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Months Later, Week Before The Fight
"And I beat you again, JJ, wassup?" I grinned, looking down at my nephew, who rolled his eyes dramatically.
"Man, you just taller than me, Uncle Aubrey. That don't count!" he argued, trying to act tough but laughing at the same time.
I was about to respond when I felt a small tug on my hand. Glancing down, I saw Ava looking up at me with her big brown eyes.
"Hey, babygirl," I said, my smile widening as I scooped her up effortlessly. I planted a kiss on her cheek, making her giggle and squirm in my arms.
"Daddy, did you see me play the claw machine? I won a toy!" she said excitedly, holding up a small stuffed animal in her tiny hand.
"I see you, baby! Look at that, you're better at winning than JJ over here," I teased, causing JJ to groan in protest.
I noticed Sophie across the room. She was standing talking to my mom, her arms crossed. Her expression was hard to read, but I could tell she wasn't completely relaxed. I focused back on Ava, who was now babbling about all the games she wanted to play next.
"Alright, princess, what's the next move? Wanna try to beat me at something?" I asked, bouncing her lightly in my arms.
"Uh-huh!" she exclaimed, pointing toward the racing games. "That one!"
"Alright, let's go show these folks how it's done," I said, carrying her in the direction she pointed while keeping an eye on Sophie from the corner of my eye.
After playing a few rounds with Ava at the racing games, where she made sure to loudly declare herself the winner even though I let her win every time—I walked her back to the seating area, leaving me alone with Ava as she climbed onto one of the booths.
She reached for the small cup of juice I had grabbed for her earlier and sipped happily. I leaned back in my seat, watching her with a soft smile.
As I scanned the room, my eyes found Sophie again. She was still by standing, but this time she wasn't talking to my mom anymore. Instead, she was just standing there, looking in my direction.
I sighed quietly, "Hey, babygirl," I said softly, crouching in front of her. "Daddy's gonna go talk to Mommy for a second, okay? I'll be back,"
Ava nodded, her attention already back on her juice and the stuffed animal she had won earlier.
I straightened up and made my way toward Sophie. As I approached, she noticed me and adjusted her posture.
"What's up, Sophie?" I asked when I was close enough, keeping my tone neutral.
"I was just watching. You're good with her."
"She's my daughter," I replied simply, shoving my hands in my pockets.
