Closer 2

113.

Eddy didn't know how to feel.

Elise was still sleeping soundly next to him on the bed, drooling slightly. It was barely seven in the morning, and Eddy had woken up from Elise turning and rocking the bed. He had checked his phone like he always did after waking up. He saw the message from Brett. He opened it.

The picture was lovely, and Brett looked so happy with their little boy resting on his chest and tears flowing down his cheeks and making it look like he was sparkling in the soft light from the table lamp. It was a perfect, happy scene, really.

What hurt was the fact that he wasn't there. He didn't get to experience it, not even on video. Only a simple picture. But... At least he got that, right? Brett at least thought of him and shared it with him like this. He was lucky to have that, at the very least. Something probably happened that made it difficult to share differently...

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he spotted Elise move next to him from the corner of his eye. He rolled over and put on a smile, not wanting to worry her.
"Morning, babygirl," Eddy smiled at her, reaching over to stroke her cheek. "You ready to wake up?"

Appearently, that wasn't the right thing to say as she immediately started the quiet whimpering she always did before starting to cry properly.

"Shh, okay okay, we can sleep some more. Come here baby, daddy's got you," Eddy said soothingly, pulling her closer so she could sleep all cuddled up to his side with her head on his shoulder and daddy's safe arm around her, keeping her warm. "We don't have to get up het, it's okay."

Eddy couldn't help but feel guilty from how she clinged to him. Her entire feeling of what was normal was suddenly ripped up by the roots ove the course of just a few hours, with baba and dada gone for days on end and her staying with uncle Ray and auntie May. Not to mention that when daddy finally come back without baba, he takes her to this strange new place she had never been before and she doesn't even get her own bed to sleep in.

"I'm so sorry you're going through all that, baby," Eddy whispered, not wanting to wake her again. "But daddy loves you not matter what, and baba does too. No matter what happens, or how long you have to stay with uncle and auntie, baba and dada will come get you."

Elise shifted slightly in her sleep, hugging dada tighter. Eddy kissed the top of her head, stroking some of her messy hair away from her face. She was growing up so fast, she seemed so different in just the few weeks she had been staying with Ray and May. So much more grown. She was learning new skills every day, and Eddy didn't want to miss any of it. Unfortunately, she too was suffering from his rushed choices.

"I'm sorry, baby."