Stuck In Between

Chapter One

The drive over was without event, something that helped my mood even further. I would need it when I saw my ex-wife again. The divorce had been rough, but this was even rougher still, not being able to see Carli every day. I shook off those thoughts, plastering a smile on my face as the car cruised up the street I used to live on and parked outside my old house. Heading up the once happy path and ringing the doorbell a single time.

From within the house, a tiny, adorable scream rang out and alerted me that my daughter knew I was there to pick her up. The door was thrown open at once by my beautiful, caramel-colored princess wearing a purple tutu and a red shark shirt. Obviously, today was a day she got to choose her outfit.

"Daddy!! You're home!" It broke my heart that she did not understand the divorce.

"There's Daddy's favorite girl in the whole world!"

I picked her up and swung her around in my arms, plastering her with quick kisses. She was all I needed to keep going: a little bundle of energy that could always easy my troubles away with just a smile and a laugh.

"Have you been on your best behavior lately?"

"Of course, Daddy! Are you staying? Please tell me you are staying! I don't want to leave Mommy again!"

I frowned, knowing that she was still too young to understand what had happened. Actions have consequences and she was just a victim in all of this, a realization I have to live with every day. This was all my fault and I knew that someday I would have to tell her everything. But not today. Today, she was just my little girl and she would be given all the happiness I could provide.

"Sorry, you're stuck with me for a while! But tell you what, we'll go out for ice cream and stay up as late as you want! Does that sound good?"

Her little face lit up as she gasped, "Yes!!"

The ex-love of my life rounded the corner from the kitchen, still looking as beautiful as the day we met.

Jessie spoke, "Carli, go get your backpack." The little sprite wriggled out of my arms and ran off into the house.

My ex-wive's eyes cut towards me, "You will not jack her up on sugar and let her do whatever wants! That's not parenting. That's babysitting!"

"Hey, I'm the fun one. You can be Miss Discipline all you want," I snorted.

The blue-eyed, porcelain skin southern belle hissed, "The fun one that destroyed his family in the first place."

That one hurt for sure. I winced at her biting words and took a deep breath as to remain silent. The tension was cut by Carli running in, "Daddy, look! Mommy got me a new Dora backpack! It's so cute!"

"Alright, let's go, Carli the Explorer!" With a parting glance to my child's mother, I opened my mouth like I was going to speak. Deciding against it, I took Carli's hand and headed out to the truck.

The Dora backpack found its home on the floorboard as I buckled her into the car seat, the six-year-old already bombarding me with more questions.

"Daddy! I missed you! How old are you? Where do puppies come from? Why isn't Mommy coming with us? Can we get ice cream on the way to your new apartment?"

This little girl was my whole world. Her big blue eyes and wild curls reminded me of her mother every time she came to visit. Hell, Carli is practically a carbon copy of Jessie. From her stubborn attitude to the cute button nose, I've always wondered how she resembled me, besides her skin color. My deep shade of chocolate mixed with Jessie's porcelain white complexion made for a beautiful in-between.