Page 51 of Take Me to the Valley

Evan

“No, Dad, that's not it!” Skye whines.

She never whines. The last time she did it, she was sick, but she's not sick today. She is complaining for the same reason I am. I feel like shit because Calista isn't here.

She isn't here to wake up Skye, to do her hair, and bring me my coffee with a smile and a kiss. She isn’t here for me to pamper and to make her breakfast.

She isn't here cheering Skye on about the outfit she’s wearing. She isn’t here smiling and winking at me before she walks out the door to let me know that when she gets back, we will have some fun.

She isn't here, and I'm trying and failing to do a simple braid for Skye's hair.

She isn't here. And she’s missed.

“I'm sorry,” I whisper, dropping her hair and meeting my daughter's eyes in the mirror.

Skye grabs the brush from the counter and brushes her hair.

“It's okay, Daddy. But maybe you should take beauty school classes because I have many more days of school before I move out.” Then she runs downstairs, leaving me there looking like a fish out of water. Eyes wide, mouth opening and closing, and the reality of what she said sinks in.

I take her to school, and the entire way there, she is quiet, staring out the window. Before she jumps out of the car and practically runs into school, she gives me a forced smile.

To kill some time, I pop in at the station to say hi to Rick and Judy. Everyone is happy to see me, and the Chief even says I'm free to use the station's gym while I'm on leave and working with my physical therapist.

Then, on my way home, I stop at the coffee shop and stare across the street at Calista's apartment. It's dark, and I wonder if she is sleeping in. Probably, she’s enjoying not having to be up at the crack of dawn to get Skye ready. She deserves to sleep in and I should be bringing her breakfast in bed.

Fuck, I miss her.

After getting my coffee, I head home. I'm not sure what to do with my days, since I’m all alone. I’m still not working, but I won't start PT until next week. When Calista was here, I'd fill my day with her. Now that she isn't at the house, I'm completely lost.

Everywhere I turn in my house, I can see her. When I try to do laundry, all I can see is Calista bent over the washing machine, switching out laundry, with her perfect ass on display.

When I try to pick up Skye's room, all I see is Calista cuddled in bed with Skye reading her books out loud before bed.

And anytime I step foot in my room, I see her flushed and gorgeous as she is coming on my cock, and I'm so hard it's uncomfortable.

All but running out of the cabin, I leave an hour early to pick Skye up from school. When I get to there much earlier than I normally do, the moms there to pick up their kids gets out of their cars and come over to chat and see how I'm doing.

Normally, I’d hate it, but at least it's a distraction. Finally the kids are streaming out of the school, and I spot Skye.

She jumps into the car and telling me all about her day. The books she read, her new list of spelling words, and the craft project they are working on.

“What do you want to do for dinner, Princess?”

“Pancakes!” she says.

She is much more excited than she was this morning, which is nice, but short-lived.

“What kind of pancakes? Blueberry? Apple?”

“Bananas Foster!”

My heart sinks.

Those are the ones Calista made us, and I don't have the recipe for them.

“I don't have the recipe, baby, but I'm sure we can find it online,” I say. Then in my rearview mirror, I see Skye's face fall.

Once we’re home, I sit at my computer, easily finding a recipe for the pancakes. I print it out and pull out what we need, setting it at the counter.

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