Inferno

~32~ Piano

Taylor's POV

It's been a week since the gun incident. Liam and I have the day off today, and Savannah doesn't have school. The high school does, but the grade school has some sort of teacher institute or something.

Savannah doesn't like being alone with Liam. She still hardly talks to him. He's really starting to take it personally.

"Hey girly. I was thinking about going bowling. Wanna come?" He asks, trying to act casual. He's dreading her turning him down again.

"No. I want to stay with Taylor" she says, coming over and climbing in my lap. I hold her tight and kiss her head. I give Liam a sympathetic smile.

"Why don't you two go for a bike ride? It's gorgeous outside" I say, trying to help.

"Will you go instead?" She asks, quietly. I shake my head.

"Sorry kiddo, I've got a lot of work to do today" I lie.

"Savannah, have I done something to make you mad?" Liam asks, completely devastated.

"No" she says, still laying against my chest.

"Then why can't I take you on a bike ride?" He asks quietly.

"I want Taylor to be my daddy" she says seriously.

Liam just nods silently. I can see the pain on his face. She may as well have just ripped his heart out. He's falling in love with this little girl, and she doesn't even like him. She only tolerates him.

"Can I help you with your work?" She asks, quietly. Her little eyes pleading, and piercing my soul. How can I tell her no?

I kiss her forehead and sigh. "You can help me clean the toilets if you want" I say, hoping if I make my work disgusting she will change her mind.

She scrunches her nose up but nods. "Ok" she says as she takes my hand and gets off of my lap, pulling on me to make me stand.

Liam just shakes his head. She would rather scrub toilets then go on a bike ride with him.

The rest of the day, Savannah follows me around. Liam tries a few more times to get her to spend time with him, but she won't.

"Wanna play Barbies?" He asks quietly after lunch.

"No thanks" she says as she goes back to coloring.

"Can I color with you?" He asks.

She shakes her head "I only have this coloring book" she says, not even looking up at him.

He sighs and gets up. A few minutes later I hear his door slam.

She looks up at me. "I thought you told Sasha not to slam doors. You got really mad at her yesterday" she says, confused.

"Well, daddies have different rules sometimes" I say, trying to bring up the fact that he is her dad.

"Slamming doors still isn't nice" she says, going back to coloring. I just shake my head and smile.

When everyone gets home, Savannah clings to Ellie and Emma. She wants Luke to play Barbies, but he declines. He knows he has to go straight to his room. He's getting the bread and water style of grounding. It's been a week, and he's already miserable.

"You can play Barbies" I say, hiding my smile. He looks excited as he goes over to where she is. He must be bored out of his mind if playing Barbies brings him joy.

Liam comes down and sees Luke playing Barbies with her, and becomes livid.

"Did she ask him to play?" He asks me quietly.