I Never Wanted This Lifestyle for Her

-Part Twenty-Two-

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The Past ((Continued))

"Daddy, come help me with the pinita." She said innocently as I smiled at her mistake of pinata`.
"Alright baby." I said as I picked her up and I laced my hand with Frank's.
"Mickey, that's not how you hit it!" She said laughing as Mikey kept on missing the pinata` because of Bob.
"It's not my fault JJ, I suck at this." He laughed as he tried to take the blindfold Ray put on him off.
"My turn! Please." JJ said excitedly as Ray laughed and nodded.

He wrapped the blindfold over her eyes while she held a broom stick.
Frank never took cautions to a three year old with a broom stick, so of course he tried to go over and help her till JJ swung and hit him in his, erm, lower half.

"Oh daddy I'm so sorry!" JJ said as she put the broom stick down and pulled the blindfold off.
"It's, okay." Frank tried to assure her as he laid on the ground.

JJ burst into a fit of tears and hugged him close saying she was sorry over and over again.
She never was the calm type of child.
Whether it was being random or something that she did she had an addict for being a dramatic at it.
Not saying it's bad at her age.
It's what you would expect from a 3, well 4, year old right?

Frank sat up, getting his composure back and wrapped his arms around JJ comfortingly as she cried the rest of her tears on his shoulder.
I felt bad, I hated to see her cry, or be sad over something that was an honest mistake.
I walked over to where they were sitting and sat next to them, also wrapping my arms around her, and Frank.

"We love you JJ." I said quietly as she sniffled from between us.
"I love you too daddy." She said after she stopped sniffling, and could talk again.
"Want to go see what's in your pinata`?" Frank asked excitedly, forgetting about what just happened.

She nodded, but was still quiet.

"Here." Frank said as he handed her the broom stick again, but without blinfolding her.
"You take it like this, and hit that spot, as hard as you can." He said as he stood behind her and made her hands move with his to a spot on the pinata`.
"O-okay." She said as she waited for him to be out of the way and hit it.

If you ask me she's a hard hitter; feel bad for Frank.
After a lot of hits and the help of Bob and a spazzy Frank the pinata` broke open and a candy wonderland fell out in front of JJ.
We all ran in to get some but, gave most of it to Frank and JJ.

That night, we all sat around at a pizza parlor and sang to her.
She giggled and blushed a lot that day.
Frank was no help for her to sleep that night, but she was already worn out when we got home.

While she laid in bed with her puppy that she was yet to name I sat next to her waiting for her to fall asleep.
She never liked being alone, especially at night.
After one night when the neighbors were making a big commotion and ended up with two gun-shots and a dead body.
Someone always had to lay with her until she fell asleep after that.

"Daddy, do you think I'll change when I grow up?" She asked as I was sitting in a chair next to her.
"Well, I'm pretty sure you'll change from being a kid to a teenager sooner then you know it. I know for a fact you'll be smart and beautiful. I'm not sure about the rest though. I guess it all depends on what lies ahead." I said as she nodded to everything I said.
"What if I do change a lot daddy? Will you ever not love me anymore?" She asked as I felt a pang of guilt.
"Never JJ, as long as Frank and I live, even after that, we'll always love you. Even if you change. Your supposed to, your only a little girl. We will always love you no matter who you are." I said as I stroked her cheek and pushed back some of the black hair out of her face.
"That's good daddy, because I'll always love you too daddy. Forever." She said as I smiled.

I kissed her cheek and tucked her in and read to her.
She loved when I read to her just as much as I sang to her.
Especially when she was dozing off to sleep.

Once I knew she was asleep I turned out her lamp and kissed her forehead.

"Happy birthday JJ. I love you." I whispered as I put the book on her side table and left the room quietly.