Chapter 14
Harlow
“Mama, let's play dolliesnext!” Rosie says, dropping the hairbrush that is very much tangled in my hair. Rosie wanted to play hair salon, so I did her hair in some cute braids. I, on the other hand, almost lost a chunk of my hair. I think we might need to hide the scissors next time, just to be safe.
So instead, I get to spend the next half hour trying to get this brush out.
“Sure. But let's clean this up first,” I say, looking at myself in the mirror and trying not to pull the hair out of my damn skull. Maybe next time I'll get her one of those mannequin heads that hairdressers practice on, and save my poor raven locks from this hot mess of a disaster.
“Okay!” She rushes to clean up, throwing everything under her bed. “Done!”
I cock a brow at her. “You're not fooling anyone, you little stinker. They don't belong there.”
She gives me an eye-roll and a dramatic sigh as she goes to retrieve the things she just stashed away. I shake my head and smile, accidentally smacking myself in the face with the handle of the brush with the motion.Damn this stupid thing.
I fuck around with my hair as Rosie puts everything away properly and gets all her dolls out onto her bed.
“Mama?” Rosie asks me. I look over to see her sitting on her bed with a doll in her lap.
“Yes, baby?” I ask, flinching as I get the last piece of hair out.Thank God!
“You and Daddy kiss like mommies and daddies do, right?”
“Yes...” I say cautiously. If she asks where babies come from, I’m tapping out and handing her off to Cass. Puberty, I’ll do. When she starts asking about boys, I’ll do. But that question at this age? I’d probably traumatize the poor girl.
“But you also kiss Uncle Neo.”Ohhhh.So that's what we're gonna talk about. Alright, Harlow, let's do this in a kid-friendly way. Cass and I have talked about what to say when she asks, and she's a smart kid. Of course, she’s noticed. Hopefully, he's okay with me doing this one solo.
“Well, sometimes a family has one mama and one daddy. Some have two mamas, and some have two daddies. Well, there's even some families that have lots of moms and dads because you know this thing right in here.” I walk over and tickle her over her heart, making her giggle. “Sometimes people have sooooo much love in their hearts that they have enough to give to more than one person. So, I love your daddy.” Yes, I can admit it to my five-year-old, just not to the man himself, at least, not out loud yet. Baby steps. And the other night doesn't count, I was dick drunk. But I still meant it nonetheless. That's a whole bag of shit I don't want to unpack.
“But, I also care a lot about Uncle Neo and even Uncle Dean.” That's a whole other issue that needs to be worked out on its own.
“What about Uncle Axel?”
Just smile, Harlow. Don’t tell the kid how much you want to roundhouse her uncle. “Umm. Yeah, I care about Uncle Axel too, but a little differently than I do for the others.” It could be more if the fucker would grow up and get over whatever is making him act like a raging dick to me.
“So when I get older, I could love lots of people too?” she asks.
“If that's what your heart wants.” I smile at her.
“And if they make me mad, I’ll kick them in the balls!” Rosie nods.
I choke on a laugh as my eyes go wide. “Let's not tell Daddy about that one.” But I don't think he would object to that.
“Mama?”
“Yes, baby.” I lean in and kiss her on the forehead.
“I’m glad you have lots of people to love you. You deserve it,” she says with so much sincerity for a little girl as she gives me a hug.Who the fuck is cutting onions in this damn room?
“Thank you. And so do you. You deserve all the love in the world.”
“I think I’m good with all of you,” she says with a big smile. “Oh and Auntie Evie and Uncle Sam too!”
“You are very much loved, sweet girl. Don't ever forget it.”
“Let's play dollies now!” Rosie climbs off the bed and goes over to her toy box and starts sifting through it. “Mama, they’re gone!” she gasps.
“What's gone?” I ask, going over to take a look.