Motionless in White One-Shots

Our Kid? *Vinny Mauro*

Having the heartbreaking conversation of 'this isn't working' concerning your daughter with her dad is something no mother should ever experience.
But what's even worse is when the father picks his new girlfriend and her child- who isn't his- over his own kid.
I begged for months for him to put in effort, and he only took her for a total of two and a half weekends. When my daughter asked why daddy didn't want us anymore, that's when Ryan and I really had to have a talk which resulted in him basically saying that she and I being in his life just isn't doing it for him. Which I won't lie, absolutely destroyed me. I didn't care that he didn't want me. He and I had been split up since she was two. But saying that he didn't want his own daughter was the dagger.
On the outside and around Blue, I had no choice but to keep it pushing. Act like nothing was wrong and just keep things normal. Ryan not being there wasn't out of the ordinary, so Blue didn't question it.
But during the drives home from work, late nights awake in bed, and the time I spent at the house while she was at school was hell. Those were the only times I could break down and just let it out.
Chris was super amazing. Of course, I hadn't told anyone, but Ryan had spilled the beans. I had no idea of the context in which he told them, but I also didn't care to know.
I just knew that Chris was there for me anytime I needed him. His advice and words of wisdom helped me keep it together for Blue.
And Vinny. He was so gracious. Taking her out when I needed time to myself, taking us both on fun adventures and just spending every minute of his free time with my kid.
And I know this wasn't the right time but... it was so incredibly hard not to fall for him when watching how amazing he was to Blue and I.
As I laid in bed one night thinking it was hard to keep my mind from going back to the heartbreak. Chris and I had been texting during the evening as he let me dump my thoughts and feelings on him and gave me another way to look at things, gave me advice or just simply agreed and comforted me.
But the pain was just too much, and I needed a distraction. I needed a laugh, to hear a stupid joke or just a bit of brighter energy around. As I pressed the FaceTime button, I wiped my tears with the back of my hand and sniffled in an attempt to pull myself together.
"Sup, Nav." The voice on the other end spoke as his face appeared in a well lit setting. Of course, he wasn't in bed. We didn't live the same lifestyle. My dark room contrasted his picture, but his lighting lit up my face, revealing my puffy eyes and flushed face.
"What are you up to?" I asked, not wanting to interrupt anything too important.
"Me? Just talking to my favorite girl now. What's up with you?"
"Just thinking."
"Navy, don't." He sighed. "Listen all due respect since he's a good friend and all but in this situation, that dude is being an awful human, and he's not worth any of your energy or tears. I get it. Blue and everything, but she's got me and Chris. That girl won't even remember Ryan in a few years."
"But-"
"Nav. You and her are better off. I promise you." The tears streamed steady down my face as small cries came from my parted lips. In a way, I needed the tough love. And I knew he was right. The stress he added to my life wasnt helping anything, and he was never there for Blue, so what did his disappearance matter? Anything to help get over all of this. "Is she in bed?" I nodded my head as I watched him get up on his end.
"I'll be over in a bit." The call ended before I could protest, though I'm not sure I was going to. I remained in bed, knowing he had a key for the nights he slept over while I worked.
When he arrived, we tried our best to be quiet and not wake Blue. We sat and layed in the bed and talked. By the end of it we were going to town on a carton of ice cream, sitting with our backs against the headboard of my bed with the blanket pulled over our laps as we watched the TV which was on the wall at the end of my bed.
I don't know how late we were up, but we woke up to my alarm, and I got up to get Blue ready for school. Despite my reminders that it wasn't his job, Vinny helped me and insisted on driving her to school so I could take a shower and get ready for my day. Though I didn't have much to do so it didn't take me long to get ready.
I was done by the time he came back to the house.
"What's on the agenda for today?" He asked, sitting his keys down on the island as I did the dishes from breakfast.
"Not shit. I really just need to get ready for the rest of the day." I sighed. Which basically meant with it being my last day off for the week that I needed to stock up on energy drinks, make sure Blue's lunch items were stocked, and maybe do some cleaning. Stuff I was going to be too drained to do for the next few days. Somehow, we made it to the conversation of Vinny trying to convince me to take the day to myself.
"Vin, I can't. I have a daughter, and it's not about me anymore."
"No. You've been made to feel guilty for taking time to yourself because the father of your child isn't around to spend that time with her while you do you. That's not cool."
"Well, I don't exactly know what you want me to do about that. I don't have time."
"Yes, you do. I can take her, Chris can take her. Just do you."
"Vinny." I sighed.
"Nope. Don't 'Vinny' me. Your nails need done, go buy some makeup or shopping.. whatever you haven't been doing because you haven't been able to." He was firm with his words as he reached into his pocket, pulling his wallet out and handing me his card between two fingers. "I'll pick her up from school, I'll take care of dinner for all of us. Go. Please. I know it'll make you feel better." I pushed his hand away, shaking my head.
"I'm not taking your money and making you get stuck with my kid."
"Our kid?" He suggested before realizing what he said and quickly switching the topic back. "Consider it a late birthday and valentine gift if it helps you feel better. But it's on me. You can get my name on them if that justifies it." He joked, reaching around me to slid his card into my back pocket, thus putting his arms around me. After realizing our position, he hesitated before kissing my forehead. "You need you time." His voice was soft, and I sighed, giving in. I hated that I had been made to feel guilty for doing anything for myself. I used to book hair appointments, get my nails done, get waxed, and get facials. All of the nice pampering things. But with being a single mom, I had found ways to do everything at home for myself while I entertained Blue in the meantime. "I got this. She gets out of school at 3:15. I'll be there by 3. It's not my first rodeo." He offered me a smile and some reassurance. And so I went, and although I knew it was a joke, it didn't stop me from getting his initials in black painted on my crimson red coffin nails.

