Temptation

James~Part 1

20 Years Earlier

She couldn't concentrate. She's been really good at coloring inside of the lines lately, but it was hard to concentrate on it when her parents are shouting at each other. Her dad was shouting about some guy named Jared, her mom's yoga instructor. It was hard to tell what he was saying, but Cassie heard him use the words, "cheat", "liar", and then her name. 

"Do not blame her for this!" He shouted. "She's six, how is she responsible for your affair!" Cassie held her doll puppy close to her chest as her mom shouted back, "You aren't with her all day, you don't know what it's like!"

After that, it was quiet. 

Suddenly, her door opened and her dad came in. "Hey, baby," he breathed out. "Hi, daddy," she sweetly said. He then picked her up from her place on the floor and said, "We're going out for ice cream, okay?"

She nodded with a wide smile. He quickly walked her out to the car and drove them until they were in front of the ice cream parlor. James lifted her to where she could see the flavors. After both ordering, he sat them on a bench outside. 

"Daddy?" She said. He turned to her as she innocently asked, "Why do you and mommy fight?" James let out a deep sigh, but then told her, "It's about adult things, baby. Sometimes adults don't agree with each other and they raise they're voices at each other. It's nothing to worry about. Alright?"

She nodded as she said, "Okay, daddy." As they continued to eat, Cassie's six year old mind came up with another question; "Does mommy like me?" James stopped eating, then set his ice cream down. "Why would you ask that?" He asked with concern written on his face. 

"She always yells at me," she explained. "She never kisses me goodnight or reads me stories." James smoothed down her hair with his hand and sighed. "She loves you," he told her, "she just has a different way of showing it. Do you know how much I love you?"

Cassie smiled widely as she asked, "To the moon and back?" James kissed her cheek, then said, "To the moon and back." They continued to eat their ice cream in silence after that, then James decided to take them for a walk, as he didn't want to go home quite yet. 

"Daddy?" Cassie asked, as she was snuggled up to his chest as they walked. He looked down at her. "Yeah, baby?" She looked up at him with her gigantic blue eyes and said, "If mommy loves me, then why doesn't she say it?"

James let out a light sigh. He found a spot to sit nearby, so he sat down with her in his lap. "Listen to me, Cass. People will come into your life who will say they love you, but it's just words. You need to come across someone who says it, but shows it and means it. Your mother, to her it's just words. To me, it's everything. You are everything. Promise me that you'll find someone who means both what they say and show it. I won't be around forever to do both and I need to know that you've found someone to take care of you like that."

Cassie nodded and said, "I promise, daddy. I love you." He gave her a big kiss on the cheek and said, "I love you so much, Cass. To the moon and back."