Roadtrip Oneshots

Brandy, Dads

Brooklyn

We'd been lucky enough to adopt Ebony just over three years ago (when she had just turned one). And when we saw her that first time, Andy and I had taken one look at each other with a smile. She'd been perfect.
Sea green eyes. A beautiful smile.

I'd been hooked the second I'd laid eyes on her, and the tears in Andy's eyes told me instantly that he'd felt the same. He'd squeezed my hand, and it was then and there that I think we'd decided.

Little Ebony Wyatt.
Andy's little girl.
And mine too.

***

I could see the pale complexion to my husband's face from a mile away. But as usual, he tried to play it off. Ebony was latching onto his legs with a howl of laughter every time he stumbled. I could see how hard he was hiding it, through his forced laughter; Ebony wouldn't know any different. But I'd known this handsome man in front of me for many years, and I knew when he was putting up a front.

I saw his barely concealed wince when Ebony shrieked again. With a sigh I headed over to them both, swallowing the lump in my throat when Andy held tightly onto the counter.

"Daddy!" Ebony shrieked, letting go of Andy and running at me. I caught her with a smile as she jumped, and twirled her around a few times. Her laugh was infectious, much like Andy's was.
It was as if she was Andy's biological daughter in that aspect, but she wasn't.
However, she was in our daughter in everything but blood.

"Morning Princess." I pressed a sweet kiss to her forehead, smiling when she giggled cutely at me.
She really was adorable. I felt the smile on my face widen.

"What are we playing today daddy?" She asked loudly, and I imperceivably let my eyes dart over to my husband for a fraction of a second.

Andy had broken out into a sweat, and I noted in slight panic that he hadn't moved an inch since he'd gripped onto the counter. His eyes were closed, no, they squeezed tightly shut, and I watched as his knuckles turned white.

I turned back to my daughter then, always falling in love with the twinkle in her green eyes.

"I don't know Miss Ebony Wyatt," I put her down with an exaggerated groan, loving how it made her giggle, "I have an idea though. Why don't you head on in to the sitting room and choose?" I knelt down, picking up one of her tiny hands and encasing it withing both of my larger ones.

Everything about our daughter was adorable.

"Okay daddy... what about dad? Is he playing with us too?" She looked over at Andy with large eyes. Ones that I could never resist.

"Dad's got work to do darling... I'll play with you later on though." I gave my husband a thankful smile, still worrying though. He was acting tough for her. Because he hated it when she worried about him.
Even though she was only four, she could easily tell when something wasn't right with either one of us.

Something I was very proud of. If not jealous of.

"Okay... can we play ponies daddy? And we can look after dad's while he's working."

Ebony had looked slightly crestfallen when Andy had declined her. Not because he didn't want to... he never missed an opportunity to play with his little girl! But because I knew he must be feeling terrible to feel the need to lie to her anyway. Usually he'd say that he was going for a lie down.