The Distance Within

15.

A.

"Yes Steven, I just have to do something quickly before coming in." Rubbing the stress lines forming on my forehead I sigh at his irritating authority.

"Yes, I am aware I have a client today at 5-" He interrupts me again with another question, my hand tightening around the phone.

"Yes, Steven! Yes, I am sorry I was supposed to leave yesterday but I had to stay over with my niece, now fucking leave me to pack." Shutting the line I fist my phone into my pockets looking back at my bed, our bags are already packed yet still in the cabin, even when everyone else has left earlier today.

"I-I d-don't like ste - steven."

"Holy shit," I flinch, cursing under my breath looking back at a Maya standing behind me her hip quirked out and her hand laying on her hip giving her that sassy look she laid so well.

"Your fif - fifth curs - s - se this morni-ning, I'm telling - telling - ing mommy." For fucks sake.

"You wont." I squint my eyes glaring back at her demanding face, of course, this girl is a business lady in the body of an eight-year-old.

"S- Sure?" She squints back leaning forward, mirroring my posture.

"Fine, what do you want?" Sighing I grab our bags straightening my back giving a quick scan to the room while Maya stood there thinking.

"The ne - new LOL doll - ll and gum - my - my bears -s - s."

"And how much is that new doll?" I ask nonchalantly, my mind unfocused, legs already walking towards the door making sure we forgot nothing.

"Around ninety - ty- ty dollars," Stuffing my phone into my pocket my hand reaches for the door handle before.

"Around what?" I turn back almost immediately looking at her with horror in my eyes, "Ninety for a doll?!"

"Yes - s." A smirk forms on her lips while she takes in the current state I was in.

"God, Cora is spoiling you way too much," I grumble under my breath, opening the door and stepping out of it with Maya not so far behind me.

"C-Cause she loves me - me."

"And does that mean I don't?" Throwing a loving glare over to her once I turn back completing the way to the car, quickly muttering a goodbye to whoever I passed by, seeing the car not so far away through my vision

"You get - get - t it or - or - r - r mommy k - knows - s." Kids never give up, do they?

"Do it, and I'll tell Cora what you're demanding." Opening up the door for her like the princess she way, she hops in while I round the car putting our bags into the trunk. I stand by my door before entering the car, my eyes scanning over the park one last time, the large lake faintly present looking small from where I was standing, a deep sigh leaves my lips, swiftly entering the car I slam the door shut from the sudden, not anger, but the desire I felt coursing through my veins.

"I'll tell - ll momm- mmy - y Sa - v - v." And she's still going at it...however this was currently better than what my thoughts would've lead me to.

"You wouldn't dare." Resting my hand on the shoulder of the chair beside me I turn back to look at her, squinting my eyes together.

"Oh, I would." Her smirk grows, leaving that sassy look however now with a hint of confidence clearly with her lack of stuttering, that being the small reminder of how much I'd change the world just for her smile.

"Fine," I grunt turning back to the steering wheel, a faint smile on my lips knowing she was getting it both ways the argument simply playfully - something she full on took advantage of - , not having the child I've been wanting more lately meant Maya taking that place.