman it would be her. As it stood the only people he could love were his brother and his daughter and he wasn't even very good at showing them. They all walked outside and Merle handed his daughter a kid sized helmet. He lifted her up onto the front of the bike.

"Merle, please be careful. You know I hate when you pick her up on that thing."

Merle smiled, "She's in good hands, I promise. I would never let anything happen to my sweet little Bella Rose." He kissed his daughter on the top of her head.

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"Did I hear my Bella Rose?" Merle choked.

"Papá!" She screamed and ran to him. "I missed you so much."

"Hey," Daryl said, "Y'all forget about me?"

"Hey Darylina," Merle said, "You been takin' care of Bella for me?"

"Just met her actually," Daryl told his big brother.

"You look even more like your mama now that you're all grown up, baby girl." Merle smiled and turned to Daryl. "Spittin' image of her."

"Let's get you outta here," Daryl said as he grabbed Papá's right arm and I grabbed his left. We laid him down inside his tent and he immediately fell asleep again. That sleep was filled with memories of the one and only woman Merle Dixon has ever let himself fall in love with. Caterina.

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"Hey sugar tits," I said looking into her big, brown eyes. She put her hand on her hip and shook her head at me.

"You're early, Isabella doesn't get home from school for another hour."

"I know. I came to see you. I thought the two of us could go upstairs and have a little fun while the kid was gone." I said smiling at her. She is the only woman I've been with that could make me feel this way.

She sighed, "You know my rule." I nodded. "Well, how long has it been?"

"Just three days, but it can be longer if you let me stay," I winked at her as she took my hand and we walked up the stairs. I was halfway down the stairs after that sweet reward when the front door swung open and Bella jumped into my arms.

"Papá  am I staying with you tonight?" She looked at me with those sparkling blue eyes.

"Not this time sweetie," Caterina told her, "Papá has something to work on first. RIght Papá?" I smiled and nodded at her. "You can go with him next time okay?" She smiled as I knelt down and set her on the floor.

"Okay, next time better hurry up. I love you Papá." She kissed me on the cheek and ran to her room. Caterina walked me to the door, "You've had your advance, come back in a week still sober and you can stay." She reached up and kissed me.

I came back the next week sober. I missed my girls. "I'm back and completely clean." I told Caterina as we sat down on the couch. She looked at me. "I promise Kitty Cat."

"Ugh, you know I hate when you call me that."

"Sorry, Kitty Cat. How 'bout we run upstairs for another quickie before the kid gets home."

"Porca miseria," she replied rolling her eyes at me. I smiled at her. I loved when she spoke Italian.

"Don't know what ya just said but it sounded sexy as hell."

"Lantano dal buco del culo sexy."

"I know, I want it bad too," I said smiling at her and moved in for a kiss. She pushed me away.

"That is not what I said."

"Doesn't matter." I told her as I pulled her in for that kiss.

"Papá! You're back! I'm staying with you right? This is next time and mama said I could." Isabella was bouncing up and down waiting for my answer.

"Even better, Isabella," Caterina spoke up, "Papá is staying here with us." She squealed and jumped into my lap. "Yay!"

I woke up at the sound of Bella's excited squeal to see Daryl and Bella staring at me. "You two gettin' to know each other?" Daryl looked over at Isabella and back at me.

"Yeah, why didn't you ever tell me about her?" Daryl asked me. I shrugged his question off.  Daryl was just a boy when Bella was born, that and he couldn't stand to be around their asshole father for too many days in a row. 

"We brought you some of the leftover fish," Bella said, "It's not much but it's somethin'. You need to eat to get your strength up." I smiled at her.

"You grew up so much baby girl," I told her, "You grew up to be just as beautiful as yer mama. You got that shine just like her when she was your age, gorgeous." She smiled really big at me and dove into my chest hugging me tight. "I love you and I've missed you so much Papá. I was hoping I would find you again someday."