You Don't Deserve My Love

Surprise

(Mitch POV)

It had been a while since I had spent any quality time with my parents and close family.  We didn't live that far away, maybe an hour at best - or 2 with the LA traffic - but finding the time to make the drive was difficult so when my mom phoned to invite us to a vacation home in Palm Springs for the weekend, I jumped at the chance.  Lily was old enough now to know who was who and I wanted her to spend as much time as I could get her with her grandparents. Scott wasn't able to make it due to work commitments but Lily and I packed our bags and headed off.

It had been a wonderful few days filled with fun and family but I was more than a little relieved to be going home to Scott. I loved my family, of course but they could be a little overwhelming, even Lily felt it. I had never known my bold as brass daughter to shy away from anything but she spent the majority of the weekend clinging onto my legs or burrowed in my arms. We were ready to be back in our cute suburban home with our daddy so I decided to leave a day earlier than arranged.

I had planned on telling Scott the change but decided very last minute to surprise him instead. He mentioned when I was on the phone that night that he was just about to head out for a few drinks with Avi and Kevin from work. If I know anything about Scott, I know that his ability to "have a few" was nonexistent. He was a very sociable person and always wanted to stay out to party for as long as he could so I knew a few drinks would quickly turn into horribly hungover the next day. My new secret plan was to swing by a Starbucks on the way home and bring him breakfast in bed.

"We're going home to daddy tomorrow, peanut. Are you excited?" I asked the 3 year old as I lifted her from the bathtub and wrapped her in her hooded frog towel.

"Daddy daddy daddy!" She chanted excitedly. This was maybe my favourite age because she knows what you're saying and I can actually have a conversation with her that isn't just nonsense babbling.

"Yeah, we're going to surprise him."

"Supwise? Does he get a pwesent?" She scrunched her tiny little face up, looking thoroughly confused.

I wasn't really sure where that question had come from but I had learned long ago not to question a 3 year old's logic because it rarely made sense. "No, we haven't gotten him a present."

"But that what happens at patties..."

"At parties? He's not having a party, sweetie."

"Yes he is 'cause you said supwise."

What in the world- oh, like a surprise party! Kirstin had thrown Jeremy a surprise party for his most recent birthday and Lily was now obsessed with the idea. It had become tradition in our house that whenever Scott or I came home to her she would yell surprise as we entered. It was adorable but you try having a tiny person jump out at you every time you walked in the house. I've definitely dropped a couple of F bombs around her but could you blame me?

"We're not having a party for him, peanut. It'll just be us," I explained hoping she would get it.

"No pwesents but supwise?" We really needed to work on her R's.

"Yeah, that's right. He's not getting any presents but you still get to shout surprise."

"YAY! SUPWISE!" She screamed as loud as she could.

"Shh," I laughed, tucking her into bed now she was dry and in her pj's. "You need to shout it at daddy tomorrow when we see him, okay?"

"Otay."

I kissed her forehead and flicked on her night light before heading downstairs to rejoin the mayhem, "goodnight, Lilybug. I love you."

"I luh you, papa."