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Somehow, Apollo has managed to stick around town another week. Each night, after I get off work and he gets done with band practice, we meet up and have dinner with our daughter, then do something fun.
Tonight, Aurora asked if I could make her favorite spaghetti and meatballs at home, instead of going out. And after dinner, she wants to play dolls with her daddy and get him to tell her a bedtime story after that.
He hasn’t done that before, so this is new territory for us.
After picking Aurora up at daycare, I take her home, and we find Apollo waiting for us.
“Daddy!” She rushes to him, and he grabs her up, hugging and kissing her.
“I missed you!”
Unlocking the door, I roll my eyes as they tell each other the same thing every single time they see each other. “It has been like nine hours since you saw each other last when we dropped you off at daycare, Aurora.”
“I still missed him.” She hugs him as he carries her inside my apartment.
“And I missed you, little birdie.”
When he enters, he gets his first real look at the place. “Wow, this is, well, small.”
“Small is easy to clean.” I put the bag of groceries I bought on the counter. “If you two will excuse me, I’m going to change out of my uniform and into something comfy before I begin making dinner.”
They’re lost in conversation, so I leave them to it.
It was a particularly hard day at work, so I shower too before putting on some shorts and a t-shirt.
When I go back into the living room, they are watching television as Aurora catches him up on her favorite show, saying, “So, he’s a builder, see? And his name is Bob.”
“That’s why the show is called Bob the Builder? Wow.” Nodding, Apollo acts like he’s riveted with the topic. “I wish I knew how to build things.”
“You know how to sing songs, Daddy, and that’s much better.” Aurora kisses his cheek sweetly.
“I should write a song for you.” Apollo smiles, then looks back at me. “Would that be okay?”
“Would what be okay?”
“If I write a song for our daughter?”
“Why wouldn’t it be okay?”
“I’m just not sure how you feel about it, is all.” His frown tells me he’s not super secure about our co-parenting thing.
“I feel fine about it. And, for the record, I’m glad to have your help each evening with her.” I want to let him know he’s appreciated.
“I’m glad I can be of help.” Leaving a kiss on top of her head, he smiles at me. “Anything I can do to help you, my songbird.”
My jaw drops, and Aurora looks at him. “Songbird?”
He looks at her with wide eyes. “I meant to say, Lucy.”
I add, “It’s just a term of endearment. Like when I call you sweetie.”
She frowns at her dad and her eyes go from me to him and back again, before she frowns deeper and focuses on him.
“I’m your birdie. Not Mommy.” She pouts.
Oh boy…
“You are. And I love you.” He hugs her tight, but her pout is still deep, and her lips are trembling.
