Mr. Mom

65

"Hey, Elliebelly. What are you doing?" He asks as he walks into her room.

"Playing dollies."

"That's fun." He smiles at her. He picks up the hamper from in her closet.

"Do you want to play with me?" She asks, holding up a Barbie for him.

"I'd love to, baby. I'm just going to do laundry first and then I'll play!"

"Okay, daddy!"

He smiles as she gets right back to playing. He walks out of the room and heads to the laundry room.

As she plays she hears a ringing coming from the living room. "You dollies stay right here, I'll be right back!" She runs out of her bedroom to go inspect the noise and sees FP's phone ringing on the coffee table.

She walks over and looks at it, seeing the name "Al" flashing on the screen. She smiles because she knows it's Allie and presses the green answer button, she had watched her daddy do it so she knows it's right, and puts it up to her ear.

"Before you get all pissy that I'm calling let me-"

Ellie cuts her off. "Hi Allie!" She happily squeals into the phone.

"Ellie?"

"Yeah it's me, Allie!"

"Oh... hi sweetheart, where's daddy?"

"Doing laundry," she crawls onto the couch and leans against the armrest. "I miss you, Allie."

"I miss you too, honey."

"Daddy's not good at my braids like you are."

Alice laughs on the other end of the line. "Well I'm sure he'll get better."

"When are you coming back, Allie?"

"I don't know, sweetie."

"But I want you to!"

"El? Who's on the phone?" FP questions as he comes into the living room.

"It's Allie!"

"Alice?" His eyes grow wide. "Honey, can I talk to her?"

"Sure. Allie? Daddy wants to talk to you so I have to say bye. I love you!" She hands FP the phone and skips off to her bedroom, peeking around the corner so she can still listen to the conversation.

"Al?"

"Yeah, hi. Sorry, I called to talk to you but she answered and I wasn't going to hang up on her."

"No, it's fine. Don't worry."

"I just called because I need to come pick up my stuff. When would be a good time?"

"Tomorrow is fine. You can come by when I take El to daycare. You have your key still?"

"Yeah, I'll leave it on the counter when I come by."

"Okay. Bye, Al. Take care."

"You too."

He hangs up the phone and runs a hand over his face. He feels someone tug on his shirt and looks down to see Ellie. He lifts her up.

"Is Allie coming home?"

"No, honey. She's just coming by to get her stuff."

"Oh." She frowns.

"It's okay. Come on, lets go play dollies."