Trust Me [Book 2]

Chapter 9: Focused

Chapter 9 - [August 30th]

Slamming the car door, I stomped to the trunk ignoring his morning greeting. Various items flew left and right as I dug for something to cover my child. Only piece I could find was a sized 2T pair of denim shorts.

Another slam echoed in the school lot when I closed the trunk. "What's wrong?" Rick inquired but I was too pissed to speak.

Thank God, for the child-lock feature because Rocky was beating the back window down to get to her father. I swung the car door open, holding out my hand before she had a chance to jump out.

"Put these on," I instructed, passing her the shorts.

"Daddy! That's Daddy!" She giggled, pointing to Rick who was hovering behind me. Her excited demeanor was a total 180 from the loud wailing terror who'd previously occupied the backseat.

As if she could sense my budding relief, a scowl returned to her face. Rocky threw the shorts on the car floor in a huff. "No pants!"

"Little girl, I am not playing with­- forget this."

Enough negotiating with a four year old.

Leaving Rocky, I swung the driver side door open in a fury. Reaching over the seat, I retrieved my blue ruler from the glove compartment. This girl was done giving me trouble.

"When I tell you to do something," my lecture started as I grasped her right ankle.

Before I could swing my hand downward the ruler was being pulled away. The hell? I spun around ready to go clear off.

"Don't do this shit in front of me," Rick warned. He used both hands to snap my tool in half then dropped the pieces on the parking lot.

Rick's large hand closed around my bicep, dragging me to the front of the vehicle. I yanked my arm from his tight hold. "Get out of my face," I demanded, roughly shoving against his chest.

He took steps backwards, not that my little push was enough to move him. "What's the matter with you?"

"Everything!" came Rocky's little voice from inside the car. She'd climbed into the front seat to watch Rick and I.

"You hush. I have more rulers and get your ass in the backseat." Rocky stayed planted in the front seat with her arms crossed.

Oh she thinks I'm playing?

I'd never seen a child move as fast as she did when I began walking to the passenger side door. Now if she'd just put on some pants we'd be partially good.

"Elle," Rick called. "Elle"

After retrieving cheetah print leggings from the flooring of the front passenger seat, I went to the back.

"Elle"

It was full on wrestling with the leggings. Rocky kicked her legs as I tried to force some pants on her. My child must have lost her mind the way she was rolling around the narrow seat.

"Elle"

"Stop calling my damn name. You see I'm trying to do something," I shouted. "You wanted to be 'Daddy' so bad. Be 'Daddy' now. This is what you wanted right?" Turning around, I threw the cotton leggings in Rick's face. They'd both pissed me off. Rick could've been helping me instead of standing there like wannabe Super Dad.

He stiffly peeled the bottoms off, revealing a tense jaw and red face. Rick dug around in his pocket, taking out his car keys. Silently, he placed the keys in my palm, closing my hand around them.