What?

1. Present

"Mommy!" A little girl with dark brown hair wrapped herself around my leg, hugging it close to herself.

"Violet! Baby, don't run around. The baby in mummy's stomach could get hurt." I picked her up as best as I could, what with my awkward 5-month old baby belly and all.

"When's daddy coming back? I want to show him my painting that I made!" She was grinning as she was perched on my hip. She looked so much like her daddy. Dark brown hair, though she got her curls from me and hypnotising hazel eyes. She was beautiful.

"Daddy.. Well, how about we call him up and check out?" I smiled back. The truth was, I just want to know where he is and I know I'm not going to get a straight answer, but he sure will answer for his daughter. He loved her, it was crystal clear. He already loved the growing baby boy residing in my belly.

I carried Violet to the home phone that hung on the kitchen wall, dictating his office number so she could call him.

"Daddy!" Her eyes lit up when he picked up. It was so beautiful to see the love she had for him. Unconditional love, the purest kind of love. "Daddy, where are you? I wanna show you my painting! I made it today. When are you coming home?"

I could hear a slight mumble, but Violet clearly heard it, since her smile widened with whatever he said.

"Yay! Come home soon, daddy!" She hung up and smiled up at me. "Daddy's in the car, he'll be home in this many minutes minutes." She held up five fingers, giving a toothy smile. I adored her so much. Like I adored her father.

Just as promised, he came home exactly five minutes later. I knew this because I heard Violet's tiny footsteps running towards the door as she screamed "Daddy!"

"Princess! How was your day? Where's that beautiful painting that you made, huh?" His deep voice was unmistakable. After all, I'd been so used to it for over 8 years now. He came into the kitchen, where I was stirring the sauce for the pasta I had planned to make today. Violet, who was now perched comfortably in his arms was directing him towards the fridge, where her painting was proudly hung using one of her special pink magnets.

"It's amazing! I should call you a little artist from now on, hey?" He kissed her forehead and she put her tiny arms around his neck.

"It's you, mommy! Aunt Becca help me made it."

"Did she, now?" He glanced up at me, from his spot on the floor, crouched to her level. She nodded excitedly. Her eyes suddenly widened as if she lost the most important thing in the world.

"No! I missed SpongeBob!" She yelled and ran towards the living room.

"Don't sit too close to the tv." I reminded her, though I doubted she even heard me.
He chuckled and got up and came around to lean on the centre island, right behind where I stood.

"So, Rebecca came around today, I guess?" He questioned. He seemed reluctant, not as angry as I'd expected him to be. He didn't like Becca. It was glaringly obvious.

"Yeah, she was in this area, so decided stop by, just for a little while though." I glanced at him over my shoulder.

"What did she want now?" He had his arms crossed across his chest, his eyebrows cinched together. There's the anger.

"Wanting to meet her niece?" I sassed back.

"Whatever. I'm going to work in my office. Call me when dinner is ready or whatever."

This is how things were between us now. The only thing keeping us together was Violet. And the coming baby. This wasn't healthy, was it?

Dinner was quiet as usual. The only thing keeping it lively was Violet's constant chattering about her kindergarten friends and teachers. My little girl had just started kindergarten and she was so excited about it!

I walked out of the ensuite into the floral bedroom, seeing him lying in bed, face hidden behind his phone like always.

"Do you think you could make some time tomorrow?" He looked up at that.

"Why?"

"I have my doctor's appointment tomorrow. I want you to come with me. Can you?"

"Why don't you take Becca? She'd be more than happy to come." The bitterness in his voice was unmistakable.

"What is your problem? This is our baby! Don't you want to be there to make sure that it's nice and healthy? That it's happy?" Don't cry. Don't cry.

"Was it our baby when you decided it was better to not tell me. Was it our baby when Becca decided to drunkenly blurt out that you were 4-months pregnant at my company party? Which was the first time I had heard of that?"

Tears lined my eyes. Don't cry. "I wasn't ready!" I was seething. "I was figuring out how to tell you! You're always running around on your stupid business trips and you're barely ever home. This is not exactly the best condition to bring a baby into, is it?"
"One word. One word and I could cancel my trips for you. You know that." His angry look was back.

"You know what? I don't want to fight right now. I just need to sleep. Tomorrow. Are you coming or not?"

"Sure. Whatever. What time?"

"11:30. Dr. Miller. Okay?"

"Okay." He had a small smile on his face.

It'll all be okay with time.