Co-Workers With Benefits

D I O N

•Epilogue•

~ 4 years later

I park up outside of Xiomara's school and get out of the car, walking up to the gate to wait with the other parents. I check the time on my watch and pull out my phone to check for any new emails.

Just then, the gate opens as the clock hits 3:00 and we're free to walk in and head to our children's class lines. I walk towards the kindergarten pick up area and I spot my baby immediately.

She's showing off her new light up shoes to some of her classmates. I chuckle, nodding to her teacher.

"Xiomara, dad's here!" She announces.

She looks up at me, her face lighting up with a huge smile. She hurries, giving her teacher a hug, saying goodbye before she runs over to me.

"Daddy!" Her cute little voice gets louder as she runs as fast as she can with her little legs.

I get down to her height and she crashes into me giving me a big hug. I pick her up, thanking her teacher before I walk back out of the school, towards the parking lot.

"Hey princess. You have fun at school today?" I kiss her cheek.

"Yeah! We did cutting and...and I cut Olaf." She explains.

"You did?"

"Mmhm. Then Layla cut Elsa and we sticked them on the paper and Miss Kyng hanged it on the wall."

"Really?" I ask, opening the car door.

"Yeah, it was so fun."

I place her in her car seat and strap her in before going round and sitting at the front. "That's good to hear baby."

"Where's mommy?" She asks, kicking her legs.

"Mommy's at home with auntie Trin, Asante and Kaleb."

"Oh okay." She starts singing 'Almost there' from princess and the frog then stops. "Daddy, can you play Tiana please?"

"Mmhm." I click in my seat belt and start the car, pressing on Disney+ on the screen.

The movie starts back up where she'd ended on the journey to school. I back out of the parking spot and leave the school premises.

"You want ice cream princess?" I ask her.

"Yes please." She answers.

I drive over to the Frosties ice cream parlour by our house and I get out the car, going over to lift her out of her seat.

"Thank you." She says as I place her on the ground.

"You welcome baby."

She reaches up to grab my hand, pulling me towards the steps then climbs them one at a time and we finally get to the top. Xio pushes the door open with all the strength she has in her left hand. 

We walk up to the glass and our usual server greets us.

"Hey Janelle." He waves down at her.

She waves back. "Hi Justin."

I nod at him and he nods back.

"You want vanilla again today?" He asks her.

"No thank you." She taps my leg. "Daddy can you..."

She raises her arms, asking for me to lift her and I bend to pick her up so she can see the selections.

"Umm..." She thinks. "Can I have this one?" She points to the brown one with chocolate chunks inside it.