(Switches to third person point of view here for a bit)
Vinny sat in his SUV, waiting at the school until the clock read 3:15 and he could hear the bell. He got out of the car and waited on the sidewalk by the doors for Blue to come out. When he spotted her, he noticed that the teacher walked with her, but the moment she saw him, she ran to him.
He was quick to squat down, catching her in a hug and standing with her, twirling her around as she laughed. After he sat her down, he noticed the teacher standing in front of them still and gave her his attention.
"HI, I'm sorry to bother you, but I just wanted to ask a quick question, if you don't mind? Um, is everything okay at home? Between everyone, I mean?" Vinny was caught off guard by this question, and it surely showed on his face. "It's just that, well. Blue has been crossing dad out on all of her pictures. And she's been talking a lot about a Vinny.. is everything okay between you two?" He quickly realized that she had assumed him to be Ryan. But his first thought after that is that none of this was her business.
"I'm not Ryan. I'm Vinny. Ryan's not in the picture anymore and hasn't been for a while, but that's not my business to tell. It's Navy's. Everything's fine, though." The little girl held on to Vinny's hand as she stood with him.
"Again, I'm sorry I didn't mean to pry. We were just concerned." Vinny wrapped up the conversation by assuring her that the girls were good and that the only thing the school could do to help was to not bring Ryan up.
But what no one, including Navy knew, was that shortly after the conversation in which Ryan officially abandoned them, he had more or less gave his approval to Vinny to step into their lives. That way, nothing was awkward with the band if and when Vinny finally confessed his feelings to Navy.
With that, they headed home, and after homework was done, they headed out to a pizza joint for dinner.
Blue was turning into a mini him.

(Back to Navy's Point of view.)
"Please be careful with how you tell dad. He's going to flip." I had told my mom a week ago over the phone after receiving an invite to her family's Easter. I had told her that I was bringing a boy home with me, that Blue really loved him and if he was going to be in our lives than I didn't want him to be excluded from family stuff. I didn't want him to miss moments with Blue. It was important for her to have a good male figure in her life.
On the drive there, I was nervous. Blue sat in the back seat, playing with a plush bunny Vinny had given her for Easter. As he drove, my mind played a million scenarios of how this was going to go until I finally had enough of driving myself crazy and focused on something else.
We walked into my parents' house, with Blue insisting that Vinny carried her. He helped her dye eggs at the table with everyone, and as he helped her find hidden eggs in the backyard, my mom and dad pulled me aside.
"You really love this boy, don't you?" My mom asked knowingly as I watched the two together in the yard. Blue put an egg in the basket as Vinny got so excited that she found one, telling her how awesome it was. Now that was a father. Blood or not, it didn't matter. I'm sure I had that sparkle in my eye as I nodded my head. At least I knew my mom would say so.
"And she does too. I can tell. As long as he makes my girls happy." My mom smiled as my dad gave a nod of agreement. My dad was a man of few words.
After the hunt was over, we all sat down for an Easter dinner. Blue told her grandma about how well she had been doing in school and what she had been up to.
"And - and I even - I beat my dad at basketball! At the park!" She recalled the events of the day before. Vinny and I froze, looking at each other when we heard the words come out of her mouth. A huge grin formed on his face at the same time as a smile appeared on mine. I tried to hold the happy tears back, but it didn't work, so I quickly wiped my eyes with my dinner napkin. Dad?! She really just called him her dad.
"Well, you did? Boy, that sounds like fun." My mom assured her.
When everything was said and done, Blue and I both got hugs from my parents and other family members that had came before my mom pulled Vinny into a hug.
"Welcome to the family, Vinny." She smiled at him. Finally, the one thing I wanted for Blue and I wasn't just a dream.
My family.

I know I had requests that should've went up before this, but I was so in love with this one that I just HAD to post it.
Just know if you've sent me requests that they will be posted soon, I promise!