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Jasper Madlock "Come on babygirl. Smile for daddy." I said taking the camera from around my neck to snap of Kylah.
"This is me smiling daddy."
"Gir—" I sucked my teeth staring at her as she stared at me sitting near the water.
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"Ky if you don't give me something a little more enthusiastic than that.." I chuckled. "That stale ass look on ya face ain't working for me. Let's do this and let's do it right. Sit up straight. Chop chop." I clapped my hands and she burst out laughing at me covering her mouth.
I quickly snapped that picture of her because it seemed like since she'd been here I hadn't seen her real smile not once. I missed that honestly.
"Daddy don't take that." She whined. "Waaaait. Let me get on my America's Next Top Model. Okay I'm ready now." She sat up straight squinting her eyes and I took that photo of her.
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I smiled happily to myself as I looked at the photos on the camera walking over to her taking a seat next to her. I'd taken her out to the arcade where we goofed around playing games and then I'd taken her to get food of her choice before getting her nails done. Now here we were just out and about in the city enjoying the view of our surroundings. I wished Koren had come along but after that little outburst I decided we both needed space to calm down before l talking because if I wasn't calm I was going to snatch her up by her hair and I didn't want that charge. I didn't want to be the reason Dominique had to bury her smart mouth ass.
I knew that I hadn't been there for them the way I should have and I regretted that. It was why I'd go back sometimes to visit them and my family. I'd skipped town and had left my daughters behind. I wanted Dominique to give them to me. We'd had multiple conversations about it but I also understood where she was coming from every time she told me no. She told me she didn't want them living a life on the run. She claimed she wanted them to have a normal life and go to school. I wanted that for them too so I didn't pressure moving them here. They deserved to be kids. Not fugitives. Not looking over their shoulders wondering when would be the next time we had to run and hide.
Dominique hadn't been the best influence on them but I was going to straighten them out before I sent them back home. I was going to show them that I was here and I loved them no matter how far away I was. I'd noticed the kind of clothes they'd started wearing and the piercings. I didn't want them growing up too fast because it seemed like they were. All I could do was be grateful that neither of them were pregnant because I wouldn't know what the fuck to do with that information or how to act. These were my babies and I wanted them to have their father in their life just like my younger children did. They mattered too.
Kylah stared out at the water with a gleam in her eyes and I playfully bumped her shoulder with mine.
"What you thinking about babygirl?"
"I had fun today." She smiled looking at me.
"I'm glad." I placed my arm around her shoulder pulling her into me as I kissed the top of her head.
"Daddy.."
"Yeah?"
"When are you moving back home?" She asked me and at the sound of that I got choked up and didn't know how to answer it. I cleared my throat.
"I haven't figured that out yet baby but you know I'm always here right?"
She pulled away from me and exhaled as she continued looking at the water.
"Do you think you and mom will ever get back together?" She looked at me waiting for an answer. I started coughing choking on my spit. "I want you to. Maybe we could be a family again. I know mom still loves you. Do you love her?" She questioned.
"Your mom and I have been over for a long time now baby. I love her for giving me you, Koren, and Jasmine..." I paused thinking about our stillborn baby. "But I'm not in love with her. There's a difference baby but that'll never take away from how much we both love you and Koren. We don't have to be together for me to still love my daughters. Plus I'm married to a woman I'm in love with who loves me and you girls."
She sighed propping her hand underneath her chin. "I guess." She said dryly.
"Babygirl..."
"I'm tired dad. Can we go back to you and your wife house now so I can go to sleep?" She got up.
"Kylah—"
She walked off rubbing at her eyes and I knew that she was crying. The shit broke my heart and before I could get up to go comfort her my phone started to ring. I pulled it out of my pocket to see a number I didn't recognize. I knew what that meant. Somebody was calling me from a burner phone.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Jas..." Julian's voice filled my ear. He sounded stressed.
"What happened?" I looked over my shoulder to make sure Kylah was still in my view.
"The police came snooping around here asking questions again after all these years. I think they know." He said.
