In The Words of Ana Steele...Oh Crap...What Do I Do Now

~Six~

Monday, April 25, 2016- Late Morning

Jamie's POV

"Say goodbye to Daddy for awhile, Dulcie," Amelia addresses our two-and-a-half year old. "Daddy, no! Don't weave me!" Dulcie begins to sob as she clings to me.

"I'm so sorry, princess," I tell her as I, too begin to cry. "Daddy has to work. Mummy is going to take you to see Grandma and Grandpa for awhile."

"I no wanna go wif Mummy!" Dulcie whines.

"You must be my big girl and do as Mummy says, okay? Be a good big sister for Daddy, and I'll see you as soon as I can."

"I want Duck-a!" Dulcie shrieks.

"See?! I knew there was something going on between the two of you!" Amelia snaps.

Paranoid much, dear? Or just trying to ease your own guilt? I think to myself.

"Dakota doesn't scream at her," I tell Amelia. "That's why she wants her, and wants me not to leave...now can we please stop fighting in front of her? It's got to be confusing enough for her right now, and you're probably scaring her by raising your voice like that...Come to Daddy, sweetheart," I address Dulcie. She comes into my open arms and sobs into my shoulder as I pick her up.

"Daddy, I want Duck-a," she whimpers.

"I don't know where Dakota lives, baby," I tell her, which is partly true...I know the general area, but Dave usually picks her up first in the morning, which means in the evening, she gets dropped off after I do. Only once or twice have I seen where her condo is located, and if pressed, there's no way I could locate it on a map.

"Can call Duck-a 'gain?" she asks me. Amelia rolls her eyes in response to our daughter's question and opens her mouth. I silence her with a look. Whatever calms Dulcie down, I'm all for...

I pull my phone out of my pocket and face-time Dakota. After a moment or two, her sleepy face appears on the screen.

"Jamie?" She croaks hoarsely.

"Morning, Dakota...I'm sorry to wake you, but I have someone here who desperately wants to see you..." I angle the phone so it catches Dulcie, and when she sees Dakota's face, her tears stop immediately and her little face lights up.

"DUCK-A!!!" she shrieks.

"Hi, pretty girl," Dakota replies, and then sneezes.

"Duck-a, you sick?" my daughter inquires.

"Yep, I am," Dakota answers.

Seconds later, she begins to cough uncontrollably. Poor thing, I think to myself, feeling like an arse for waking her. When she recovers, she reaches for a bottle of water, and after taking a drink, she addresses Dulcie again, asking. "How are you, sweetie?"

"Gon go bye-bye wif Mummy and baby sisser, Pee-bee" Dulcie tells her. "Gon go see Gamma and Gampa."

"Sorry to hear that, honey... I'll miss you," Dakota says.

"I miss too," Dulcie says as she blows Dakota a kiss. "I wuv you"

"Love you too, sweetie, but I need to go back to sleep... I'm sorry," Dakota apologizes.

"Feew bettew, Duck-a!" Dulcie shouts loudly. Dakota visibly winces. I lower Dulcie to the ground, and she stands beside me as I wrap up my conversation with Dakota.

"Sorry for waking you, but Dulcie refused to leave without saying goodbye to you," I state.

"'s okay," Dakota murmurs. I can see her blue eyes drifting closed, and I know if I don't stop talking now, she's going to be sound asleep in about two seconds. "See you on Wednesday morning," I tell her. "Get some rest."

"Thanks, Jamie," she mumbles. Then the screen goes dark.

"Be a good girl for Mummy," I say to Dulcie a second time as I squat down and hold her close.

"I awe good, Daddy!" She insists as she furrows her brows.

"I know you are, princess," I tell her as I untangle the straps of her small backpack from those of the denim overalls she wears. "Daddy loves you so much, and I'm gonna miss you," I tell her as I rain kisses over her small face. Suddenly she starts to squirm and push me away. I know then that she's ready to leave with Amelia.

"Bye Daddy! I wuv you," she tells me as she gives me a single kiss on my stubbly cheek. "You need shave, Daddy!"

I chuckle in reply, give her one final kiss and I love you, and send her off with my soon to be ex- wife.

xCu