The Babysitter (BWWM)

xiv

Lorenzo's POV:

I dragged my hands down my face, the sheets pooling around my waist. The bed feels different.

Gabby isn't in it with me. And she won't be.

Getting myself up, I walked down the hall and into my daughters room. Last night, it was a struggle putting her down. Every other word coming out of her mouth was 'Gabby'.

Where she went, where she was going, why she left, when she's coming back. I even forgot the lavender oil for her bath. Gabby never would've forgotten. I sat on the edge of her bed, simply watching her.

She shifted, her small chest rising and falling with every breath she takes. My little girl. I know this is biased, but she is the most beautiful little girl in the world. I tapped on her leg softly.

"No." She whined. I rolled my eyes and pushed her small body. Not enough to fling her off the bed, but just enough to move her. "Daddy! Five more minutes."

"I know this game little girl. You say five more minutes until an hour goes by and I'm late for work. So get up." Camila huffed and sat up in her bed, crossing her arms across her chest and poking her bottom lip out. Her hair was sticking out in all sorts of directions.

"Why are women so stubborn?" I thought out loud, but Cami took it as me talking to her. She shrugged.

"Maybe cause...big girls get their own rules." I cocked my head to the side. "Where did Gabby go?"

"Baby, I already told you."

"Nu-uh. You said grown up stuff. I growed up from last night. So now you have to tell me." I smiled at her authoritative tone. Her eyes bored into mine, making me feel as if I really do have to answer her this time. A real answer.

I opened my mouth, but she already started speaking. "Is it cause Gabby didn't say 'love you'?"

"How do you know about that?"

"Every one heard it yesterday. You guys were loud. I had to go like this." She covered her ears with her small hands. I took her arms and put them back down at her sides.

"I'm sorry we were loud. But when two people like each other, like a boyfriend and girlfriend do, they start to love each other. But Gabby...didn't. Do you understand?" She nodded her head wildly, her curls bouncing.

"Are you and Gabby boyfriend and girlfriend?" My eyes lowered to the crowns on her princess bedsheets. "Not anymore." She paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Daddy, can I get one?"

"One what?"

"Boyfriend!" This little girl made my heart stop.

"No! No you cannot. At least not until you're thirty-two." I scooped her up and threw her over my shoulder, resulting in her screaming laughter as I walked down the hall.

She had her cereal, and she's now watching Peppa Pig. The doorbell rang, and I tripped over the dining room chair to get to it. Grabbing my keys, wallet, and jacket, I answered it.

A blond, tall boy stood in front of me. "Christian?" He nodded. It seemed like his eyes were all over my face. Checking me out. "Okay. She's watching tv, her favorite food is bananas, she has no allergies, and just- ugh." I threw my jacket on and he eyed me. Like I need help or something.

"Daddy?" Her bare feet sounded against the wood flooring as she walked closer. My lips pressed into a tight lipped smile as I crouched down to her size. "Hey, Cami."

Her eyes darted from mine, to Christian, back to my eyes again. "I want Gabby." Her eyes pleaded to me. I shook my head.

"Gabby isn't coming back. Now, Christian is going to watch you. Is that okay?" Tears welled up in her eyes.

"No!" I hung my head and exhaled slowly. My hand squeezed at her arms. "Please be a big girl for Daddy. I really need to go to work today." The first tear dropped and my heart clenched. "No Daddy. I want Gabby." She whined. My throat tightened.

I want Gabby too, baby.

"Daddy has to go now okay?" She tugged on my pant leg as she repeated the word 'no' as if it were the only word she had ever learned. Christian picked her up, removing her from my leg.

"Daddy no! Please Daddy!" She reached out for me, then helplessness heavy in her voice. Tears stung at the back of my eyes as I hurried to shut the door. I can still hear her cries from the other side of the door.

I swatted at my eyes as I got in the car, the ignition running drowning out her pleading.

——

Two weeks. Two weeks of not sleeping. Two weeks of reaching out, forgetting she isn't there. Two weeks of Camila crying whenever I leave. Two weeks where I feel like I am suffocating.

I turned over for the 24th time tonight, smashing the pillow with my fist. Determined to get a better nights sleep. I closed my eyes for a good minute, lying still. The only sounds are my breathing and the occasional car passing by.

Groaning, I smushed my face into the pillow. My ringtone filled my ears and I groaned again. I picked it up, wincing as the light hit my eyes. When I turned my brightness down, I looked at the caller ID.

Why the hell is Christian calling me at 3 AM?

I answered and before I could get a word out, a voice started speaking.

"Look, I know you've got a kid and everything, but this is too much. You need to get over here." It's a girl. A very angry girl.

"Who is this?"

"Kelianne. Gabriella's roommate." I shot up. "Is she okay?"

"She better be. I'm tired of hearing her cry. Her door is closed and she won't say anything to any one of us." My heart rate sped up.

"Did one of you try looking in there?" She scoffed. "The last time one of us went in there, she threw a Cheez-It and Chris's eye."

That sounds like something she'd do.

"This time it's different. She would usually tell us to go away, but she's not talking at all. I know it might be nothing, but if anything happens to her," she took a shaky breath. "You need to come over here and talk to her."

"I don't think she wants to talk to me."

"That's the funny thing though. I'm not asking. My best friend, all of our best friend, is hurt, you need to fix it. You caused it. Now get over here and fix her before she does something she'll regret."

Those words echoed through my cranium. 'Does something she'll regret.'

"Give me forty five minutes." She hung up and I got out of bed, immediately heading to my closet. I threw on some jeans and a hoodie and went straight to Cami's room.
***