Never giving up on you - Completed.

27.

Austin

Surgery had been a week ago, and I was home with Caity and Hailey again. My hip was still a bit sore, and I wasn't allowed to put my full weight on it yet, so I was using crutches to get around.

Today Caity had to start working again, and she had asked her mother to come check in on me and Hailey this morning since I wasn't able to do everything yet.

What I was able to do though was getting Hailey dressed for the day, and she was sitting on the ground in between my legs while I was trying to pull her hair in a ponytail. I grinned when after watching a Youtube video and four tries I finally got her hair in something that at least looked a bit like a ponytail, when her hairtie broke and the ponytail-looking bun of hair fell loose over her shoulders again. Sighing in defeat, I gave up.

'Well, seems like your father isn't that talented in doing your hair,' I told her. Hailey shrugged.

'It's okay, dad. You're good at other things.' I laughed and she looked back at me, grinning.

'Like what?,' I asked her.

'Singing!'

'Oh, yeah. You're right,' I chuckled.

'Sing a song for me, dad!'

'Which one?'

'Frozen!'

'What about we just put in the dvd?' Hailey's eyes went wide and she nodded her head.

'Yes!' She ran up to the tv and searched for the dvd, and I got up and put it in the dvd-player. Hailey jumped on the couch and I sat next to her, smiling at her when she cuddled up in my side and I pressed play. She knew almost every word to it and she whispered along with the movie for a while. I had never actually seen Frozen, but I liked it so far. Finally a Disney movie about a princess who doesn't need a prince to rescue her...

We were halfway through the movie when I heard someone put a key in the frontdoor and open it. I looked back to see Sarah walking in.

'Grandma!,' Hailey yelled and she jumped up and ran off into Sarah's arms.

'Hey little one! How are you doing today?,' Sarah asked, picking Hailey up and putting her hair behind her ear.

'I'm good. Me and daddy are watching Frozen!'

'Again?,' Sarah asked, looking at me.

'I've never seen it,' I said. She smiled and shook her head.

'She found you as her next victim for that movie.' Sarah walked up to the couch and sat down with Hailey, who was already back into Frozen.

'I don't mind,' I chuckled.

'Good. How are you, Austin?' I shrugged and looked at Caity's mother. Caity actually looked a lot like her, except for her eyes; she had her father's eyes.

'I'm doing fine. Getting around with these –' I pointed t my crutches, '- and I'm not in that much of pain.'

'Good to hear. Is taking care of Hailey working out for you in this situation?'

'Well...' I fell a bit quiet at her friendly but stern tone, and her piercing eyes observing my face. 'It's not that I can do everything, but... I'll manage.' Sarah pouted and looked at Hailey.

'Why is your hair on the loose, darling?'

'Oh, daddy tried to make a ponytail but he couldn't,' Hailey answered, not taking her eyes of the tv. I laughed a little.

'I tried, but I've never done those things before. I'll learn it one day.'

'Yeah, I bet. There are a lot of things you still have to learn about having a kid,' Sarah said. I frowned and tore my eyes of the tv.