“Daddy?”
The small, sleepy voice makes my heart jerk.
I turn, and there she is — Karla, clutching her bunny, rubbing her eyes, her dark hair a tangled halo around her face.
“Hey, baby girl,” I murmur, crouching down. “What are you doing up?”
She pads over to me, wrapping her little arms around my neck. “I had a bad dream,” she mumbles, burrowing into my shoulder.
I scoop her up, pressing a kiss to her hair. “Shh, it’s okay. Daddy’s here.”
She smells like baby shampoo and cookies, and for a moment, the ache in my chest softens.
“Will you stay with me?” she whispers, her voice small and hopeful.
“Yeah,” I breathe. “Yeah, baby, of course.”
I carry her back to her room, settle her under the covers, and sit on the edge of the bed, brushing her hair back. She’s asleep within minutes, her bunny clutched tight, her breath even and soft.
I stay there for a while, just watching her.
My daughter.
My anchor.
My second chance.
And yet…
When I close my eyes, it’s Brittany’s face that flickers behind my eyelids.
---
Later that night, I slip into bed beside Sierra.
She’s already asleep, facing the other way, her breathing slow and steady.
I lie there, staring at the ceiling, fists clenched in the sheets.
I wonder where Brittany is right now.
I wonder if she’s lying in someone else’s bed.
I wonder if she still thinks about me.
And it kills me.
It fucking kills me.
Because I had everything.
I had her.
And I threw it away.
My throat tightens.
I press the heels of my hands into my eyes, willing the memories to stop.
