My ex's dance partner

11

Maya slowly starts to get up and we eat dinner. She sits between me and her mom while her granny sits in front of her. Linda made mouth watering food,  Fettuccine Alfredo and I'm in food coma right now.

Lilah goes upstairs to change while I give our daughter a bath. I change her diaper because Delilah was the one who changed it before dinner. I brush her teeth put on onesie for her and tuck her in.

I kiss her forehead and she does the same for me. Lilah steps in with her pajamas on and says goodnight to Maya. We tell her we love her and close her door. Delilah tries to leave, but I grab her wrist gently and lean down, kissing her forehead.

"Goodnight darling." I whisper and go downstairs, not wanting to bother her. If I sleep, it will be on the couch as she wanted. I'm not going to make her uncomfortable.

Linda is in the kitchen, cleaning. She stops once she hears someone entering and turns around. "Dear, why are you not in bed already? I'm sure the drive was tiring"

I'm about to shrug my shoulders when I remember Linda with slippers in her hand after I shrugged to her questions a few years before.

"Can't sleep." I tell her and fill a cup with water. I gulp down the whole liquid then wash my cup.

"What's wrong? You seem off." She observes me closely.

"What are you talking about? I'm not off." My palms gets sweaty.

"I know you didn't do it." I freeze from those words. She doesn't know what she's talking about.

She continues. "Why aren't you telling her. You're just wasting time what you could spend together."

I scoff. "You think your daughter would want to be with me. Linda, please, don't say that. You're just giving me false hopes."

I turn around and face her. "Don't play dumb. Something happened that night and it's not what everyone thinks. You would have never done that knowing you have a child on the way. You were so happy and excited. So tell me what happened."

My eyes burn with tears and I shake my head slightly. "I can't. I want to tell her. I'm trying, but it's not enough. She has so much hatred towards me, I'm not sure I can overpower that."

She brings me in a hug and I quietly sob into her shoulder. "Shh, one day you three will be a very, very happy family. You hear me?" I nod.

I wipe my tears quickly when I hear the stairs creak. I look up and lock eyes with my princess sitting on them with her teddy bear in her hand. "What are you doing up? We just put you to sleep."

She smiles sheepishly and I walk over to her. I pick her up and she rubs her cheeks on my chest. My heart squeezes, remembering when her mother would do that whenever she was sleepy.

I kiss her on the top of her head. I turn to Linda finding her smiling at our interaction. "Say goodnight to grandma, again."

She waves her little hands at her, yawning. "Buh-bye granny."

I take her up to Delilah's old bedroom, laying down with her. She snuggles up to me and I sigh. "I don't want to imagine the time when you won't want to cuddle with us anymore."

"I'll always cuddle you and mommy, okay?" I nod my head putting my hand over her heart, just to make sure.

"Night papa." She mumbles, half asleep.

"Goodnight sweetie."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"When I wake up Maya is gone and I'm covered with a blanket. I rub my eyes and stretch. When I feel like human after getting out of the bathroom I go down and see our daughter, her mother and her grandma.

"Papa!" My head snaps in Maya's direction.

"Love, are you okay? Did something happen?" I ask in a panicked voice. Delilah rolls her eyes and I raise my eyebrows.

"Your daughter here is throwing a tantrum because she has to eat." She explains.

"Sounds familiar." I mutter and regret it immediately when Lilah glares at me. I gulp and turn my attention to miss pouty princess.

"Why are you not eating, little one." I tuck her curly hair behind her ears. "I want to swim."

"We can go swimming after you ate." I try and she shakes her head. I sigh and look around, searching for a good deal. My eyes land on Lilah. I smirk and turn to Maya.

"How about, you eat breakfast, change and then we can splash water on mommy?" It seems like she likes the idea because she starts eating quickly.

When I turn away I find myself, again, being glared at by none other than the mommy herself. I try with a smile, but her scowl only deepens. I shrink down, hoping she can't see me anymore, but boy was I wrong?

She throws a freaking spatula at me." Dare to do that and it won't be a spatula next time." She threatens me and I nod.

Maya is silently watching her mama abuse her papa, saying nothing. Only munching on her avocado toast.

When she's done I put her on the floor and she runs upstairs to change into her bikini. I put on swimming shorts. I take her small hands in mine and walk out to the backyard. I put our towels on two chair then put sunscreen on Maya.

I slowly walk in the pool and turn to her, preparing myself to catch her when she jumps. With a splash she's in my arms while I keep her up so the water won't go in her face.

She giggles and I spin us around making her laugh loudly. I press kisses all over her face making both of us a laughing mess.

My breathing stops when Delilah steps outside in her black bikini. She's so beautiful I can't keep my eyes off of her.

She sits down on a sunbed and takes out a book. I'm brought back to reality when Maya splashes water in my face. We fight in the water and after some time we're both tired.

I float on my back with my daughter on my chest, eyes closed. I think I dozed off for a few minutes then hear talking. The light weight on my chest is removed and just as I'm about to open my eyes, water, what feels like liters, is being splashed on my head.

I drag my hands down my face and see Lilah and our princess giggling at me. I poke my tongue to the side of my cheek and look at them.

"Which one of you's idea was this?" I ask while getting out of the pool, taking slow steps towards them.

"Not mine." They say in sync.

"Oh, really. Well I guess we will never know." I say and grab both of them, dragging them into the water with me.

Delilah cusses me out once she came up from under the water. I shake my head, water droplets goes on Lilah and Maya. My darling hits me on my arm while I snake my arms around her waist.

I position myself so my mouth touches her ear. "Well deserved, darling." I kiss her temple while balancing our princess up on my knee. I let go of Delilah and sit Maya on the edge of the pool, pushing myself out of it.

I offer a hand for Lilah and she takes it with an annoyed look. I hand them towels leaving me shivering since I gave mine to my pissed off girl.

She glances at me and rolls her eyes. Taking the towel from around her she starts drying my hair and upper body while I'm staring at her, shamelessly.

Once she's satisfied with her work she takes Maya's hand and walks in back the house. I follow behind, considering of not to when I hear Linda scolding them for getting the floor wet.

Nonetheless, I still go inside with a shit-eating grin on my lip.

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