Declan
The zoo was a hit today. By the time we left, Autumn was dead on her feet. Her excitement was everything I hoped it would be. I haven’t gotten to spend much alone time with Penny in the past few weeks, but I thought this would be fun for all of us to do. I convinced Lucas to get passes too and it turned out to be one of the best days I’ve had in a while.
Once we get back to Daybreak, Jordan and Lucas head back to his place, and Penny, Autumn, and I head upstairsto the apartments.
“Do you want to have dinner with us?” Penny asks as I say, “I bought frozen pizzas for dinner.”
Penny folds her lips in, so she doesn’t crack a smile, and I let out a chuckle. “I can bring the pizza over if you want to do dinner together?”
Autumn fist pumps the air and Penny nods. I head into my apartment to grab the plain cheese pizza and the pepperoni pizza I bought earlier. When I let myself into Penny’s apartment, Penny is racing around, trying to pick up loose items strewn about.
“Sorry. It’s a mess,” she calls out as she tosses toys into Autumn’s room.
I set the pizzas on the countertop and turn her oven on, making sure she hasn’t stashed any pots or pans inside of it.
“Penny. Just stop,” I turn and tell her. She gives me a tight-lipped smile as she gathers a few pieces of garbage and makes her way to the trash under the sink.
“I’ve been busy at the shop and got lazy this week–”
I pull her into my arms and give her a bear hug. She sighs before wrapping her arms around my waist, and her shoulders visibly lower. “Your home is perfect,” I tell her honestly. It’s not even messy like she said it was. “You go sit, or do… whatever, and I’ll get the pizzas in the oven.”
She lets out a breath and nods. “I’m going to give Autumn a quick bath.” And she throws a thumb over her shoulder.
I turn her by her shoulders and swat her ass for good measure. She yelps but just grins at me.
That was purely for my benefit. Every time I see her, I want to push her against the wall and fuck her senseless. Our hands and mouths aren’t cutting it anymore. It doesn’t help that she gets more beautiful every day, too. I’m going to have to extend this whole friends with benefits situation since we haven’t actually gotten to fuck but for the one time.
I shouldn’t complain, though. It’s been nice just being around the girls for any period of time in the past few weeks. I have something to look forward to, and that alone is worth its weight in gold. I have friends, sure, but nobody I am excited to see as soon as they’re in my presence. The girls have become a staple in my everyday life, and if I don’t get to see them, I get a little antsy.
On top of it all, Autumn has been leaving drawings taped to my door. It’s been the highlight at the end of my workday, coming home from the shop, anticipating what her little imagination has come up with. More often than not, she draws a picture of three people: her, Penny, and me.
I check my notifications while the oven pre-heats and then put my phone away. I look around her apartment and notice all the pictures on the wall in the living room. There are baby photos, selfies, and some professional photos, too. One of my favorites is of Penny swinging Autumn around, and the matching laughter they have on their faces. This is a gallery of their life together, and it’s like I’m getting a front-row seat tothe reel. We had something similar to this in my house growing up, but it wasn’t nearly as captivating. Ours were more of the Stepford family type photos, not the outgoing, loving family photos you see here.
What Kate and I wouldn’t give to have had even one loving parent growing up, but that wasn’t in the cards for us. Instead, we had to lean on each other. It shatters me to reminisce on the fact that I abandoned her in that house to deal with our parents alone. I should have done better. I should have figured out a way to take her with me. But I was so hell bent on getting out and making my own way that Kate got left behind in the process.
The oven’s pre-heat timer sounds, and I shake off the terrible feelings of the past. I put the pizzas in, set the timer, and then go wait on the couch. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t tired. Five-year-olds know how to rally and I have a feeling I’m going to be sore from all the walking and carrying I did, despite working out daily.
Fifteen minutes go by, and the girls finally emerge from the hallway.
Both have changed into mint green, silk-matching pajama sets that have ice cream cones on them. “Do you like?” Autumn asks, and I smile at her and nod.
“You look great.”
Autumn beams and Penny shakes her head with a grin. They look adorable when they match, like mother like daughter.
When the timer for the pizza goes off, we settle in at the coffee table in the living room and put on a kids’ movie.
Autumn is half asleep by the time she’s done eating, and Penny tells her, “Let’s go brush our teeth, baby girl, and get you to bed.”
“Can Dec read me a story?” Autumn asks.
“Oh, no, baby. He ca–”
“I’ll read you a story,” I interrupt Penny.
Penny’s gaze shoots to mine and I shrug. It’s not a big deal to read her a book. It was probably one of my favorite things to do with Kate when she was little because it was the only time she was calm. Her extroverted personality that you see today was much worse when we were kids.
Autumn beams and Penny pushes her towards the hallway. “Teeth first.”
