Finding Love

“Baby! Come to me!” Sidney called through his dark apartment. He had just dropped Bridget to her shabby home, and was back at his place, where Ariel would be waiting up for him. His apartment felt cold, like no one had been in it for a while.

“Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!” Sidney could hear her little footsteps running fast on the hardwood floor.

Bounding into his arms, Ariel finally felt at home. The weekend with the friends was nice, but she was glad to be back in his strong hold.

“I missed you so much,” Sidney whispered to her daughter, “Did you have a good time?”

“Yup! Sara and I went to a museum and we took pictures and it was so fun,” Ariel smiled enthusiastically. Sara and Max were the ones who took care of her for the weekend; Max Talbot lived with his girlfriend Sara in an apartment close by.

“Hey Max, thanks for doing this. How was she?” Sidney asked as he saw Max walking in from Sidney’s living room.

“Hey big guy, Ariel was great, I might just have to let you go on vacations more often so I can see her more often,” Max smirked, taking Ariel from her father, swinging her around causing her to giggle in delight.

“Be careful Max. Ariel, its your dinner time so say goodbye to Uncle Maxy and lets get you ready to eat, okay princess?” Sidney became the serious father as Ariel whimpered but nodded somberly.

As Ariel and Max bid their goodbyes, Ariel hitched on Sidney’s hip, they both showed Max out of his place by walking him all the way down to the lobby, while they both noticed the snow slowly coming down, making huge piles.

“Shit,” Max sighed while putting a hood over his head, “I better go before this gets dangerous.”

“Be careful Max, and if you get stuck call me, kay?” Sidney told Max as he looked out at the whiteness visible in the dark.

“Snow?” Ariel clapped.

“Yes, pretty white snow. Tomorrow we can play in it okay?” Sidney grinned while Max left, going into the dark tundra.

“Yay! Tonight though, me sleep in your bed!” Ariel told Sidney as they were on the elevator.

“When will you sleep in your bed babe?” Sidney asked, not knowing how he was ever going to handle the situation.

“Never!” Ariel smiled. The brass elevator doors opened and Sidney fast walked towards his apartment, wanting to call Bridget and ask to make sure she was fine before he made dinner for Ariel and himself.

Bridget answered her phone on the third ring, “Oh hey honey, big storm huh?”

“Yeah, I just wanted to make sure your okay,” Sidney asked as he turned his phone to speaker, stirring the macaroni and cheese he was making from his mom’s home recipe.

“I’m good, at home with some candles and a few movies, how’s Ariel?” Bridget asked through the phone, her voice tired.

“She seemed to have fun with Max and Sara over the weekend,” Sidney said.

“Did Max make it back home safely? The storm is crazy,” Bridget worried.

“I think so, I’ll call him later. Don’t go out tonight okay? I want you to be safe,” Sidney instructed.

He could almost hear Bridget rolling her eyes, “Okay Dad,” she joked, knowing Sidney could be a bit over protective sometimes.

The two finished up their conversation as the macaroni was just about ready. Sidney expertly draining the water out and then putting some in a bowl for himself and his daughter.

Ariel was situated on the bar stool, playing with her fork and pink princess bowl.

“Yum, yum, yum,” Ariel chewed while making the most adorable sounds.

“I guess its good?” Sidney laughed.

“I love it Daddy,” Ariel tried to say with her mouth full.

“Ariel,” Sidney began, “Do you like Bridget?”

“Yeah, I like her. Why, is she my new mommy?” Ariel asked excitedly.

“Maybe someday, not now though,” Sidney answered. One day though, he could see him, Ariel, and Bridget together as a family.

After bathing Ariel and putting her into Sidney’s bed, where she demanded to sleep, Sidney watched TV for a while.

As he was dozing off from some show on ESPN, he heard the phone ring.

Hastily he got up, stumbling through the house to get the phone before Ariel would wake up. Checking the time, it was 12:30, who would be calling this late?

“Oh my god,” Sidney heard a scared voice, “I…you have to come over! Now! Oh my god…Help me!” he heard Bridget panicking over he phone.

“Why? What’s wrong? It’s so late, and there’s a storm outside!” Sidney ran his hands through his hair, wondering what could possibly be wrong.

“Please come baby, please. Oh my god, I’m so scared. Don’t bring Ariel though!” Bridget warned, “I have to go, just please come? I’m so scared.”

“Slow down, what’s going on?” The hockey player already had his coat on, and was trying to find his keys.

“I can’t explain right now! He’ll hear me,” Bridget whispered, “I love you, and please, come quickly.”

“Wait-“ Sidney tried talking to her, but the line went dead. Sidney had no choice; he was going to have to go through the snow to see what was wrong with Bridget.

Gently picking Ariel up, he apologetically knocked on his friendly neighbors door, where Ariel sometimes stayed.

“Oh, hi?” the middle aged woman smiled sleepily. Her red hair was frizzy from sleeping on it, and her slippers and robe showed that she wasn’t preparing to see anyone

“My girlfriend is in trouble, could you watch my daughter for a while? I’m so sorry but it’s an emergency?” Sidney rushed.
““Of course, but theirs a storm outside. You must be careful sweetheart, okay?” the woman asked kindly.

“Yes, I will, thank you so, so much,” Sidney handed the still sleeping child into the woman’s arms, who gently took her in, waving to Sidney as he left.

Sidney ran down the stairs to the main lobby, seeing that the snow was built up, a lot.

He was going to have to be very, very careful to get to Bridget’s house.

Willing to do anything for his girlfriend, he opened the main door to the freezing cold, his cheeks stinging and his eyes watering.