Mr. Mom

38

"Allie look at me!" Ellie squeals from the start of the monkey bars, Alice is waiting at the other end.

"I'm watching!" FP holds Ellie as she goes across the monkey bars, giggling wildly the whole time. "Look at you go!" Alice grabs her at the end.

"I love the monkey bars!"

"I loved the monkey bars when I was your age too."

"I'm going to go play on the slide!"

"Alright be careful baby. Alice and I are going to be over on the bench okay?"

"Ok, daddy."

He smiles at his daughter, watching as she climbs the play structure to get to the slide. He and Alice walk over to the bench and sit together.

"What do you say we get some coffee after she's done playing?" FP suggests.

"That sounds nice." Alice smiles at him and goes to lean in for a kiss when she remembers where they are. Ellie doesn't know that they're together and they both agreed to keep it that way for a little while.

"Pain in the ass not being able to hold your hand here." He settles for stretching his arm across the top of the bench, fingertips just barely grazing her shoulder.

"I agree." She sighs. She looks towards the playground and sees Ellie grinning as she plays, this little girl really has stolen her heart, and so has her dad.

___

"Hi, can I get two medium coffees, two cream and two sugar in each and," he turns to Ellie. "what kind of donut do you want, baby?"

"Chocolate with the sprinkles!" She answers eagerly. "And chocolate milk!"

FP smiles. "Chocolate milk and a chocolate sprinkle donut." Is

"Coming right up!"

He pays while Ellie and Alice go pick a table. Ellie claims Alice's lap as she waits for her dad to bring her donut over.

"Do you want to watch a movie tonight, Allie?"

"Sure, honey. What movie do you want to watch?"

"The Little Mermaid!" She insists. "Daddy likes that one too. He likes all the movies I like."

"Yeah daddy's pretty great, huh?"

"Yup!"

"Alright, coffee for you." He places the cup in front of Alice. "And a donut for you."

"Thank you." Alice smiles at him.

"Thanks daddy!" Ellie says with a mouthful of donut.

He laughs and wipes some chocolate icing from her face. "What were you two talking about?"

"Oh just about how great you are." Alice answers, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Oh really?" He smirks and watches as the colour drains from her face when she turns to the door. "What's wrong, Al?" His eyes follow hers and he sees a tall man standing in line.

"That's... that's Jason." She struggles to get out.

"Oh shit."

"Daddy! Bad word!" Ellie scolds.

"I'm sorry, baby girl." He doesn't take his eyes off the man.

Ellie looks at the two adults with utter confusion. "Are you okay, Allie?" She questions, noticing how Alice's eyes have welled up with tears.

Alice nods slowly and feels Ellie press a kiss to her cheek.

"Lets go." FP stands up from the table, walking over to Alice who's still sitting there, numbly. He places his hands on her shoulders and gets her to stand up. She clutches his hand tightly in her own and he feels her nails dig into his skin.

He takes Ellie's hand and tries to get the three of them out of the coffee shop before the man notices Alice.

It doesn't work. He feels Alice's hand fall out of his own and he turns to see Jason gripping Alice tightly by the arms. "Hey sweetheart, haven't seen you in a while." He smiles menacingly.

"Let me go, Jason." She stammers out. He doesn't budge, just grips her tighter.

"You heard her." FP barks. "Let her go."

"Ohhhh, I see. This is why you left me." He looks FP up and down. "Can't pretend I understand why though."

"I... um-"

"Come on man, just let her go. She isn't hurting anyone, just move on with your life and let her move on with hers."

"I'm sorry, I don't recall talking to you." He looks back at Alice. "This is a conversation between my girl and I." He squeezes her arms tighter and she winces.

Ellie notices and her eyebrows furrow in anger. "Hey mister! You're hurting Allie, stop it!"

Jason snaps his gaze over to the little girl and lets Alice go with a shove, dropping down to Ellie's level. "Hey there rugrat-"

His sentence is stopped short as Alice scoops Ellie up into her arms. "Do not talk to her." She warns. She takes the keys out of FP's back pocket and walks outside with the little girl snuggly in her arms.

"I'm sorry, Allie. He was being so mean to you and I wanted him to stop, I didn't know I wasn't sposed to talk to him." Ellie apologizes, wiping a tear from Alice's cheek.

"It's ok, honey. He's just not a very nice person, I don't want him talking to you." She presses a kiss to the little girl's head and unlocks the truck, opening the door to buckle Ellie in. "Thanks for trying to help me though."

"I don't like when people are mean."

"You're the sweetest girl ever."

"Please don't be sad no more, Allie." Ellie wipes another tear that slips down her cheek and puckers her lips to give Alice a kiss.

"That made me feel a lot better, honey. Thank you."

She climbs into the front of the truck and clenches her fists as she watches FP walk out of the diner, followed closely by Jason.

There's incoherent yelling between the two of them and Alice squeezes her eyes shut as she tries to block out the noise and the view of the two of them.

She's snapped back to reality when she hears a car peel out of the parking lot and then hears the truck door open.

She opens her eyes to see FP and he reaches out his hands towards her to wipe away the tears that are steadily streaming down her face.

He looks down and notices her fists clenched tightly, he knows she's hurting herself and he reaches for her, pulling her to him and feeling her cling onto him. Her nails dig into his back but he'd rather that than her hurting herself.

She cries into FP's chest as he soothes her, holding her tightly and pressing kisses to her head.

Alice opens her eyes and sees Ellie staring at her. She gives her a soft smile and reaches out her hand which the little girl quickly grabs onto, walking to do anything to help Allie feel better.