Parenthood

“Mommy, I missed you.” Emma mumbled against my stomach. I smiled and ran my fingers through her hair.

“I know, baby you've told me four times already.” I cooed. Emma had been attached to me since she got home, which was unusual since that's normally how she is with Billie. Emma gasped and shot up.

“Mommy! Guess what!” I smiled.

“What?” I asked. She grinned.

“I have a boyfriend.” She stated. I raised my eyebrows.

“You do? What's his name?” I questioned.

“Robby!” She beamed. I grinned.

“Isn't that the boy you hit?” I asked. She nodded.

“Now he's my boyfriend!” She exclaimed. I looked over at Billie, who was laughing quietly in the kitchen.

“Since when is he your boyfriend, Emma?” She sighed and got off my lap.

“Since today , Mommy.” She said matter-of-factly. I nodded.

“Oh, well is he nice?” I asked. Emma nodded.

“I love him, Mommy.” She told me. I bit my lip to keep from giggling.

“Love, huh?” Billie said while sitting down next to us on the couch. “Didn't look like love a few days ago.” Billie added. Emma rolled her eyes, which at the time was really cute.

“Well. I do.” She huffed. I smirked.

“So, when's the wedding, Emma?” I questioned. Emma frowned.

“I'm not marrying him, Mommy. He's just my boyfriend.” She informed. Billie and I looked at each other and fought the urge to laugh.

“You make me laugh, Emma.” I said while ruffling her hair before standing up and walking into the kitchen.

“Daddy?” I heard her ask.

“Whatty?” He responded. She paused.

“You sing pretty.” She told him. I grinned and looked at Billie who was beaming.

“Thank you, baby.” He said while pulling her onto his lap. Emma laughed as he tickled her. When she quieted, she giggled and leaned closer to Billie.

“Daddy, will you sing me a song.” She told him. He raised his eyebrows.

“Why?” He asked. She giggled.

“Because I like it.” She exclaimed. Billie looked over at me and grinned.

“What should I sing?” He asked. Emma shrugged.

“I dunno.” She answered. Billie thought for a second.

“Do want to hear a song I wrote for Mommy a long time ago?” He asked. Emma nodded quickly. He smiled and went into our bedroom and came back carrying Blue.

“Blue!” Emma exclaimed. Billie grinned and sat down on the couch.

“What's the song called, Daddy?” Emma questioned. Billie smiled and looked at me as he said,

“2000 Light Year's Away.” He answered. Emma gasped.

“Is that a lot?” She asked. Billie nodded.

“Mommy and me were really far away from each other for a little and I missed Mommy, so I wrote her this song.” He explained. I was surprised by this finding. Billie had never told me he wrote this for me when we were apart. Hell, I didn't even know it was about me. I stopped washing the dish I had in my hand and listened. Emma sat down on the coffee table and watched intently as Billie began singing.

I sit alone in my bedroom
Staring at the walls
I've been up all damn night long
My pulse is speeding
My love is yearning

I hold my breath and close my eyes and
Dream about her
'Cause she's two thousand light years away
She holds my malachite so tight so
Never let go
Cause she's two thousand light years away

I sit outside and watch the sunrise
Lookout as far as I can
I can't see her, but in the distance
I hear some laughter,
We laugh together

I sit alone in my bedroom
Staring at the walls
I've been up all damn night long
My pulse is speeding
My love is yearning

I hold my breath and close my eyes and
Dream about her
'Cause she's two thousand light years away
She holds my malachite so tight so
Never let go
'Cause she's two thousand light years away.

Emma squealed as the song ended. “It’s so pretty, Daddy!” She exclaimed while getting up and running towards me. “Did you hear the song, Mommy!?” She asked. I nodded.

“I did! Mommy loved the song.” I said while looking directly at Billie. “Mommy loves Daddy very much.” I added. Billie winked at me and looked down at Blue.

“Just like Robby.” Emma sighed.

“Oh, Emma.” I laughed.

“What am I going to do with you?” I asked as Billie came up behind me and hugged me. She shrugged and ran off to her room, which she had been doing a lot lately. Billie kissed my shoulder.

“She never ceases to amaze me.” He mumbled. I grinned.

“I know, she reminds me of you so much it's scary sometimes.” I giggled. Billie chuckled.

“She's already boy crazy, dear God.” He whined. I patted his cheek.

“Oh, baby it only gets worse from here.” I laughed while turning around and kissing him. “I love the song by the way.” I purred. He grinned.

“I'm glad.” He whispered. I ran my thumb over his bottom lip and smiled.

“Have I mentioned how much I love you?” I whispered.He grinned and kissed my head.

“I love you, more.” He said while kissing me again.

