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Stepping to her closet and opening the door in silence, I snag a coat and hat from the rack. Then I go to the bed and snatch up a stuffed purple monkey.
Exiting the room and moving straight back to where I left Mia, I kneel on one knee and hurriedly help her shuck my jacket off and put hers on.
“Come on, Moo. Do you wanna sleep at Daddy’s house tonight?”
Her eyes light up with glee. “For serious?”
“For serious.”
I plop the hat over her head and hate how her ears are freezing—and yet, she doesn’t complain. She doesn’t say a word.
Finishing up and sliding my own coat on in the quiet, I bend forward again and scoop my daughter up, propping her on my hip. “I got your monkey.”
“I love my monkey!” she whisper-hisses. A good thing, since it wouldn’t bode well to be discovered here while Jada is in the room, fucking.
But how,howdoes my three-year-old know to sit still and remain silent?
She’s three!
“Come on, pretty girl.” Tucking the monkey between us, I step across the living room and switch off the television, then I cross to the door and let us back out into the hall.
Down the stairs.
Exit the building.
And into a new drop of snow.
“Are you mad, Daddy?” Mia’s good mood is gone now, replaced with pinched brows and her hand on my face. “Are you angry?”
“Pssht.” I shake off my mood and force a smile until I feel her relax in my arms. “Daddy never gets mad. Daddy likes to make everyone else laugh, dontcha know?”
“Are you mad at Mommy?”
“No, baby.” I start toward my apartment and keep her head tucked against my shoulder so her breath warms my neck. “Daddy doesn’t get mad at Mommy either. But I’m excited about having a sleepover. Are you?”
“Yes.” Her body turns to mush in my arms, and her hands simply droop and sway as I walk. “Can I sleep in your bed?”
“Sure, if you wanna.” I press a kiss to her brow and inhale the scent of what I can only describe as wet dog.
When did Jada last wash her hair?
“You get to choose, Moo. You have your own bedroom at Daddy’s place with all your special things and your comfortable bed. But it’s your choice where you sleep.”
“I think I wanna sleepwifyou.” She draws in a deep breath so her little chest fills, then letting it out again, she sighs. “I wanna.”
“Okay.” I cup her head with my hand and hold her as tight as I can manage without crushing her.
How many nights has my daughter made herself invisible so her mother can fuck? How often does she wish to share a bed with her mother, but can’t because the bed is full?
Or worse, climbs in anyway, even with a strange man on the other side?
“Hey, Moo? Can Daddy ask you a question? It’s kinda important, but I won’t be mad if you don’t know the answer or you don’t wanna tell me.”
“Okay.” She yawns in my arms and exhales so fog trickles ahead of us. “What?”
“Does Mommy have her friends over a lot? Like tonight. Does, uh…” I squeeze my eyes shut for a second and attempt to shake away the disgust I feel. “Does that happen much?”
Instead of answering immediately, Mia settles on a shrug. “Dunno. Sometimes. Hey, Daddy?”
“Yeah, baby? What’s up?”
“Can we go see Uncle Arch’s cat before sleep?”
“Sure.” I turn left when I should turn right. “Absolutely.”
