The Working Father

First day of school

"Jaymi?" I shouted. "You need to get up." I walk toward Jaymi's bedroom door. Jaymi yanks her duvet over her head. I gently walk over, tug at the duvet. "Please Jaymi, you need to go to school and I need to head into work." Jaymi pulls back, holding it with all her might.

"Fine," I groaned, letting go of the duvet. "How about I let you wear anything you want?" I swing my arms up in defeat. Even after six years has passed, it is still a struggle to be a single father, especially as she grows up more like me. Jaymi peeks her head out and stares at me. She looks like a mixture between me and her mother. Blue eyes- Mine, straight blonde hair- Her mothers, attitude- Probably me.

Jaymi Mother Sharon left her outside my front door. She was only a few months old at this point. There was no address, number, or anything to contact her. Just a note saying 'You should've used a condom, asshole.' That was when everything changed. I was young, twenty-two years old. I needed to change. Don't get me wrong, it was hard, stressful and... I wouldn't change it for the world.

Jaymi jumped out of her bed, as I lean slightly defeated by her door, sipping on the coffee that I left on the sideboard in the hall. Jaymi rushes to her closet and starts pulling out some brightly coloured leg warmers and a pink tutu.

"Sweetheart, it's school, not the 80s disco." I said, shaking my head. I place down my coffee back on the side and walk over to her.

"But you said anything" She frowned, stomping her feet on the ground. " 

"I know, I know but you got to look nice on your first day of school. How about..." I flip through her closet. "These pink leggings and..." I pass over her legging as I continue going through the thousands of clothes. Honestly don't even have this much in my own wardrobe. "Here this blue top with the dragonflies, you like." I smiled as I gave them to her.

"Fine," She pulled them off me with a groan. "Can't wait until I'm older. Then I can wear whatever I want." She pushed out her tongue.

"Wow, I thought you at least wait until you were alittle older to pull that card on me." I chuckled, leaving her to get ready, I pick up my coffee and head back down to the kitchen. As I reach the kitchen, I fix up a bowl of cereals and some fruit for Jaymi breakfast, leaving it on the table for her. I quickly pick up my cold toast and shove it down my throat before making a start on Jaymi's lunch.

"I'm done," Jaymi shouts as she jump down from the step of the stairs and runs into the kitchen, giving me a swirl before sitting up the table to enjoy her breakfast. 

"Beautiful," I smile, taking a peek over my shoulder as I finish cutting her sandwich and placing it in a bag and then into her lunch box. "You brushed your hair, right?" She nodded. "Okay, good." I quickly wipe my hands, walk over to her and try to grab her hair to put up into a ponytail. Unfortunately, I miserable fail. Leaving her hair all over the place as I add more hairbands to her hair to keep everything in place. "There... Done?" I question myself, twist my head to the side, seeing my work. Sometimes I question my insanity at times.

"Morning everyone," Natasha calls in. "Ready partner?" Natasha walks in through the back door, wearing a blue pair of jeans and a tucked in shirt. She puts her takeaway cup of coffee on the side. "Jeez Buck... What have you done to your daughter?"

"Save me.." Jaymi plead. I roll my eyes and turn to Natasha.

"More coffee?" I ask, walking over to the coffee pot.

"Please. Right let sort you out, little miss." Natasha walks over to Jaymi and unreveals my handy work."What wrong, grumpy?" Jaymi sat with her arm crossed with her bowl finished in front of her. 

"She's a little upset that I wouldn't let her wear the luminous leg warmers." I said, as I turn back to pouring the coffee in the takeaway cups and putting a few extras bits into Jaymi's lunch box,