look after you ( andrew bazzi )

XVIII

"rose? come on, baby. we're home." adeline's soft voice spoke to the sleeping child, trying to wake her up.

rosalia let out a hum, not really listening to the woman. adeline let out a chuckle, getting out of the car and opening the child's door.

"you don't want to see your dad?"

the child's eyes opened at this, her gaze darting around her. "we're home? already?"

adeline shook her head at her, a laugh coming from her lips. "come on, baby."

rosalia got out of the car, taking adeline's hand in her own as they walked towards the house. adeline was hit with the familiar scent of the man she couldn't stop thinking of when rosalia pulled her into the house. "daddy! i'm home!" rosalia dragged out her words, her hand still intact with adeline's.

"hey, princess." andrew came into the room. his curls resting on his head, watering dripping from them. "adeline."

rosalia didn't let go of adeline's hand, the child tightening her grip and moving closer to the woman. "hey, daddy."

"hello, andrew." adeline said, taking notice to the child who wouldn't leave her side.

andrew tilted his head, furrowing his eyebrows when his daughter didn't run to him. usually, when the two spent any time apart, the first thing she did was run to him and talk to him. rosalia wouldn't leave adeline's side and it was confusing both adults in the room.

"i like your hair, rose, and your nails." andrew pushed his hands into his pockets, watching the smile that formed onto rosalias face at the reminder of her hair and nails.

"thank you, daddy." rosalia mumbled, not wanting to let adeline go. the child looked up at the woman with pleading eyes. "miss kuwonu, do you have to go?"

adeline felt her heart warm at the soft voice of the child she'd grown to love in the matter of a few months. the woman bent down to the child's height, taking both of her small hands into her own. "you know, you don't have to call me miss kuwonu when it's just us, right? you can call me adeline when we aren't in school, rose." adeline said, a smile on her face. "i can't stay, but i'll see you tomorrow morning, okay?"

rosalia pouted. "i don't want you to go yet."

adeline sent her a sympathetic look, pushing the loose curls around the child's face behind her ear. "i had so much fun with you tonight, rose."

rosalia hugged the woman, not speaking for a few moments. adeline hugged the child back, feeling a sense of nostalgia around rosalia. she made her think of zion when he was younger. andrew watched the interaction between the two, feeling himself fall harder for the woman than he was before. he admired the way she was with his daughter, the way adeline cared for her so quickly despite the short amount of time knowing the child.

"thank you." rosalia mumbled in adeline's ear, the woman feeling tears brim her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

"always." adeline replied, feeling rosalia let go of her.

rosalia spared the teacher one more glance before making her way back to her room, leaving the two adults alone.

adeline stared in the direction the child had left, replaying the moments in her head. the woman quickly wiped the tears that had built in her eyes, standing up.

"she really does care for you." andrew said, catching adeline's attention.

adeline nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. "i care for her as well." she took a pause. "she was upset at school over her mother again. i think she feels as if she's missing out on things, like having someone teach her how to do her hair and nails and boy talk and other things your mom is supposed to teach you. that's why i brought her over and i spent time with her. if it's okay with you, i'd like to be that female role model for her. i know how it feels to believe you're missing out on having a mom and having to learn all that on your own with no one to look up to really. only if it's okay with you, of course."

andrew kept his gaze on the woman, feeling his heart jump in his chest. "you mean so much to rosalia, adeline— you mean so much to me. rosalia kind of attached herself to you and even if i have this paranoia that the same thing that happened with her mother will happen with you, i'm all for you being that mother figure for her."

adeline automatically shook her head, a frown on her face. "i could never abandon rosalia like that. i'm not going anywhere anytime soon, that's a promise, andrew."

"thank you, adeline— for everything." andrew whispered, moving closer to the woman.

adeline felt her breathe get caught in her throat at the close proximity of the two. she could feel andrews breathe on her cheek, a blush on her own. "always." she mumbled, the two leaning forward before they pulled apart due to the sound of rosalia's feet running through the house.

"daddy! my locket is gone!"

andrew closed his eyes tightly, feeling adeline take a couple steps away from him.

"my locket! daddy, it's not on my nightstand. did you take it?" rosalia asked, coming into the room. "i never move it from my nightstand."

"i haven't touched it, rosalia."

"but i never move it and it's been there—" rosalia cut herself off when she noticed adeline still in the room. "i can't find it."

"maybe you're overlooking it, princess."

"no, i never move it. i looked everywhere, it's not in there. what if someone took it?"

"who would take it, rose? no one goes in your room except for us and i haven't touched it."

rosalia shook her head, feeling frustrated that her father wasn't believing her. the child turned around, going back to search her room again. andrew closed his eyes again before looking at adeline.

"it's getting late, i should go." she spoke softly.

"y—yeah, yeah. i'll walk you ou—"

"no, it's fine. go help her find that necklace." adeline smiled, stepping closer to the man. she left a kiss on his cheek, a blush rising to both the adults faces. "goodbye, andrew."

"goodbye, adeline."

UNKNOWN.
you think that if i
show up, rosalia would
choose me, right? that's
why you're so hellbent
on keeping me from
my daughter.

UNKNOWN.
you think that pretty
girl will replace me?
i'll always be rosalias
mother, andrew. nothing
and no one will change that.

UNKNOWN.
i'm getting my daughter
back one way or the
other. i wanted to do
this nicely, maybe even
go back to how we used
to be but you chose wrong
and now i'll have to do it
the hard way.

DELIVERED.. 9:13pm

AUTHORS NOTE:

crazy shit is about to go down 😁

should i bring elom in ?

or edwin ? or austin and nick ?

or someone else ? who do
you guys want to see ?

omg i published this right
at 3:15 what a coincidence pt. 2