~***~ 1 Week later

Emma had talked about Robby non stop for the last week and a half. It was Robby this and Robby that 24/7. Mommy, guess what Robby did!? Mommy! Robby did this! It was cute, but at the same time getting pretty annoying. But, when she came home in tears I instantly regretted thinking that. “Emma, what's the matter?” I asked while crouching down. She sniffled.

“Robby doesn't like me anymore.” She whimpered while clinging to my waist. I sighed.

“It's okay.” I whispered while lifting her up. She sniffled and laid her head against my shoulder.

“I'm sad.” She whispered. It killed me to hear her so upset. My five year old has a broken heart, that should have been a long ways off. I sat down on the couch with her on my lap.

“It's okay, lovebug. You don't need him.” I whispered. She laid her head in the crook of my neck, hiccuping as she sniffled. My poor baby.

“You wanna watch cartoons?” I asked. She shook her head.

“You sure?” I asked while turning the TV on anyway. She nodded.

“Don't be sad, Emma.” I cooed. She sniffled.

“I'm sad.” She repeated.I bit my lip and ran my nails up and down her back. Billie was at the studio today finishing up on Nimrod and it looked like I wasn't getting anywhere with Emma. I reached for the phone and dialed the studio's number. I expected Mike or Tré to answer, but, this time it was Billie.

“Hello?” He answered.

“Hey, baby.” I responded.

“What's up?” He questioned. I sighed.

“Do you know when you'll be home?” I questioned.

“I'm leaving right now, why?” He asked. I looked down at my sad little lovebug.

“My lovebug has a broken heart.” I whispered. Billie sighed.

“Pretty bad, huh?” He questioned.

“It's pitiful, Billie. She's crushed.” I told him. He was silent for a moment.

“I'll there soon, okay?” He finally said.

“Alright, love you.” I said.

“Love you, too.” He said before hanging up. I sat the phone down and looked to see Emma watching cartoons, but still looked so sad.

“Daddy will be home soon.” I told her. She nodded and continued laying on me.

~***~

Billie walked through the door about twenty minutes later. I smiled as he kissed me and sat down on the coffee table in front of Emma and me. Emma looked at him, but didn't get excited like usual when Billie returns home. He smiled.

“Hey, munchkin.” He cooed. She waved. “Mommy told me what happened.” He whispered. Emma sniffled and nodded. I was praying that Billie hadn't started the water works again.

“Don't cry, baby.” He pleaded gently. “Daddy doesn't like it when you cry.” He told her. She sniffled again and rubbed her eye.

“O-okay.” She whimpered. He looked at me and I could see in his eyes how much this bothered him. I watched as he put his hand behind his back.

“I have a surprise for you.” He whispered. Emma sniffled again.

“What is it?” She asked. Billie smiled and held out a little white teddy bear that was holding a red heart that said, 'I love you' in the middle. Emma stared for a minute and I sat up a little.

“Here, go to Daddy.” I said while handing her to him. She sat in his lap easily and took the bear.

“Who needs Robby when you've got Daddy?” Billie whispered. Emma smiled a little and hugged the bear. Billie leaned down and kissed her head.

“Feel better, munchkin?” He asked. She nodded.“Don't be sad, okay?”He whispered. She nodded. “I love you.” He told her. She smiled.

“I love you, too.” She whispered while looking towards me.

“Mommy, will it ever stop hurting?” She whispered.I looked at Billie, and nearly burst into tears myself. I forced a smile.

“Yes, baby it will. Don't worry about Robby, it's his loss.” I encouraged. She smiled and looked up at Billie.

“Daddy, can I marry Uncle Tré?” She asked. I bit back a laugh. He chuckled.

“Why would you want to marry Uncle Tré?” He asked. She giggled.

“Uncle Tré is funny and he loves me!” She exclaimed. I rolled my eyes.

“Tell you what Emma, if you grow up and you still want to marry Uncle Tré, Mommy won't stop you...but until then lets wait.” I laughed. Billie shook his head.

“You are crazy my little Emma.” He laughed. She frowned.

“Daddy, can I hit Robby now?” She questioned. He smirked.

“No, Emma you can't hit Robby.” He laughed.

“I want to.” She huffed. Billie laughed.

“You're like Mommy in more ways than one.” He said while winking at me. I rolled my eyes and stood up.

“Emma, you wanna go make cookies with Mommy?” I asked. Her eyes lit up instantly.

“Yes!” She exclaimed while leaping off Billie's lap and zooming past me into the kitchen. I chuckled.

“I should have tried that first.” I said while sitting down on Billie's lap. He wrapped his arms around me.

“That was really sweet what you did with the bear.” I whispered in his ear. He smiled.

“Anything for my munchkin.” He whispered back. I kissed his head.

“I better get in there.” I said while standing up. Billie winked at me as I looked back and I grinned as I had the wonderful realization that my Billie Joe would never break my heart again.