Owen’s eyes tracked Julianna as she left the room. Something to focus on as he ignored the fixed gazed of Aphrodite on his profile. Owen sipped at his beer, turning his head toward the blonde when she addressed him.
He let the bottle rest on his thigh and shifted his whole posture to mirror Aphrodite’s in mockery. His elbow near to hers head resting on his hand. Now it was their turn to gossip.
“Oh yes, I’m a fast learner.” He smirked, eyebrows raised indicating a witty quip was soon to follow. He lowered his voice, glancing towards the doorway that Julianna had disappeared through. “Women dig that whole hot dad thing. Makes them think you’re all soft and vulnerable, you know. Especially if they think you’re a single dad. It’s really working for me.”
Owen’s goofy commentary was followed up by a knocking at his door. He took one last glance at Aphrodite and patted her heartily on the thigh. Apparently, Owen was feeling quite emboldened that day.
“Speaking of hot dads.” He pushed himself up from the couch to answer the door.
Holland had barely slept. He wasn’t used to having a child in the house. Just as soon as his eyes closed he was up again running to check on his daughter. She was in bed. Safe. He watched her breathe. In out in out. Her chest rising and falling in a perfect unvarying rhythm. He could lay down for a while again. But he’d get up again. Safe. Breathing. Note when she rolled over. At some point, he’d fallen asleep and she’d found chance to wet the bed.
He bathed Rose and texted Owen. While he was texting, Rose had found the soiled teddy and brought it to him saying, “daddy it yucky.” He bathed Rose again. Threw out the teddy and watched while Rose screamed and tried to rescue it from the trash. He promised to buy her a new one. He stripped and washed the bedding. Took the mattress out, bought a new mattress, and plastic covering, and three spare sets of sheets and blankets. Rose asked him about her mommy. He kept having to explain that she wasn’t coming back.
Rose had managed found his shoes and put them on her hands. “Look daddy.” It wasn’t a fun game to him. Holland texted Owen for help. He removed the shoes. Washed her hands and arms. He packed a diaper bag. He unpacked it. Rose didn’t wear diapers anymore but he needed the saniwipes, some snacks, a couple of her toys, her sippy cup. Holland packed the diaper bag again.
Then he had to change clothes. Handling urine things and messy child made him feel dirty. He put on a thin white pull-over v-neck sweater under a blue and black plaid shirt which he left unbuttoned. The sleeves of both shirts were stylishly rolled up, of course, to display his recently completed sleeve on the left arm. He put on his favorite worn black jeans for good measure. He just wanted familiar comfort clothes.
At some point Holland made it to Owen’s house, Rose holding his hand, diaper bag across his shoulder. The door was opened and he was ushered inside by Owen who seemed in one of his near manic playful moods. Holland sighed heavily pulling an apprehensive Rose after him. She was stranger shy especially with a large, looming, and loud Owen.
“What are you moving in?” Owen asked indicating the diaper bag across Holland’s chest.
“I just thought - saniwipes and you know -” Holland faltered.
“Anything you have in that bag we have in this house I guarantee it.” Owen said and waved at Rose who was trying to hide behind her father.
“Well I brought her a change of clothes. She gets so dirty so fast.” Holland tried to explain as he pulled the bag over his shoulder and set it on the floor in the foyer. He didn’t mention that he’d brought himself a change of clothes, as well, for just-in-case-puke reasons. “Say hi to my friend Mr. Owen, Rose.”
The girl shook her head and ducked her face against her father’s black jeans. “She’s adjusting.”
Owen slid his arm around Hollands shoulders escorting him to the living room. “She'll come around. In the meantime, come meet Julianna’s friend.” More like get this woman off my trail. Rose followed behind her father her hand still clasped in his. So Holland was sort of push-pulled between Rose and Owen into the living room.
“This is Aphrodite.” Owen introduced. “Aphrodite. This is my friend Holland.”
Holland stared silently at the woman seated - no poised - on the couch. He was pondering the mystery of the woman’s existence when Rose’s fussing behind him snapped him out of his stare. He smiled apologetically and bent to pick her up. Rose latched onto his neck and he stood with the child. “Hi.” He said embarrassed to have been caught staring.
