Roughly Six Feet Tall

“Can I please, please, please have, like, a day with her? The whole fucking day? Maybe tomorrow?” I whined, hugging Avery from behind. Halvo took Annie home so that Avery and I could iron some shit out. I was trying to convince her to A) go to dinner with me, and B) let me spend some time with my daughter. My adorable daughter that I loved so fucking much.

“If you can keep words like that out of your mouth,” Avery scowled, trying to wriggle out of my arms, but she only succeeded in turning around to face me. “John, could you let me go?”

“Never again. Never. Again,” I mumbled as I nuzzled her neck.

Avery stilled in my arms, finally hugging me back. “We don’t have to go anywhere fancy. How about we just grab some Chipotle and we can talk somewhere more…private…”

“Ok,” Avery muttered, and I felt her do something I never thought she would do again – trace my tattoos. Shit, I forgot how much I loved that. I drove us to Chipotle and we grabbed some food before going back to chill in my car and talk things out.

“So,” I began, drinking up some of my Fanta. “Where do you wanna start?” Avery sighed, rubbing her temples.

“Where…do you want me to start?”

“When did you know you were pregnant?”

Avery put down her burrito, daintily wiping her mouth with her napkin. “A few days after I landed in Italy. I was always, always sick in the mornings, craving the weirdest foods, running a low grade fever…so, Renzo brought me a myriad of pregnancy tests, and what do you know, I was pregnant,” Avery laughed nervously, staring out the windshield.

I tried really hard not to be mad. She had known days after her arrival in Italy…and she didn’t tell me shit? Fucking…! “How did your dad take it?”

“He kicked me out.”

I choked on my food a bit and had to drink some Fanta. “Kicked you out? B-But you were pregnant! Were you alright?”

“Yeah, Renzo helped me out.”

I gritted my teeth. “So, he was there when Annie was born?”

“Nope,” Avery said, making a popping noise on the “P.”

“…Really? Well...Remind me who this Renzo is again?”

“Renzo? Lorenzo, my stepbrother, remember?”

“Oh, not really…” I sighed deeply, leaning back in my seat. “I wish I could’ve been there for you during the pregnancy, Avery,” I told her quietly, grabbing her hand.

“Me too,” Avery sighed wistfully, playing with my fingers.

“So, then, uh…how was…how was the, uh, delivery?”

“Fucking painful,” Avery muttered darkly.

“Was Renzo there, too?” I asked almost bitterly.

“Actually… I-I wanted you there. Only you. No one else but you. And since you weren’t…” Avery simply shrugged.

I was absolutely overcome with emotion at that point. I put my food down and leaned over the console of my car to hug Avery tightly. So strong. She was always so strong. “Avery, I love you.”

She stiffened in my arms, gently pushing me away. “Even after I went AWOL on you for two years?”

“Well…Absence sharpens love; Presence strengthens it.”

Avery rolled her eyes, but blushed all the same. “You cheeseball.”

“You love it,” I teased.

“Yeah, I do love you,” Avery murmured, and that was all I needed to hear.

“So…that ‘spend a day with Annie’ thing…”

Avery pouted, her brow furrowed. “John…”

“Well, she’s my daughter, too… Just saying…”

Avery bit her lip before finishing the last of her food. “Take me home. I need to put Avery to sleep so she’s, uh, ready for her big day with you tomorrow.”

“Yes!” I yelled, startling Avery, before starting the car and driving Avery home. I practically speeded all the way there. I wanted to say goodnight to Annie, too, and tell her about how we’d get to spend the whole day together tomorrow.

“Annie?” Avery called, closing the door behind us. She still lived in her mom’s house. I wonder if she still used the same room, too. “Annie, darling?”

“Darling?” I repeated with a soft scoff, making Avery elbow me in the ribs.

Annie shuffled towards us from the living room, still in fuzzy purple footie pajamas and everything. Damn, I have a cute kid. “Hi, mommy…grandma fell asleep on the couch watching TV and waiting for you to come home,” Annie mumbled, rubbing her eyes a bit. “Hi, daddy,” Annie yawned cutely, hugging one of my legs. Avery smiled at the sight, and she started to tear up when I picked Annie up.

“Hey, baby girl,” I cooed, kissing the top of Annie’s head. “Aren’t you tired and sleepy?”

“Gotta wait for mommy,” Annie mumbled, making me grin.

“John, I need to…Um, why don’t we tuck her into bed?” Avery quickly corrected herself. I nodded and followed her upstairs. Avery and Annie slept in Avery’s room. Annie still slept in a little crib, which was located where Avery’s old desk used to be. Avery fluffed up the pillows while I rocked Annie in my arms.

“Daddy?” Annie called me when I laid her down. “Are you gonna be here when I wake up?”

“Sure thing, Annie,” I whispered, pulling the blankets up over her. I glanced at Avery because I was kind of unsure of what I was doing at this point, but Avery was just watching me with Annie and smiling, so I must be doing something right.

“Are you gonna stay with us from now on, daddy?” Annie asked, grabbing my hand before I could pull it away.

“Of course, baby girl… I know I wasn’t here for a while, but…I will be, from now on.”

“Really?” said Annie hopefully.

“Yeah…in fact, you and me – we’re gonna spend all day tomorrow together. Just you and me. How does that sound, Annie?”

“Fun,” Annie said, tired but excited.

“So, you need to get some sleep now, alright, Annie?”

“Ok, daddy. Goodnight,” Annie sighed, her hand slipping from mine as she slipped into a deep sleep.

Avery walked me back out to my car. “Avery, I love her.”

Avery grinned and hugged me tightly, her eyes glistening with tears. “I love that you’re back in my life, and finally in hers…that being said, what exactly are your plans with Annie for tomorrow?”

…I actually had no idea. What do two year olds like to do, anyways? “It’s a surprise,” I told Avery, driving off after one last kiss.

Ok, time to get in the father mindset.