Small Town Lights

Chapter 6

Colt

I rang the bell when I got to Callies the next day and heard her yell for me to come in. I opened the door and walked toward the kitchen where heard music coming from. I walked in to see Callie and Maddy singing together to a song I remembered hearing on one of the movies we watched the night before. Maddy was standing on a stool and singing into a spoon while Callie shook her ass to the beat and flipped a pancake. I bit my lip and forcefully moved my gaze back to Maddy. I was enjoying watching them quietly until they bumped hips with each other and faced each other to sing the last line together. I was doubled over holding my stomach when they turned around and looked at me.

They were both smiling at me when I finally sobered. "That was the cutest thing ever," I said wiping a stray tear. Callie shook her head and turned back to the pancakes she was cooking.

"Daddy," Maddy ran to me and I picked her up kissing her on the cheek.

"Good morning, Miss Giggles," I hugged her and put her back down.

"Are you going to help cook?" Maddy asked bouncing around my feet. I looked up at Callie and she threw an apron at me.

"Eggs are in the fridge. I'm guessing you can go scrambled?" She raised her eyebrow at me. I nodded as I tied the apron around my waist and moved to the fridge. We finished cooking and sat down at the table to eat together. I was enjoying this time with all of us and wondered what breakfast's and everything else would look like when I moved to Atlanta. I forced myself not to think about it and focus on the now.

When we were finished eating, I stood up with Callie and helped her clear the table. "Maddy, go and get dressed," she told her as she turned toward the kitchen. Maddy smiled, jumped from her seat and ran to her room.

"So, you do this every week?" I asked her as I helped her rise off the dishes and place them in the dishwasher.

She nodded her head, "Every Monday. We eat breakfast, then head to the park to play. That's followed by ice cream and then dinner at my parents."

I smiled at her as I watched her place the last plate in the dishwasher. "I'm glad that you and Maddy have had so many people that love you both and have helped you out." The truth was, I was slightly jealous to not be one of them but I wouldn't let that affect how I connected with Maddy.

"The whole town pitched in. You know they say it takes a village and I guess, it kind of really did in this case," she told me.

"So, what else does Maddy like to do? I would like to get some ideas of what to do with her," I asked her. She opened her mouth to answer me but, the front door opened and I heard a voice I knew from the past but hadn't heard in four years.

"Are my crazy girls ready for the park?" I turned to see Austin walk in. He and I were best friends throughout most of our lives. We lived next door to one another and our mothers were very close. We were co-captains of the football team. We had planned to play together through our entire careers but, Austin broke his leg senior year, so bad that he was told he would never play again.

I watched him walk over to Callie and kiss her on the cheek. I stood there shocked and was about to say something when Maddy came running into the kitchen. I smiled when I saw the outfit she had picked. She wore a yellow tank top that had a picture of the sun on it and a pair of leggings that were in a rainbow pattern but what I thought was the best and really showed that Callie was raising her to be a free thinker, was the deep red tutu around her waist and the miss-matched shoes. I noticed Callie didn't comment on what she wore and I liked that.

"Aussie!" She shouted as she threw herself at him.

He picked her up and tickled her, "How's my Mad Bear?" he asked her.