the book of fluff (that usually isn't)

divorced

i'm sorry this is bad

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trigger warning: attempted rape

"Hey, baby, it's time for school," Mitch murmured, gently shaking his daughter awake. Hailey whined and turned to bury her face in her pillow, stubbornly trying to get back to sleep. Mitch laughed softly to himself and brushed her hair out of her eyes. "I know, sweetie, I know. Come on, it's your first day of first grade. Aren't you excited?"

"No," Hailey grumbled, but she got out of bed and grabbed some clothes. 

Mitch smiled fondly to himself and stood. "I'll go make you a waffle, okay? And I'll do your favorite braids."

"Okay, Daddy."

Mitch pressed a kiss to Hailey's hair. "I love you," he murmured before he left her bedroom to the kitchen. He was quick to make his daughter her favorite waffle and a glass of milk, and it was waiting for her on the table when she came into the kitchen.

Hailey sat at the table and quietly started eating her waffle, and Mitch went behind her to run her fingers through her hair. "Do you want two braids that come together in the back?" he asked, and she just nodded. Mitch hummed softly to himself as he braided his daughter's blonde locks, making the two braids come together in the back.

When she was ready for school, Mitch drove her to the elementary school. "Bye, sweetie. I love you so much, okay? Have a good day," he called after her as she got out of the car.

As soon as she was gone, his smile dropped and he bit his lip, checking his phone. He bit his lip harder to keep back a groan when he saw the text from his ex-husband.

John: Sorry I can't make it to Hailey's birthday
John: I met a hot girl and we've been fucking and she wants to meet up at the same time
sent 12:56 am

Mitch: Hailey's your fucking daughter and you pick some girl you just met over her?
Mitch: That's low, even for you
sent 7:34 am

Mitch scoffed and turned off his phone, seething with rage. "That fucking asshole," he muttered to himself, fighting the urge to text something he'd regret. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't cut his ex-husband out of his life forever. Hailey wouldn't understand why he did, and she loved her other father, even though she hardly ever saw him.

Mitch was still muttering to himself as he walked into Target as soon as his shift started. He'd changed into his manager uniform in the car, but he still went to the employee break room for a cup of coffee. He knew he needed to calm down before he faced customers.

+++

The shift was incredibly boring, save for one customer. Mitch was manning one of the cash registers because they were short on employees when a beautiful blond man came up with his shopping cart full of groceries. He was taller and broader than Mitch, and his arms were muscly, and he had the prettiest blue eyes Mitch had ever seen. Mitch was swooning immediately, but he told himself that this man was probably an asshole, like all of the other men he'd been with.

The man glanced up and smiled distractedly at Mitch as he placed his items on the conveyor belt. "Hey," he said, and Mitch just about melted. It took him a few seconds to realize that he was supposed to be scanning the man's groceries, and he made sure to keep his gaze on his work to hide his flushed cheeks.

The man laughed softly to himself and picked up a case of sodas, setting it on the conveyor belt. Mitch tried his best to be subtle as he stared at the man's flexing muscles, but his heart started beating so loudly he was terrified the man could hear. The man smiled lightly and turned away, and Mitch swore he was blushing.