Inferno Part 2

~97~ Squeaky Wheels

Taylor's POV

I'm sitting here playing video games with Luke when I look over and see Emma sitting on the couch quietly, reading a book. Luke catches me staring at her, and gives me a questioning look.

Sometimes I think I've messed up. I think Emma has gotten a little overlooked all of these years. She was always our easy one. Our quiet one. We just knew she would behave, and we turned our attention to the other two. Sometimes I wonder if her low self-esteem was because of me and Ellie.

"Wanna play, Emmy?" I ask her.

She looks up from her book and gives me her gentle smile.

"No thanks"

I nod as I continue playing the video game.

Something is bugging me. Did I not give her as much attention as the other two all of these years?

"Mind if I bail?" I whisper to Luke.

"Sure" he whispers back.

"Emma, can a dad take his beautiful daughter out to dinner?"

"What?" She asks, looking up from her book and giving me a questioning look.

"Dinner. You know. The meal you eat at night."

She smirks as she closes her book.

"Why?" She asks.

"Cause I miss you."

"I live here"

I chuckle. "Yeah, I know. I still miss you. Can I please take you out to dinner?"

She looks at me for a moment, studying my face.

"If you want to"

"I want to" I smile.

"What about mom and Luke?"

"I figured those two could fend for themselves for one evening. Please, Darlin'?"

She silently nods as she goes upstairs to get ready.

"What's wrong?" Luke asks once she's in her room.

"Nothing. I'm just feeling like having an evening with my girl" I say, squeezing his shoulder.

When she comes back down, and I'm ready, I kiss Ellie goodbye and we get in the car.

"What sounds good?" I ask, squeezing her thigh.

"Whatever" she says softly.

"Come on, Emmy. What sounds good?"

"Dad, I'm fine with anything."

I think about that for a minute. She really doesn't like Mexican food. "How about that Mexican restaurant on Lake?"

"Sure" she says, acting totally fine with it.

I chuckle. "I'm kidding, darling. I know you don't like Mexican food. Where would you like to go?"

"Dad, that's fine. If you want to go there, let's go."

I stop at a stop sign and look at her. "Why won't you tell me where you want to go?"

She gives me a hard look. "Why are you mad?"

"I'm not. I just don't know why you won't tell me where you want to eat."

"Because I don't care. I'll find something to eat anywhere."

I sigh. Her favorite food is pizza. "How about the pizza buffet?"

"Sounds good" she says with a smile.