He let the bottle rest on his thigh and shifted his whole posture to mirror Aphrodite’s in mockery. His elbow near to hers head resting on his hand. Now it was their turn to gossip.
“Oh yes, I’m a fast learner.” He smirked, eyebrows raised indicating a witty quip was soon to follow. He lowered his voice, glancing towards the doorway that Julianna had disappeared through. “Women dig that whole hot dad thing. Makes them think you’re all soft and vulnerable, you know. Especially if they think you’re a single dad. It’s really working for me.”
Owen’s goofy commentary was followed up by a knocking at his door. He took one last glance at Aphrodite and patted her heartily on the thigh. Apparently, Owen was feeling quite emboldened that day.
“Speaking of hot dads.” He pushed himself up from the couch to answer the door.
____
Holland had barely slept. He wasn’t used to having a child in the house. Just as soon as his eyes closed he was up again running to check on his daughter. She was in bed. Safe. He watched her breathe. In out in out. Her chest rising and falling in a perfect unvarying rhythm. He could lay down for a while again. But he’d get up again. Safe. Breathing. Note when she rolled over. At some point, he’d fallen asleep and she’d found chance to wet the bed.
He bathed Rose and texted Owen. While he was texting, Rose had found the soiled teddy and brought it to him saying, “daddy it yucky.” He bathed Rose again. Threw out the teddy and watched while Rose screamed and tried to rescue it from the trash. He promised to buy her a new one. He stripped and washed the bedding. Took the mattress out, bought a new mattress, and plastic covering, and three spare sets of sheets and blankets. Rose asked him about her mommy. He kept having to explain that she wasn’t coming back.
Rose had managed found his shoes and put them on her hands. “Look daddy.” It wasn’t a fun game to him. Holland texted Owen for help. He removed the shoes. Washed her hands and arms. He packed a diaper bag. He unpacked it. Rose didn’t wear diapers anymore but he needed the saniwipes, some snacks, a couple of her toys, her sippy cup. Holland packed the diaper bag again.
Then he had to change clothes. Handling urine things and messy child made him feel dirty. He put on a thin white pull-over v-neck sweater under a blue and black plaid shirt which he left unbuttoned. The sleeves of both shirts were stylishly rolled up, of course, to display his recently completed sleeve on the left arm. He put on his favorite worn black jeans for good measure. He just wanted familiar comfort clothes.
____
At some point Holland made it to Owen’s house, Rose holding his hand, diaper bag across his shoulder. The door was opened and he was ushered inside by Owen who seemed in one of his near manic playful moods. Holland sighed heavily pulling an apprehensive Rose after him. She was stranger shy especially with a large, looming, and loud Owen.
“What are you moving in?” Owen asked indicating the diaper bag across Holland’s chest.
“I just thought - saniwipes and you know -” Holland faltered.
“Anything you have in that bag we have in this house I guarantee it.” Owen said and waved at Rose who was trying to hide behind her father.
“Well I brought her a change of clothes. She gets so dirty so fast.” Holland tried to explain as he pulled the bag over his shoulder and set it on the floor in the foyer. He didn’t mention that he’d brought himself a change of clothes, as well, for just-in-case-puke reasons. “Say hi to my friend Mr. Owen, Rose.”
The girl shook her head and ducked her face against her father’s black jeans. “She’s adjusting.”
Owen slid his arm around Hollands shoulders escorting him to the living room. “She'll come around. In the meantime, come meet Julianna’s friend.” More like get this woman off my trail. Rose followed behind her father her hand still clasped in his. So Holland was sort of push-pulled between Rose and Owen into the living room.
“This is Aphrodite.” Owen introduced. “Aphrodite. This is my friend Holland.”
Holland stared silently at the woman seated - no poised - on the couch. He was pondering the mystery of the woman’s existence when Rose’s fussing behind him snapped him out of his stare. He smiled apologetically and bent to pick her up. Rose latched onto his neck and he stood with the child. “Hi.” He said embarrassed to have been caught staring.
Bitch, I'm limited edition.
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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 11-03-2020, 08:47 PM