Samantha Teller || A Tig Trager Love Story

16 Doing Well

The next morning, Tig woke me up and handed me some coffee the second I sat up.

"You're the best," I said, taking a sip. I looked down at Ava who was still sound asleep.

"How?" I muttered.

"Yesterday was a lot," he said.

"I know. Today is going to be too," I said.

He nodded as he sat on the edge of the bed drinking some coffee.

"I wanted to ask if maybe we could go out, just you and me. Maybe get some alone time," he said.

"I'm getting too old for parking," I said sarcastically.

"You're so young," he said. I chuckled a little at him.

"Yeah I'd like that, a lot," I said. "I'll get Mom to watch Ava tonight if this morning isn't too bad."

"I'm sure she will," he said.

"I'll just have to make it very clear that Clay is not to be alone with Ava," I said.

"He'd never-." I cut him off with a hard glare.

"I don't trust him. He and I have never gotten along. We have a rough history."

"What's that mean?" He asked.

"We don't have time to unpack all my trauma," I said. He stared at me for a second.

"Tig, just back me up on this, please," I said.

"If you think it's best for Ava then of course I will. I do want answers though," he said.

"And you'll get them, but let's take the trauma one day at a time and today's life trauma is not unpacking my history with my mom's husband," I said. He nodded and kissed my head.

"I love you," I said.

"I love you too," he said.

"You got her so I can shower?" I asked. He nodded and I grabbed my clothes before heading to the bathroom to shower. When I was ready, I went into the dorm but Tig and Ava were gone so I headed down to the clubhouse kitchen. He was holding Ava as she ate some cereal. My mom was sitting with them as the prospects cleaned up the clubhouse.

"Good morning," I said, walking over and kissing Ava's head.

"Here," my mom said, motioning to the plate of toast.

"Thanks," I said as I sat down to eat.

"You and Tig want some alone time?" My mother asked.

I nodded as I swallowed the bite I'd taken.

"On the condition that she isn't alone with Clay," I said.

"I won't let her outta my sight," my mom said.

"Thank you," I said.

"We'll drop her off about 6 and picked her up at 9," Tig said. He'd already planned this. I smiled at him.

"Ava, are you back to English yet?" I asked.

She stared at me for a second. "Un peu (a little)."

"Oui, c'est bien (that's good)," I said. She nodded a little and turned to Tig.

"Tig, can we watch cartoons?" She asked.

"Asked Mama," he said.

"Not right now," I said. "We've gotta talk about something baby."

"I know that Daddy died," she said.

"How?" I asked.

"He wanted to hurt us," she said.

"Ava," I said softly. "It's okay to be sad that your father is gone."

"I am," she said. "But we're safe now."

"You can go watch cartoons for a bit," I said, struggling to process how she was so okay.

"Here baby," Gemma said. "Grandma will find you something to watch."

"How'd she know?" I asked Tig lowly.

"I was getting her some breakfast and she asked Gemma if her Daddy died yesterday cause he wanted to hurt us. She said she heard him in the apartment but that he never came out," he said.

"And Gemma told her?" I prodded. He nodded and swallowed his coffee before answering.

"Just that it was daddy's time to go," he said. "Said he was always going to be watching over her but he wouldn't be able to talk to her anymore."

I nodded and looked at my mom.

"Wish she would've let me do it but what's done is done I guess," I said. He nodded and grabbed my hand. I smiled at him.

"She's doing really well," he said. "All because of you."

I leaned over and kissed his lips quickly as I took the dishes to the sink.