Daddy's Little Princess

It had been two hours since Isabella had turned up, unexpected and rather unwanted. Oliver and Francesca were still in Francesca’s bedroom, Oliver was helping her sleep, despite it only being 6 o clock. Oliver was singing softly, the song that Francesca had fell in love, the first time he sang it to her.

“I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day, when it’s cold outside. I’ve got the month of May. I guess you say what can make me feel this way. My girl, my girl, my girl, talking about my girl…” he sings softly, stroking her blonde curls, as she said her head on his lap. She was sucking her thumb, but Oliver wasn’t going to tell her off. He couldn’t help feel terribly guilty for what had happened.

He had upset her, by telling her that.

When Oliver had finished. He watched his little girl, sleeping lightly. Her little body breathing in and out. She was beautiful, and no man would ever be good enough for her. Oliver thought this every day, and even if it was biased. It was still a fact.

Her gorgeous hair, her gorgeous face and eyes. Unfortunately, she was a replica of Isabella when she was younger, despite the eyes which he had inherited off her. Francesca’s nose was exactly like Izzy’s, her pink, plump lips were like hers too. She was definitely her mother’s daughter. And the tantrums, it must have been a genetic trait.

Isabella would always have tantrums, well silly petty arguments that were resolved within the day, exactly how Francesca was whether she had to do something she didn’t like. Oliver watched his daughter sleep contently, his mind whirring with thoughts. He was confused, he didn’t know what to think anymore.

Isabella was here, and she was offering to see Francesca, well begging more like but Oliver would give her a bit of dignity.

He didn’t understand how Isabella could just up and leave, just about a month ago, Oliver felt like a murderer when he left his daughter for one night! It was ridiculous but Oliver couldn’t think of a logic answer. Isabella was meant to have some sort of human feeling for her daughter, it was biological science.

How could she walk away?

How was it possible to leave them? Despite not being able to live the life he wanted, Oliver couldn’t imagine life without Francesca, he’d figure there would a hole, an hole unable to be healed in his heart. If they had aborted Francesca, how would his life have been?

Francesca had turned from a speck of chromosomes, hormones, an egg and sperm had met and created this beautiful little girl. How it happened, well one year together, their lust for one another was equal, they foolishly believed they were ready to have sex for the first time together. So they did, using a condom which broke.

Izzy wasn’t on any other birth control and it was too later to use any when she discovered she was pregnant.

Oliver can remember the day Izzy told him, they arrange to meet at Oliver’s father’s house, his mother was absent on a cruise somewhere with her latest boyfriend. Izzy came round, saying a quiet hello to Thomas, and walked into Oliver’s room. He had just brought a new album on iTunes and was updating his ipod. He hadn’t seen his girlfriend in four days and was curious as why she wasn’t replying his texts. He figured it was the time of the month, she often did this and apologized after.

Except, it wasn’t her time of her month, it was complete different. She had been trying to figure out how to tell her boyfriend of 13 months that she was pregnant.

“Oliver?” she had said worriedly, Oliver’s smile fell off his face as he saw Izzy, clutching her stomach, with tears in her eyes.

“Babe, what’s wrong?” Oliver had said.

“Oh god!” she sobs, and Oliver immediately, rushed and hugged the living daylights out of her, unable to feel one emotion at a time.

“Izzy, what’s wrong?” he asks seriously, holding her close and tight.

“Ollie, I’m pregnant.” she cries and Oliver froze, but still held her. He wanted to ask if she was joking, but Izzy would joke like that. He wanted to be angry but something in him couldn’t be, it was his fault too. He was the one with male reproductive part.

Oliver wanted to cry too, but he had to be strong, as his girlfriend fell apart against him, crying hysterically, begging for help.

“It’s okay Izzy, we’ll get through this.” he promised, and he kept his promise and so did Izzy, well until the birth, two days later. Isabella Montez had vanished from the hospital, abandoning her boyfriend and daughter, for reasons Oliver did not know.

After ten more minutes of depressive thinking, Oliver tucked Francesca in, kissing her head many times, whispering that he loved her more than anything. He silently crept out the room, keeping the door ajar like normal. When he returned to the kitchen, he was surprised to see Eva was making tea and toast, for Isabella and Jamie.

Jamie was talking to Isabella in grim politeness, Oliver knew his best friend far too well and knew he was dying to shout at her. Eva, well Eva was acting as if nothing was wrong with this picture.

“Aha, there you are.” Eva teases lightly, and Oliver nods, feeling slightly numb. As he walked in the kitchen, Eva planted a kiss on his cheek, it was for comfort. Oliver smiled calmly at his girlfriend.

“Now that we’ve all calmed down? Shall we discuss this like adults?” Eva offers kindly, and Isabella smiles gratefully, but the look of jealousy was in her eyes, that everyone ignorantly missed.

“Okay.” Oliver, still hasty.

“I just want to see Francesca, just maybe spend the day with her alone….I want to try build a relationship with her Ollie, I know I’ve messed it up in the past, but I really want to try and make amends.” Isabella says honestly.

Jamie bit back the words he was going to say, yet Oliver didn’t.

“Why now?” he demands. Izzy almost cringed.

“I’ve been thinking of you lately…it’s time I try to make it up to you…somehow.” Izzy pleads. Oliver was silent, not knowing how to take it.

“No.” he states flatly, he didn’t want Francesca getting close to Isabella, just for her to walk away again.

Isabella’s face fell and Jamie looked at his friend, unable to smile as it would be too mean, but couldn’t help but feel sorry for Izzy. Eva frown slightly.

“Guys, can I talk to Ollie alone?” she asks and with one meaningful look, Jamie and Izzy go into the living room, shutting the kitchen door behind them.

Eva gave Oliver a long look. “What?” Oliver asks finally, Eva laughs lightly and walks over to Oliver, hugging him gently.

“Let Isabella see Frankie.” she murmurs softly, and Oliver sighs, hugging Eva back.
“I can’t, what if she hurts her?” Oliver asks worriedly, Eva smiles softly, placing a hand on Oliver’s cheek.

“Imagine if Frankie discovered that you kept her from her mother, even for one day? How would you feel?” Eva asks softly. And Oliver immediately felt like a crap person.

“I guess…” he mumbles, still not entirely convinced.

“Just give her a chance. It’s one day, she wants to make it right.” Eva persuades, with a heavy, reluctant sigh. Oliver decides to agree.

“Fine, one day and we’ll see.” he says and he didn’t need to tell Isabella, as she was dancing around the room in victory while Jamie silently glared at her.

“One day!” Oliver demands and Isabella grins, approving of his new girlfriend.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Isabella chants, grinning widely. Oliver rolls his eyes and they agree that instead of Jamie caring for Francesca tomorrow, Isabella could instead. Oliver knew that he would have to convince Francesca, but they wouldn’t be too hard with the bribe of a chocolate lolly and two bedtime stories. And maybe a visit to the park….

Oliver’s day only slightly improved when Rosemary called him a hour later, telling him he didn’t need to go to work tomorrow, as the café was undergoing slight construction, and Rosemary was shutting it up for the day. Oliver remember her telling him about this kitchen construction a few weeks back, but he didn’t really listen. Oliver decided to make plans with Eva, to make sure he didn’t go insane tomorrow. Eva agreed, and they planned to go shopping, even though Oliver had a big distaste for it. He agreed.

If only Oliver could see the future, he would have known that he once again, made a huge mistake.