Daddy Issues (Andy Barber x OC)

36

It had been a long and tiring move, however Andy couldn't feel more at ease now settling with his family into their new home in Lakewood.

Isla had won the battle of the bedrooms between her and Jacob - much to his son's disgust - and had been quite happy making herself at home and her bedroom into the dream room that she had always wanted.

Pippa found Andy in the living room one evening unboxing the many books and other things that he was putting onto the shelving unit. "Thought this would be the perfect thing to start arguments on game night". He held up Chutes and Ladders box with a grin. Pippa rolled her eyes and laughed, shuffling to the chair and then sitting herself down gingerly. Andy could see she was in a little pain and immediately was by her side. "You've been overdoing it sweetheart". 

Even with the improvements she was making day by day, she's always have some lingering problems when it came to walking, but nothing that the doctor had said would affect her badly. The physical therapy was certainly helping and she had already found a doctor who had referred her for more now they had moved.

She scoffed at this, "What? Unloading the boxes in the kitchen".

"I did tell you that too much bending down and picking up wouldn't be good". He went to get her painkillers and returned with them and a glass of water.

"No pain, no gain". Pippa replied and took the pills. "At least the kitchen is all unpacked and done..."

He leant in and kissed her gently. "Let me and the kids take care of the rest of it, it's not doing you any good, the doctor told you to take it easy". Checking his watch he saw it was almost 9pm. Upstairs he could hear Isla's music and Jacob yelling at his friend on his Xbox. Andy rolled his eyes and walked to the bottom of the stairs. "Music on low and less yelling! Otherwise I'm boxing it all up and mailing it back to Boston!" He called. Immediately the music was turned down and Jacob closed his bedroom door. "Gonna be driving the neighbours fucking mad already".

Pippa smirked. "You'll miss it when Isla leaves" and then she sighed at the thought, "not long now until our little girl is off to college".

Andy shook his head, still trying to come to terms with the fact his daughter would be graduating high school and going onto better things. "I can't think about that".

Isla had been accepted to study law, following in her parents footsteps - and Andy knew that she would be great at it, having already mastered the art of interrogation. He'd had long and lengthy discussions with her about it, making sure it was what she wanted to do and not just because Pippa never got to use her degree. Isla had insisted that it was her call, and sending off applications to various universities, she'd been accepted into one that was only an hour away from them. At least she could come home on the weekends if she wanted to. That and she had wanted to be near to her parents as possible.

"I'm a little scared for her..." Pippa admitted. Her daughter was growing, who knew what could happen? She could meet her boyfriend there, experience what they had done when they were younger - just hopefully not with a pregnancy thrown into the mix. There was no denying their daughter had her head screwed on, but it still didn't stop the feeling of dread that Pippa had inside of her.

Of course Andy knew exactly why and sat next to her, "she won't be like us Pip - she cares too much about her future than most kids do".

"I just couldn't imagine the thought of her ending up like me".

"And she won't, even if she did we would be here for her, just like we are now - supporting her through everything". He kissed her knuckles, "she's smart and beautiful, just like you".

Pippa chuckled, "that she may be, but she is most definitely her father's daughter".

"Gotta get that Barber look from somewhere" he smirked. "Come on, let's get upstairs and to bed, you look exhausted".

Helping her up, they locked up and made their way upstairs, checking in on Jacob and Isla. "Don't be on there all night okay bud?"

"Sure thing, night dad, night Pippa". Jacob smiled and went back to his game.

Isla was on her laptop, cross legged on her bed when they opened the door to her room. "Night sweetheart". Andy smiled

"Night daddy". She got up and came over to give him a kiss as she always did before bed. "Night mom", and then moved onto Pippa. "You ok?"

"You moms overdone it". Andy rolled his eyes.

Isla threw her a look, "I told you to call me if you needed help!"

"Don't you go lecturing me young lady". Pippa chuckled, "I'm fine, just my hip as usual".

"Pretty sure dad can whack it back into place".

"Ok you, enough trying to embarrass us - see you in the morning". Andy shook his head and they left Isla for the rest of the evening.

Pippa looked over at Andy later that evening where he was already sleeping peacefully next to her. Even though she was tired she found she couldn't fall asleep, her mind still abuzz with everything, Laurie, the move and in a few months - their wedding.

It would just be the four of them, just as it should be. They'd have a weekend at a lakeside resort and marry there before going with the kids on holiday as their honeymoon, a vacation right before Isla would leave them.

Pippa knew that she wouldn't be able to keep her baby girl with her forever, but now it was slowly creeping up on them, it felt very real indeed. All she could hope for was that her daughter would succeed in her early days of adulthood far better than she had.