on her waist, and listened to her laughter, laughing right along with her, my heart about to explode out of my chest.
“Are you a good swimmer, Brooklyn?” Ryker yelled, but watched as I nodded my head.
“I think it’s your turn!” Ryker yelled, and let out a bellowing laugh.
“NO! I mean yes! I mean no!” she giggled, and wiggled her legs with excitement.
“Is that a yes or a no?” Ryker asked.
“I think that’s a yes!” I said as I walked closer to them.
“Mom says yes!” Ryker laughed as he started to swing her forward just a little.
“Ok yes! Wait! Let me hold my nose! Ok, go!” she said, and then held her nose, filled her mouth with air and closed her eyes, waiting. Ryker swung her over his head and dropped her in the water. She sprung up out of the water and giggled.
“Do it again! Do it again! But higher this time!” she yelled, climbed into Ryker’s arms again, whether he liked it or not. But the smile on his face let me know he didn’t mind a bit.
“Oh, little dare devil are ya?” he said as he lifted her above his head again.
Attached.
Keep Your Guard Up
I decided to cook dinner for Natalie and Brooklyn after our day at the beach. Neither one of them had ever been to my apartment. It wasn’t much, a typical bachelor pad, but it was enough for me. I had never had a woman at my place, let alone a kid. My house was always my spot. My solitude. The feelings I felt creeping up on me was so different from anything before. Suddenly being alone all the time didn’t feel like it used to. I didn’t seek the silence anymore. I didn’t crave the solitude. I craved Natalie, everything about her. And Brooklyn, that was even more unexpected. I seemed to bond with her instantly. She wasn’t an annoying little kid, which is the way I saw other kids. She was cool and had an awesome sense of humor. And I had this uncontrollable urge to protect both of them.
I didn’t cook often, and didn’t cook very well, but I wanted to do this for them. So I was making the only thing I knew how to make: spaghetti. I knew Brooklyn liked Lasagna and I figured this was close enough. Besides, what kid doesn’t like spaghetti? Just as I was putting the garlic bread in the oven, my phone buzzed. I grabbed it, sure that it was Nat. But it was Cain. I didn’t want to answer it; I didn’t want him to ruin my mood. But I also knew how fucking persistent he was.
“Hello,” I said, slamming the oven door closed.
“Hey, man,” Cain said, sounding somber, sparing me of his usual overbearing tone.
“What’s wrong with you? You sound pissy,” I said with a laugh as I searched for a fucking spoon. I really wasn’t good at this cooking shit.
“Just business shit. Crave was vandalized last night and the fucking contractors are dragging their asses,” he said, followed by a loud sigh.
“Vandalized? In that neighborhood?” I was surprised.
“Some fucker decided to spray paint the building last night after we closed.”
“Do you have cameras installed yet?”
“Of course,” he said with a grumble.
“Probably some stupid kids,” I said, trying to cook and talk at the same time. I don’t know how people did this shit all the time.
“It was Johnson,” Cain said, and then I heard what sounded like a door slamming.
“Are you sure? He’s kind of a fucking joke bro; you think he would tear your shit up?” I asked.
“I’m sure, Ryker,” he said flatly.
“Are you pressing charges against him?” I asked, although I knew better.
“You know it doesn’t work like that. I want you to punish him. Shut him down once and for all.”
“You’ll have to find someone else to shut him up dude, I’m out. How many fucking times do I need to tell you that?” I said, my neck getting stiff and my jaw starting to clench. I was sick of this fucking conversation.
“He’s crossing the line, Ryker. Just one fucking fight goddamn it!” he shouted into the phone.
I ended the call before I
“Are you a good swimmer, Brooklyn?” Ryker yelled, but watched as I nodded my head.
“I think it’s your turn!” Ryker yelled, and let out a bellowing laugh.
“NO! I mean yes! I mean no!” she giggled, and wiggled her legs with excitement.
“Is that a yes or a no?” Ryker asked.
“I think that’s a yes!” I said as I walked closer to them.
“Mom says yes!” Ryker laughed as he started to swing her forward just a little.
“Ok yes! Wait! Let me hold my nose! Ok, go!” she said, and then held her nose, filled her mouth with air and closed her eyes, waiting. Ryker swung her over his head and dropped her in the water. She sprung up out of the water and giggled.
“Do it again! Do it again! But higher this time!” she yelled, climbed into Ryker’s arms again, whether he liked it or not. But the smile on his face let me know he didn’t mind a bit.
“Oh, little dare devil are ya?” he said as he lifted her above his head again.
Attached.
Keep Your Guard Up
I decided to cook dinner for Natalie and Brooklyn after our day at the beach. Neither one of them had ever been to my apartment. It wasn’t much, a typical bachelor pad, but it was enough for me. I had never had a woman at my place, let alone a kid. My house was always my spot. My solitude. The feelings I felt creeping up on me was so different from anything before. Suddenly being alone all the time didn’t feel like it used to. I didn’t seek the silence anymore. I didn’t crave the solitude. I craved Natalie, everything about her. And Brooklyn, that was even more unexpected. I seemed to bond with her instantly. She wasn’t an annoying little kid, which is the way I saw other kids. She was cool and had an awesome sense of humor. And I had this uncontrollable urge to protect both of them.
I didn’t cook often, and didn’t cook very well, but I wanted to do this for them. So I was making the only thing I knew how to make: spaghetti. I knew Brooklyn liked Lasagna and I figured this was close enough. Besides, what kid doesn’t like spaghetti? Just as I was putting the garlic bread in the oven, my phone buzzed. I grabbed it, sure that it was Nat. But it was Cain. I didn’t want to answer it; I didn’t want him to ruin my mood. But I also knew how fucking persistent he was.
“Hello,” I said, slamming the oven door closed.
“Hey, man,” Cain said, sounding somber, sparing me of his usual overbearing tone.
“What’s wrong with you? You sound pissy,” I said with a laugh as I searched for a fucking spoon. I really wasn’t good at this cooking shit.
“Just business shit. Crave was vandalized last night and the fucking contractors are dragging their asses,” he said, followed by a loud sigh.
“Vandalized? In that neighborhood?” I was surprised.
“Some fucker decided to spray paint the building last night after we closed.”
“Do you have cameras installed yet?”
“Of course,” he said with a grumble.
“Probably some stupid kids,” I said, trying to cook and talk at the same time. I don’t know how people did this shit all the time.
“It was Johnson,” Cain said, and then I heard what sounded like a door slamming.
“Are you sure? He’s kind of a fucking joke bro; you think he would tear your shit up?” I asked.
“I’m sure, Ryker,” he said flatly.
“Are you pressing charges against him?” I asked, although I knew better.
“You know it doesn’t work like that. I want you to punish him. Shut him down once and for all.”
“You’ll have to find someone else to shut him up dude, I’m out. How many fucking times do I need to tell you that?” I said, my neck getting stiff and my jaw starting to clench. I was sick of this fucking conversation.
“He’s crossing the line, Ryker. Just one fucking fight goddamn it!” he shouted into the phone.
I ended the call before I
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