Cataclysm

Dario's Future Lies In The Hands Of...

The door opens and footsteps come into the house. I try to turn but the chair I am in is blocking my sight.

"How did the meeting go?"

"She didn't even fight. She just said, 'Take him. He's your kid anyway'."

I can hear the sadness in his voice.

"Does she have visitation?"

"She didn't want it."

"I'm sorry, man. Want to drown your sorrows?"

He is offered a dark brown bottle from the cold box thing.

"Rephrase it to small victories, but no. I have a son to raise on my own now and need to stay sober."

"I thought you were staying with your mother for the time being."

"I am. Darla doesn't like the thought of having a grandchild who has an absentee mother."

"First name with her now?"

"She doesn't deserve the title of mother."

"From the stories I've heard from you, I can understand why."

I relieve myself from an urgent bathroom matter before looking at Zach with pleading eyes.

"Follow me. Cat needs a diaper change."

I am picked up from the chair into Zach's arms.

"How do you know?"

"She always makes the same face when she needs a diaper change. I like to think she is communicating with me."

"Saying?"

"'Please change my diaper, weird thing that talks to me and cares for me.'"

I look up at him with wide eyes. He isn't far off. More like: 'This is unsanitary, please change it so I am clean again'.

"So you speak baby now?"

I send my best glare to Morris but I am ignored.

"I'm one of her fathers. I've grown close with Cat. I feel like we share a special bond already."

"Cause you were abandoned by your mother too?"

What?

The hurt in Zach's eyes says 'yes'.

He doesn't show it in his voice.

"She was a coward and a drug addict who attempted to have a fun night and popped me out later that year."

My back is against the cushion of the changing table.

"Looks like we all have crappy mothers here."

Unbuttoned onesie.

"Kellin's mom was actually pretty cool growing up."

Diaper unstrapped.

"Yeah. Until she found out her son was attracted to guys."

Moist, cold cloth to my sensitive skin.

"That's when it all went south. But here he is, years later with me as a fiancé and Cataclysm here as his beautiful daughter."

Fresh diaper.

When my name slips past his lips, Zach bounces me lightly.

Buttoned back up.

"Speaking of Cat, what are you going to do when she starts talking?"

Into Zach's arms.

"I'm more focused on getting her to crawl more often."

"She's crawling? Since when?"

I give Morris my best smile.

"Last week. She doesn't make it too far, though. Just enough to make Kellin whip out the video camera."

"Proud father moment right there."

"You can say that again."

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Hey! 

Just letting the readers who have stuck with me all this time know that there will be a sequel! A short story version, maybe a few chapters, but there will be more to Cataclysm's story!