"No!"
"Zoe! What did I say? It's time for bed"
"Mommy now!"
Rubbing his hands down his face, this had become the norm the moment they got home every time he took the girls from Savannah's. Aubree was sound asleep, however Zoe refused as she pouted in her toddler bed.
"Zoe please, go to sleep" Trey pleaded with his daughter
Pointing to the phone clutched in his hand, he knew Savannah was out for the night, but the only way she would budge for him was to talk to her through FaceTime. He hesitated, scrolling through the contacts and hoped Savannah answered the call instead of swerving it thinking it was him checking up on her. The last thing he honestly wanted was to hear her laughing and smiling in the presence of another man. As the call connected, he saw her shaking her head as stood in the hallway by the restrooms. As always, she was completely flawless as she chuckled under her breath.
"You look stressed" she joked
"Please talk to your daughter Savannah" he said passing the phone to Zoe who was all smiles as she excitedly exclaimed
"Mommy!" she replied
"Zoe, what are you doing up still? You know you're supposed to be sleeping" Savannah scolded
Her pouting bottom lip softened her face as she blew her a kiss while Zoe kissed the phone, handing it back to her father as he sat in confusion.
"That was it? When I tried to kiss her, she turned away" he said
"Well, you're not me duh" she winked her eye
"Sorry to interrupt your date...then again I'm not" he honestly spoke
"I know you're not. I hesitated to answer this, but I knew Zo's bedtime was around now. Every time you pick her up, she does this" she said
"She hates me. I know she does" he smirked
"She does not hate you. She's a toddler who wants her way. You gotta stop being a softy and put your foot down. Let her know you're daddy and in control" she said
"Wow, I kinda like the way you said daddy though" he said
"Oh my God, goodnight Tremaine" she said
"Wait...you look gorgeous" he said
"Thanks. Now, go get some rest before the other little one wakes up for her middle of the night feeding" she said
"Shit...you're right. Goodnight babe. Be safe tonight" he said
"Thanks" she said blowing him a kiss
Ending the call, He clutched the phone in his grasp as she sat and watched Zoe doze off. Placing her covers over her, he stood up and headed back to the master bedroom to get some rest before Aubree woke up screaming. After Savannah moved out, he found it hard to sleep in their bed again, missing her warmth against him. He found himself engulfing himself with her scent that was still embedded in the sheets. From the smell of her perfume, to the moisturizer she put in her hair, he could feel her presence still in the home. Lately, in his therapy sessions, he had been focusing heavy on his deep rooted issues he possessed. He began to see that those anger issues and fears of abandonment stemmed heavy from a lack of understanding about his upbringing. From the many things he witnessed, experienced, he realized those feelings were playing major roles in how he viewed relationships. When he felt he was losing control, he did everything to manipulate the situation to make it fit him. He felt he spent a great deal of his life being everything people wanted him to be, whether it be the type of son, boyfriend, even within his artistry. He was tired of not being good enough just being himself.
