Cross My Heart, Hope To Die

Nightmare

"Daddy, I'm done!" Destiny yelled from the bathroom. I went in with her towel.

"Here." I said handing it to her. She wrapped it around herself.

"Where's my clothes?" She asked. I knew I forgot something.

"Tell your brother to get you something to sleep in." I replied.

"Which one?" She asked putting her hand on her hip.

"Take your hand off your hip." She dropped her arm.

"I brought Destiny some clothes." Cookie said walking in the bathroom with us.

"Thank you. You're a lifesaver." She said taking her clothes and leaving the bathroom.

"Sleep with me tonight." I said taking her hand in mine. She looked at me like she was considering it.

"I can't." She replied.

"Alright, can I get a hug?" I asked. She didn't say anything and she didn't move so, I took this as a yes. I pulled her to me and wrapped my arms around her.

"I love you." I whispered. She wrapped her arms around me but she didn't say it back.

"I'm ready for bed." Destiny said coming back in.

"Okay. Good night. Tell Lola I said good night too." I told her.

"Whatchu mean? I asked you if I could sleep with you and you said whatever you want baby girl. You can't take it back." She replied.

"damn." I muttered. I really need to pay her more attention.

"Okay get in bed and go to sleep." I said hoping she'd leave before Cookie did. Cookie pulled away.

"I should go." She turned around and bent over to kiss Destiny on the forehead. "Good night." She left.

"Alright." I picked Destiny up and tucked her in. "I'm going to go take a shower. I'll be back." I told her. She nodded. After a long shower I came out and Destiny was still up. I got in bed next to her.

"Do you love me daddy?" She asked.

"Of course." I replied

" I love you too. Good night." She leaned over and kissed my cheek then she snuggled in next to me. I turned off the lights and went to sleep. I was sleeping but I felt like I was being watched. I opened my eyes slightly and saw Cookie sitting in a chair drinking wine.

"What the fvck are you doing?" I asked.

"Getting drunk." She replied. Somehow Destiny ended up on top of me. I sat up holding her to my chest. She snored lightly.

"What's wrong? Why aren't you in bed?" I asked in a low tone. I reached over and turned on a lamp. Her eyes were red, she looked like she was crying. I laid Destiny in bed. I took a seat next to her and waited. She finished her drink and let out a shaky breath.

She closed her eyes and tears started to stream down her face. "Everytime I close my eyes, I see a man in your living room holding a gun to your head. You're on your knees and we are all standing there begging him not to pull the trigger. Then I get on my knees in front of you and I beg them to just kill me because that's who they're there for. I snitched not you but then the guy tells me he will kill me but first he wants everybody I love to die. So, he asks me do you love him and you keep telling me it's okay Cookie. It's okay but in my head I'm thinking if I tell him I don't love you maybe he won't kill you. So, that's what I say. I tell him I don't love you." She held her hand out in front of her in the shape of a gun sign. "Then pow." She jumps like it's happening for real. "He shoots you and I'm covered in your blood, brain, and everything else. He killed you and it all my fault. Then the man laughs and he walks out the door. He said he would kill me too but he didn't so I have to live without you. Then it starts over again. The next time I tell him I do love you and then he shoots you still then he laughs at me and doesn't kill me so I have to live without you. It always ends with you dead and me covered in your blood. I-I-I-I-I-I can't li-live without you. I don't want to." She said sobbing into her hand.

"Come here." I reached out and pulled her to me. She straddled me and held me tightly to her. We sat like that for awhile until she stopped crying but she still held onto me like if she let go I would leave.

"I love you. Nobody will take me away from you just like nobody will take you away from me. I love you, you hear me baby. I love you so much. There ain't no until death do we part. Me and you is forever. Right?" I asked her.

"Yeah. Forever." She whispered.

"Alright then stop crying. Sleep with me tonight." I told her. I got up with her in my arms. We got comfortable in bed with Destiny. She turned in my arms so we are facing each other. She leaned in and kissed me then she moved away.

"What was that?" I asked.

"A thank you." She answered.

"There is a better way to thank me." I replied.

"Not with your daughter in bed." Cookie said.

"She's sleep." I told her.

Cookie responded, "Right next to us." I groaned.