Shooting Star

“Daddy! Daddy!” Marley cried as a grin stretched across her small lips.

Matt smiled a large dimpled smile and caught her in his arms, “Hey, baby.”

Layton smiled at the two, shaking her head in disbelief. If a stranger could see the way they interacted with each other already, they would have clearly thought that the two were as close as could be, not just met less than two days ago. Layton thought that was a good thing though. She wanted them to be close with each other. That meant more to her than anything.

“How’s your arm doing today?” He asked with one eyebrow raised.

“Good as new!” She beamed.

He chuckled, “Is that so?”

“Sure is,” Marley nodded.

Matt glanced over at Layton with a questioning look, asking if Marley’s arm was really okay and Layton nodded to confirm it was. The little girl had been in pain a little while ago and whining when Layton got home, but David assured her that he had given Marley her medicine and was fine before he left for his night shift at the station. Layton figured her arm was sore earlier because Marley had been dancing quite a bit, but she seemed fine now.

“Does that mean you would be willing to dance for me?” Matt asked, raising one eyebrow at the little girl, “Show me what you got?”

Marley nodded furiously, excitement spreading across his face, “Of course! I just gotta change.”

“Okay,” Matt smiled, putting her down.

Layton laughed as Marley ran off to her room, before turning back to Matt.

“She really likes to dance, huh?” He laughed.

“A little too much, really,” Layton murmured.

He looked at her, a dimpled smile attached to his face, “Are you going to sign her up for some classes soon?”

Nodding, Layton licked over her lips, “I was planning on having her signed up today, but with her arm hurt, I’ve decided to wait until it’s healed up.”

Matt nodded as well, “What does she do when you’re at work?”

“Well,” She drew in a breath and let it out, “Today she was here with my dad all day, but that’s not going to be able to last long. So, I’m thinking about enrolling her in daycare until school starts in fall.”

Matt folded his arms across his chest, a sudden smirk appearing across his lips, “What if I take her for the day while you work until her arm heals and you can get her signed up.”

Layton raised one eyebrow, “Really, Matt?” She muttered, “C’mon, that’ll never work.”

“Why not?” His eyebrows knitted together.

“Because it just won’t!” Layton nearly shouted, her patience running thin. Sighing heavily, she put her hands on her hips before muttering, “I’m sorry. I’ve just had a long day and I’m tired.”

Matt licked over his bottom lip, “I get it.”

“Look, Matt, I appreciate the offer. Honestly, I do. But let’s be serious here. You have a fiancé at home who is busy planning your wedding, a house that is in the middle of being remodeled, and the band. You can’t possibly tell me that you have time to watch a six year old all day for the next two weeks.”

“I’ll make the time, Layton. I’ll do anything if it means that I have two weeks to spend with my daughter,” Matt said, not letting up, “At least think about it, okay? Would you rather Marley spend all day at daycare with strangers that’ll cost you a ton of money, or with her father who you can trust for free?”

“Fine!” Layton groaned, giving in, “But only if Marley agrees to it.”

Matt smirked, “You know she will.”

Sighing, Layton nodded, “I know.”

Matt ended up staying longer than he had originally planned to that evening. For two whole hours, he sat around with Layton and Marley just laughing and cutting up while getting to know each other. He also had the pleasure of watching his daughter dance for the first time ever, and it blew him away by just how incredible of a ballerina dancer she was at such a young age. Layton had explained to him that she had been taking ballet classes since she was three, and it was obvious Marley loved it. Matt knew that Marley’s ballet skills would take her places in life, no doubt about it, and that made him proud.

At the end of the night, the three of them stood outside next to Matt’s car. Marley had her arms so tightly wrapped around Matt’s neck that it broke his heart when Layton forced her to let go and say goodbye.

Matt frowned and knelt down to his daughter’s level, “Be a good girl for mommy, okay?” He said, “And I’ll be here real earlier to pick you up, and we’ll spend the day together.”

“Just you and me?” She mumbled.

He grinned and nodded, “Just you and me.”

“Fine…” She trailed off, a small pout tugging at her lips.

Matt chuckled and kissed her forehead before standing up straight again.

“Go on inside, Marley,” Layton told her, “I’ll be in there in a minute.”

Huffing quite loudly, Marley turned on her heel and skipped back up the driveway and into the house. Matt smirked at his daughter’s attitude. She reminded him of Layton at that age, which was definitely interesting for him to see. Matt wasn’t surprised that Marley was a lot like Layton, but she was also a lot like him, and that was a bit intimidating. He just prayed that Marley was nothing like him and Layton once she got older and reached her teenaged years, or they were screwed.

“Does she do that often?”

“What? Show her ass and give me attitude?” Layton asked and Matt nodded. “Oh yeah, happens all the time with her. I don’t think she’ll be too much trouble with you, but with me she just doesn’t care.”

“Oh great,” Matt smiled, the sarcasm in his voice not going unnoticed by Layton.

Layton just smirked, “I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow, Matthew.”

“Yes you will,” He smiled.