Age Is But A Number

Don't Overstep

"What's wrong baby?" Elle asked when I entered the office. "Nikki wants to take Bo away for two weeks." "Why?" "Holiday." "She's one." "That's what I said." She moves away from the desk and I sit on her lap like she often did with me. Her arms wrapped around my waist to hold me in place. "Is there anything I can do?" "Keep me company for two weeks." "Where did you expect I'd be?" She asked laughing. I shrugged "maybe a holiday." "Without you...the only person who can tolerate me for longer than two hours." "Everyone loves you." She rolled her eyes.

"Are we still having her later today?" She asked me as she pressed her face into my arm. "Yeah, I'm going to go pick her up in an hour." "We could take a trip to the beach?" I nodded. "Get her an ice cream," I suggested. "She's not staying over though." "She can't give you short notice like that. It's ridiculous."

We go to pick her up and Elle actually gets out the car and comes to the door with me. When Nikki answered Bo was getting really excited her legs were kicking and her arms reaching. "Look who's excited!" Elle said smiling at her. "I thought we cancelled." "And I told you I'm taking her today." "No were leaving tonight." "Tonight, today two separate times," I explain to her. "Ian you can't just show up here unannounced." "And you can't just take her out the country at a days notice." "Mama!" Bo shouted getting frustrated. "May I?" Elle asked Nikki. She handed her over. "But take her inside. I don't want you running off with her."

She looked at me and I just nodded and she went inside. I could hear them giggling together and it made me smile. I and Nikki argued for over an hour on her doorstep. She refused to let me inside to discuss the matter.

"Elle was leaving!" I called into the house cutting Nikki off. We were going round in circles. She came out and passed me, Bo. She kissed her head. "Nice to see you again." She said to Nikki politely before going over to the car. Not wanting to get involved in anything. She never wanted to overstep because Nikki according to her had been so nice to her and letting her be part of Bo's life. I was waiting for the day Nikki's rude demeanour pissed her off because she then won't care.

She said goodbye to Bodhi before going for the car. "Dada. Dada. Car." She told me. "Nikki." "I said no...come on baby come to mommy." She said. "Car!" She was pointing. "I'm not telling her no. It's my day." I say childishly "Bodhi now." She said tugging her off me the only problem Bo had gripped my top and was going nowhere. "No! Car." And then She said more gibberish. Nikki eventually got her off me. "Now leave." I kissed my crying daughters head and told her I loved her both leaving for the car.

"Remember when you called her a mythic bitch?" Elle asked when I closed the car door. "I see that now." She said after I nodded. She gave me a few minutes in the driveway to calm down before she pulled off. "Yours or mine?" "Mine," I tell her. She dropped me off. "Do you want to do anything later?" She said hanging out the car window. "Not tonight." She nodded. She was understanding about it and knew I sometimes needed time on myself. "Love you." She told me. "Love you." She backed out the drive and I waited until she was off my property before going inside.

Elodie s pov
I called Paul on my way home. "If you're calling to defend Nina then hang up." "I'm not defending Nina," I say honestly. "What's up?" He asked. "Ian needs a friend." "I thought it was your day with Bodhi." "So did we. Nikkis taking her away for two weeks. Tonight. She told him this morning and hour before we picked her up." "She can't do that!" "She can. She still has full custody of her." "He really needs to fix that." "He's working on it."

We both paused. "How are you feeling?" "I'm fine." "Seriously Paul." "She's your sister I'm not spilling my guts to you." I rolled my eyes. "You at home?" I asked. "Yeah, why?" "Open the gates I'm on my way." "Elle seriously." "We're friends Paul I'm allowed to come over." He sighed down the line. "Fine." "I'll be there in 5," I tell him and we hang up.