Lin's POV
"Anthony?" I asked, after dialing his number into my phone Monday morning.
"Yeah?" He said, answering.
"Would you mind, oh this sounds weird, would you mind going to the mall with me?" I asked, rubbing the back of my neck.
"Oh. Sure, any reason?" He asked.
"I may or may not of neglected to buy Abi a birthday present." I admitted.
"Isn't her birthday Friday?" He asked.
"Shut up." I laughed.
"I'll come I'll come." I heard him laughing, "meet you there?"
"Sounds good, thanks." I smiled.
"No problem, bye."
"Bye." I said hanging up. I quickly pulled shoes on, grabbed my wallet and keys, put Tobi in her kennel, feeding her a dog treat, and pulled a sweater on.
I left the house and took a cab down to the nearest mall. I walked inside and saw Anthony on his phone, leaned up against the wall, I gave him a little wave, which he returned.
"Okay, so, let's get you out of the doghouse." He opened, as I approached him.
"I'm not in the doghouse." I said, laughing.
"Yes you are."
"Technically she doesn't know I forgot her present, so, and it's not even her birthday yet." I pointed out, "do you have something for her already?" I asked.
"No." He admitted, "but, I didn't take an oath in court to keep her as a child. Is her last name Ramos? Does she live with me? Who does she call dad?"
"Shut up Ramos," I rolled my eyes, "I know she's my daughter, I already feel bad, now, where does one shop for fifteen year old girls?" I asked, standing in the middle of the mall.
"How am I supposed to know?" He asked.
"You have a girlfriend." I pointed out.
"You have a wife." He retorted.
"Yes. Anthony do you know what I got Vanessa for her birthday last year?" I asked, "I got all of her cooking knives professionally sharpened."
"So you're not a good gift giver?" He asked, confused.
"Oh no she loved it. I'm great at this, my point, is that I cannot get Abi professionally sharpened knives. Partially because she does not own any knives, partially because she's 15 and that would be weird."
"Okay, how about clothes?" Anthony suggested, kind of concerned about the knife idea.
"Okay." I shrugged, "where?"
"I don't know Macy's? Where do girls shop?" He asked.
"I got V's Mother's Day present at Nordstrom's." I suggested, and the two of us walked in that direction.
"Okay, how about this one?" Anthony suggested holding up a teal dress in the store.
"I like that." I said, looking up from a rack of shirts, "give it here." I held out my hands, and checked the size, "she's a 2." I said, handing it back.
"Dang." He said taking it back and looking through the sizes, "how do you know that?"
"Tony dress shopping." I replied, looking at a sweater, then tossing it over my arm to buy. "Even so the dress was big on her, the guy had to tighten it." I added, looking through the clothes I accumulated.
"She's doing better though? Right?" He asked, seeming genuinely concerned about her.
"Oh yeah. She's doing better, we haven't had trouble getting her to eat lately. It's huge, like, she probably wouldn't think to get herself food but if you make dinner, she'll sit and eat."
"Here's a 2." He said, handing me the dress, "that's great news by the way." He added.
"I know, we're all so relieved, I was terrified." I looked through everything again, "okay I think we should move onto shoes." I announced.
"Sounds like a plan." He said, and followed me to the shoe section.
After buying a couple pairs of shoes for her, Anthony and I found ourselves worn out, and eating in the malls food court. We were talking about something Javi was talking about until I saw my phone light up and ding.
Mija:
Dad!! I got a solo in choir!!
"What is it?" He asked, looking at me, interested.
"Abi got a solo for her choir concert." I said, smiling, as I texted her back.
Dad:
AWESOME!! What song? Oh Peanut I'm so proud of you!
Mija:
What I Did For Love
"She got Pricilla Lopez's solo in What I Did For Love."
"Oh!" He said, excited, "that's awesome, tell her congrats from me!"
"Will do." I smiled, and replied to her.
Dad:
Anthony says congrats. Also, I'm calling Pricilla Lopez.
Mija:
Oh. Um, okay. Thanks... Tell Anthony thank you.
"She says thanks." I said, to Anthony who had half a slice of pizza in his mouth, I think he mumbled something, but I couldn't make it out. "I'm calling Pricilla Lopez, she'll be happy." I quickly found her in my contacts, as she was in In The Heights, we were friends.
"Lin?" She said, answering the phone, "why are you calling?" She asked.
"Hi, I'm just, I'm calling, I don't know, I'm bragging about my daughter." I admitted.
"She's precious my gosh. I've seen pictures on your Twitter she's so adorable, what did she do?" She asked.
"Her choir's doing What I Did For Love and she got your old solo." I grinned, so proud of her, I wanted to call everyone.
"That's wonderful! Make sure you send me a video!" She added.
"I will, she's going to do great." I added.
"I know she will, she's your daughter." I laughed a little at that, I'm no singer.
"Well, I just thought I should let you know, and, I mean, I'm pretty dang proud of Abi." I admitted sheepishly.
"You should be, I'll talk to you later, bye!" She said.
"Goodbye." I smiled, and hung up the phone.
"Lin. Manuel. Miranda." Anthony was staring at me, "you just called, Pricilla Lopez because your daughter got a solo in choir. My gosh."
"I'm sorry! I'm just all excited." I admitted.
"Okay okay, well, I'm done, if you're ready to go home." He said, throwing away the trash from his meal.
"Oh I am." I admitted, and did the same.
Dad:
Pricilla says you'll do great
Mija:
You actually called her?
Mija:
Oh gosh
Mija:
Thanks Dad.
•••
Later, I was at home, this time online shopping, I know, I need help, but, to be fair, it's Abi's 16th birthday, and it was her first birthday with the family, and I really wanted to spoil my child, so, I was on playbill trying to figure out what she would want.
Several sweatshirts, necklaces and a Simba toy later, I figured out what else to do. I was going to take all of her playbills that were above her bed and get them signed. I could just replace them all that morning and she'd have a wall full of framed playbills.
10 points to SlytherLIN. Okay, sorry, no more puns. 10 points from SlytherLIN.
•••
I love you all so so much. I really mean it, you're all so fantastic. Really. Quite honestly, you are all very amazing people and I am so so blessed that you like me.
Anyways, goodnight. I'm home now.
Thanks for reading!
- Abi