Exhale: Book 2

Sleepover

Gabriel

"Sabrina Olivia Miller." I say her full government name, "Did you just say that I'm her father?" I can't believe that she kept this big of a secret from me this long.

Sabrina picks up Mahogany and holds her hand, "You heard me right Gabriel Jonathan Renzo. This is... your daughter," She puts Mahogany down. I look at Mahogany. She looks a little like Dakota when she was a child. "How old is she?" I ask Sabrina. "I'm five years old. But I'll be six on my next birthday." Mahogany says looking up at me.

I kneel to her level looking into her eyes, "And when is your next birthday?"

"December 14th," She smiles. She's so cute when she smiles. She has my mother's eyes, her mother's smile, and my nose. "So, what do I call you?"

"What do you mean? I'm your father. Why would you call me anything else?" I question. "Because some men wouldn't want to play father, so they would tell their child to call them something else or probably just never see them again. So, I ask because I don't know if you want me to call you Daddy, Gabriel, or Mr. Renzo," She explains. She's also wise like her mother.

I pick her up and kiss her cheek, "Well I'm not going to play father, because," I impersonate Darth Vader, "I am your father."

She giggles, "Mommy can Daddy stay for dinner, pleeeeease Mommy?" She gives Sabrina her puppy dog eyes and pokes her lip out. She sighs, "Oh, alright." Mahogany squeals and run inside. Sabrina rolls her eyes, "You know, I've always hated that she has your big eyes. Whenever she wants something, and she knows I'm going to say no. She'll bring out those big blue-green eyes, which are my weakness." She scoffs, "I always hated that about you too." She nudges me.

I chuckle as we walk inside her home, "Hey don't blame me for that. Those eyes are a blessing and a curse."

Sabrina

It was just Gabe, Mahogany, and me at home eating Chinese takeout and playing Uno tonight, well more like I was beating them in Uno. Dakota and Charlotte went out on the town with a couple of their friends, since it wasn't a school night. Dakota is also going to spend the weekend at Charlotte's, meaning it would only be Mahogany and me this weekend. We're going to have a Mommy and Me weekend. "Uno out! I win again," I laugh.

Mahogany throws her cards on the table, "No fair Mommy, you cheated," She frowns.

"Yeah, no fair. You beat us ten times in a row," Gabe pick up the card and place them back in the box. "Thirteen really, but who's counting." I chuckle, "Okay Mahogany it's time for your bath. Let's get you ready for bed." I pick her up.

Mahogany smiles, "Mommy, can Daddy spend the night?" She asks.

"I think your father wants to go home," I look at Mahogany and then at Gabe.

"Sabrina, I don't have a problem spending the night tonight. If that's what Mahogany wants?" Gabe says with a smile.

Mahogany smile grew even bigger, "Mahogany, why don't you go upstairs and get ready for your bath while I talk to your father."

Mahogany nods, kiss Gabe on the cheek and go upstairs, leaving me and Gabe alone in the living room. Gabe helps me get the pillows off the floor and pick up the plates and Chinese to-go boxes. "Okay, I have to ask this question." Gabe says, "Sabrina why didn't you tell me about Mahogany sooner?"

"I didn't know how to tell you Gabe. I was going to tell when I was released from the hospital, but we were always arguing," I explain.

"You should've told me sooner Sabrina! I'm hurt that I miss my daughter's birth, her first tooth coming in, her first time crawling and walking, her first birthday, her first word and her very first day of school."