A Tear In Her Dress, John O'Callaghan.

“Sophia LynnRose. Get in your car seat.” I grabbed the soon to be five year old and placed her back into her car seat for the millionth time.”

“But mommy! I don’t wanna go to the store. I wanna see grandma and grandpa.” She starting throwing her toys.

I bit my lip, “Sophia. Stop. If you be good, I’ll take you to the snack isle and you can pick out a snack, okay?” Sophia LynnRose Hansen..my daughter. Oh and don’t forget the father, John O’Callaghan. He has no existing knowledge of Sophia, and I’d like for it to stay that way.

“Elsie, we’re going to be late.” Shane kissed me and got in the drivers seat.

I smiled, “Alright, alright.” I climbed into the passenger and looked out the window. Shane Collins, the boy that saved me the heartbreak. I was twenty two and engaged. Shane and I had been dating since I was nineteen. He adores Sophia and I liked that. Sophia loves Shane, and she even calls his parents her grandparents. But she’s never called Shane, daddy.

-

I walked into the store with Sophia clinging my hand, I picked up the things Shane’s mother needed. I went back down the snack isle, and waited for little Sophia to pick what she wanted.

Sophia was holding onto Mr. Snuggles. A bear that John gave to me awhile back in the beginning. “Oreos!”

I grabbed the box and handed it to her, “You may hold them. Now I don’t think grandma’s going to let you eat all those Oreos. How about carrots or granola bars?”

She was a granola bar freak, “Granola, please.” She grabbed the box too. She dropped Mr. Snuggles and dashed for the door with the two boxes, but managed to bump into someone.

“Sophia! Be careful, I’m so sorry.” I picked up Sophia and looked up. My heart raced.

“Its no problem…”

“Elsie!” I turned to find Shane, “You didn’t buy those yet, did you?”

I shook my head, “No, why?”

“Mom needs some supplies for her desserts.”

“Oh, do you want me to get them?” Sophia loved jewelry, especially rings. She was messing with my engagement ring, which John was studying in confusion.

“No, I’ll get them. Just buy those and meet me in the car.” And off he went.

I quickly bought them and tried to strap Sophia in before I had to come face to face with John. I turned to push the cart back, and there he was. “Jesus!” I grabbed my heart and breathed out.

“Your getting married.”

It was more of a statement then a question, “Yes, I am.”

“Why.”

That was demanding, I looked at him, “Because, I finally got it right. Without you by my side, without you telling me lies, and I’ve done everything myself.” I looked into the car at Sophia.

“Elsie, I-I”

“Save it John. I’m happy right now, and I have been happy for the past five years. Without you.”

--

My phone kept ringing nonstop. Shane looked at my phone and raised an eyebrow, “Aren't you going to answer that?”

I shook my head and pressed end, “Nope.”

Shane stopped cutting carrots and looked at me, “What's up.”

I shook my head again and pressed my fingers to my temple, “Nothing, its just I bumped into…” I lowered my voice, “Sophia’s dad. And he’s been blowing up my phone.”

He continued to cut, “Should we file a report?”

“Nono. He’ll stop, hopefully.”

Shane nodded, “You don’t have feelings for him, do you?”

“No!” I practically yelled that, “I mean, no. But, it does kill me to know Sophia doesn’t know her real dad. I mean what's going happen, when she realizes your not her dad. He doesn’t even know about her.”

Shane again raised an eyebrow, “And why doesn’t he?”

I shrugged, “Because. He went away and I went away. What was the point.” I studied Shane, so different from John. He was truthful and loving. John was just truth less and careless.

Shane set down the knife and walked over towards me, he kissed me. “You should tell him, you know. So he can have the option and meet and love her. I mean, like you said. What's going to happen when Sophia realizes who her real dad is. She’ll be mad at you.”

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair, “Fine. Next time he calls, I’ll schedule a ‘hey, you have daughter’ news.”

Shane kissed my cheek and finished cooking dinner, “Atta girl.”

--

I called John, he answered. “Listen, don’t speak. Meet me at Zona’s Park at two. I’m bringing Sophia.”

I could hear the confusion in his voice, “Okay?”

I hung up and walked into the bedroom, “Okay, I did it.”

Shane started putting on his uniform for his job, he started tying his tie. “What time?”

“Two.”

He raised an eyebrow, “Any reason why you happen to do it at a time, where I cant call?”

I shook my head, “I never really thought about that. I was going to take Sophia by the park, then drop her off at your moms, then go to Shellie’s house at five for a house party. I could change it…”

Shane smiled, “Relax, Els. I was just asking. I trust you with your decisions.”

I smiled back, “Yeah. Um, I’m going to go, get Sophia ready.”

-

We were sitting at Zona’s Park on one of the benches in front of the play set. Sophia was running around with a couple of kids. Sophia’s cheeks were flustering from the heat. I gave her some water and she ran back to play.

“She looks like you.” John watched Sophia, carefully.

I sighed, “I would hope so.” I looked at John then back at Sophia. God, you had to be an idiot to not know she was his too. She had his sandy brown hair, she had his crooked smile, and she even had his skinniness.

John watched as she did cartwheels in the grass ,”She reminds me of someone though.”

I put my hands to my head, “Really, John, Really?”

He gave me the face, I used to be in love with. “Hm?”

I leaned back and sighed, “Okay. Remember that night you told me you were going to marry me?”

He nodded, unsure of where this was going. “Yes.”

“Well, that night I gave you something that meant a lot to me. And you gave me something in return that took eight months and seventeen days to get out.”