Unbroken #Wattys2015

Chapter 11-Here We Go Again

                                                                                  -Harper's POV-

I woke up this morning with a headache that could kill. After Nora went to sleep, me and Dallas stayed up all night and talked like old times. We hadn't really hung out since the night he told me I better hope he opens the door. I mean, what kind of shit is that? My head started throbbing just thinking about it. Sometimes that man can just make my blood boil.

I decided to roll out of bed, the clock read 9:24am and I heard the kitchen faucet downstairs running and I knew Nora was up doing her morning chores. My old slippers that I've had for almost ten years were missing. They're usually on the side of my bed and I slip them on in the morning's, and now all of a sudden they were missing. I grew attached to them. I got them at a random yard sale one day for 50 cents and I couldn't pass up anything leopard print. Silly, I know but hey....they were cute. I got out of bed, threw on my raggedy old robe that had holes and a huge stain on the side that only God knew what it was, and went across the hall to the bathroom. Morning pee, is the best pee. I swear. Most people try to act like they don't know what I'm talking about but I know damn well everyone feels that power of relief after their morning piss. Anyways, I finished my business and washed my hands or what not. As I walked down the stairs I instantly remember I needed to call Claude and speak my mind to that man. He needs to not argue in front of Nora. But first.....breakfast. I needed food in my system.

I finally made it to the kitchen, steps squeaking the entire time no doubt. I really needed to get Dallas to fix those. He's always doing some improvements on the house when I needed him to.  I stopped dead in my tracks when I stepped into the kitchen and I saw those shocking green eyes look up at me from doing the dishes that Nora was supposed to be doing.

Dallas. Now I remember, I told Nora she could take the car to go put baby stuff on layaway.

"Well good morning, sleepy head. Get a good night's sleep?" he asked.

I quickly tied my robe together really tight. I had on the biggest pair of Mickey Mouse pajamas, with a matching tank top and no bra. Not to mention my hair was in this sloppy bun and was sticking up in every direction.

"Oh calm down, Harper. Its nothing I haven't seen before," Dallas said with a grin so bright it could blind you.

"Oh please, you wish you've seen any of this." I said as I turned in a circle and flipped the little baby hairs that were out of the bun that was slowly becoming a ponytail. 

Dallas walked from behind the sink and walked over to me. His thick, brown curly hair all over the place. He really needed a haircut. He was starting to look like Gordo from Lizzie McGuire, and that was not a good look.

"Well, if you would just take me serious when I asked you out, I probably could finally see what you have underneath that raggedy ass robe you always have on. Seriously, you need a new robe Harper."

As he got closer to me, I found it harder and harder to take him serious. "Are those my slippers on your feet, D?" I asked smiling from ear to ear.

He looked down, as if he had to check before answering. "My feet get cold, okay?"

Shaking my head, I sat down at the kitchen table. "And you wonder why I never take you seriously."

"Well maybe you should. Give me one good reason why you won't go out with me? I'm here all the time anyways, I take Nora to school, I cook for you guys, I clean up your house when you can't, I watch after you two while you're sick, I fix everything that needs fixing. I do everything a husband would do. So I ask you, why won't you go out with me?"

Before I could answer; the phone rang.

"I got to get that." I answered. I've never been so happy to answer a phone in my life. "Hello?"

"Harper? It's Claude. I was wondering if I could speak to Nora?"

That son of a bitch. He has the audacity to call my daughter after making her sit and watch him argue with Louise all night. Who does he think he is?

"I heard about the fight last night and I'm not happy about it. So no, I don't think it'll be a good idea to let you talk to her, Claude."

I felt Dallas come up besides me. Probably just wanted to have a better listen. Nosey ass.

"That's why I'm calling, Harper. I wanted to apologize. And then I was gonna try and reschedule another time we could get to know each other. Please, don't shut me out," he explained.

I thought about it for a hot second. And the only reason I was even remotely considering it, was because I knew Nora wanted to meet her father so badly. I, on the other hand could do without all this drama and having him pop back up in my life.

"I don't know, Claude. I'm tired of all this drama."

"I promise, no more drama," he said. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, we can go somewhere and talk. I ensure you, I won't leave you to walk back home in the rain by yourself," he chuckled.

A long awkward pause before he decided to jump back in. "I'm sorry. I make inappropriate jokes when I'm nervous. Please, I swear I've changed. I just want the chance to meet my daughter."

"Tonight, 8:30, Yaya's Papaya's. I'll see you there." I hung up.

"Oh please don't tell me you're really gonna go out on a date with that fool, but not with me!" Dallas spat at me.

"It's not a date! We're going to talk about Nora. That's all. So don't get your panties all in a bunch, Dallas. Calm down."

He clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. "Don't tell me to calm down, Goddammit. I'm sick and tired of you telling me to calm down. Like I don't have a right to be pissed."

"Well, in all fairness Dallas.....you don't. You're my friend, and nothing else."

That must've really pissed him off because he gave me a glare that I've never seen. He slammed his hands down on the table so hard I thought the table might split in half.

"Don't belittle me, Harper. I'm not just your friend and you fucking know it!" He said pointing his oversized finger at me. "You know what, I'm leaving." He started to leave.

I turned my body around in the chair to face him. "Well, you can't leave!" I screamed back at him.

"And just why the hell not?"

I smirked at him. "Well, I need a ride." I said using a baby voice and giving him the sad puppy dog face.

Dallas rolled his eyes and shut the door. "Oh, I can leave. But I won't."

I looked down at his feet. "You wouldn't get very far in my slippers."