Page 44 of Full Throttled

Drake and I are both taken back by her request. Drake looks over at me and I smile. “Of course she can,” he tells Aubree. “But I’ll be there to pick you up.”

“Yay! I love you!” She exclaims before hugging him and climbing off the bed.

“I love you too,” Drake hollers at her retreating form. He looks back at me. “Take the Mustang and be safe.”

“I’ll guard her with my life, you know that, right?”

He nods, but his eyes say something else. He sighs heavily. “It’s not just her I want to be safe. I want you to be safe too. You matter to me too Zo.”

His words clog my throat and I nod my head while biting down on my bottom lip to keep from seeing the quiver from the emotions he’s just caused. I clear my throat. “I’ll be back in a few. Go eat you some breakfast.” I stand up and turn to leave, but Drake’s hand on my wrist stops me when I turn back around, he’s standing. He dangles the car keys in front of me before leaning down and kissing me breathless.

Thirty-Six

Drake

Zoey has been around more and more lately. The sense of normalcy of being in her presence isn’t as overwhelming as it once was. I don’t find myself constantly wondering when she’s going to leave. Now, I question if she will and I already know that I hope the answer is no. Seeing Zoey with Aubree warms my entire heart every time. Zoey being a part of our everyday lives seems like it’s how it was meant to be, but I still get the feeling that I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Zoey has been a trooper though when it comes to my family. We’ve all been helping out with Jagger and Londynn while Londynn recovers. It’s been difficult, but I’ve been helping out at the shop more and more after working on the construction sitesand Zoey has been helping out at Tip Toes, Londynn’s dance studio. Zoey may not know much about dance but she is keeping the social media accounts up to date on what the studio has to offer and upcoming recitals. It’s actually brought in new members. Who knows? Maybe, Zoey will end up with a job at Tip Toes once the dust settles.

However, today Zoey is working at the surf shop. I walk into the studio just in time to see the instructors letting the kids know which character they will be playing in the upcoming Halloween recital that Londynn had planned. Each student is assigned a specific character and the parents are allowed to make or buy the costume of the child’s choosing. I already know my little Love Bug wants to be a skeleton. She has been talking nonstop all week about being a girl version of Jack Skellington. I even stayed up late the other night cruising the internet to find Jack Skellington inspired attire. The things I’ll do for this little girl of mine.

I notice my auntie’s and head their way. All of the girls in our family dance. Bowie and Hollis’ son Alexander tried it for a few weeks but decided it wasn’t for him after all. “Hey y’all,” I tell them as I approach. “Did I miss anything?”

Kynlee leans over and whispers, “No, not really. Aubree is in the younger class, so they haven’t got their assigned character yet.”

I nod my head. I watch, unable to hear from this side of the glass but I can tell by the fall of Aubree’s face and the disappointed slump of her shoulders that she didn’t get the role of a skeleton like she had hoped. It breaks my heart to see her so sad, but I have to remind myself that this is a good life lesson. Shortly after that, the kids are released and Aubree walks straight to me and takes my hand. “Aren’t you going to tell your aunties and cousins bye?”

She huffs out a puff of air before turning around with more attitude than I thought possible. “Bye guys.” She waves her free hand a little bit then turns around and hurries toward the door. By the time we reach my work truck, I hear the sniffles. I pick her up and buckle her into the toddler seat. Once I’m behind the wheel and on the road, I angle my rearview mirror towards her. “Do you want to tell me why you’re so upset?”

She crosses her arms over her chest and pouts. “I wanted to be a skeleton and I didn’t get to be. I’m mad at Auntie Londynn.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose as we come to a stop at a red light. I’m trying not to lose my temper with her. Aubree rarely throws a temper tantrum, but when she does it’s exhausting and overwhelming. Add that on top of everything else going on and I know I’m going to need a saving grace. “Aubree why are you mad at Londynn?”

“Because I wanted to be a skeleton. She knows they’re my favorites.” She sniffles again, her eyes brimming with moisture and it tugs at myheartstrings, but I know I have to be strong. I can’t give in just because she cries even though I want to.

I shake my head. “That’s no reason to be upset with her. First of all, Londynn and Jagger have a lot going on right now. If she knew you were upset with her it would make her really, really sad. You don’t want to make her sad do you?” Aubree doesn’t reply. I check the rearview mirror and she’s staring out the window. “Also, it’s important to remember we don’t always get what we want. Life will throw you curveballs but remember you don’t stop swinging the bat just because you might get a strike.”

“But daddy…” she whines.

I hold up my hand to silence her. “I know you’re upset, but you will be great at any role you got. What did you get assigned?”

She huffs and puffs, her little temper flaring. “A cat.” The grumpy look on her face almost makes me laugh, but I know that won’t help the situation.

“Then you’ll be the best damn cat ever.” I’m trying to encourage her, but instead, I see the melt down forming. By the time we reach home Aubree is full on crying with wailing screams as if her entire world just fell apart. I was supposed to have a date night with Zoey, but that’s off the books now. There’s no way in hell I’m leaving Aubree at my parent’s house to deal with this. It isn’t their place. When I go to put Aubree down after removing her from the toddler seat, she refuses to place her feet on the ground and tightens the grip around my neck. I sigh, “Really Aubree?” She cries harder and I try to console her while making sure she understands the lesson to be learned in this situation, but it’s a thin line and I’m not sure how well I’m navigating it.

By the time we reach the front door, my ear next to Aubree is throbbing from her constant wailing. When I close the front door, I sit her on the couch. “Aubree, you need to calm down. You’re going to make yourself sick. Besides, big girls don’t cry like this because they didn’t get what they want.”

“How would you know? You’re not a girl!” She climbs down off the couch and stomps her little feet through the apartment. “I quit dance,” she announces.

“Oh no you don’t. You made a commitment and you will follow it through. James’ don’t just quit,” I tell her.

She spins around, her ringlets bouncing on top of her head. “Then I quit that too!” Her door slams and I rest my hands on the kitchen island and take a deep breath. Once I’m calmer, I grab my cell phone and dial Zoey. I explain to her the issue and even though I know she understands I still worry that she might be disappointed or think that I have too much baggage to be worth it.

After I hang up the phone, I decide to make one of Aubree’s favorites, chili mac n’ cheese hamburger. It’s basically just Mac n’ Cheese with chili mixed into it on a hamburger bun, but she loves it. I’m hoping it might cheer her up a little bit. The knock on the door startles me. I stir the chili once more before heading to answer it. I’m shocked when I open it and see Zoey standing there with her arms full. I quickly reach out to grab something, but she quickly says, “Just let me inside before I drop it. If you move one thing it’s all coming down like an avalanche.” I step aside and open the front door wider.

She makes it inside and into the living room before she drops everything on the floor. “Everything we need to make Aubree excited about being a cat. I have a plan.”

I chuckle, but it reminds me once again how she has become a staple in our life. It also reminds me of how much she cares for my daughter as if she were her own and just how much she’ll do for her. “I love when you have plans.”

---