Page 79 of Fighter
“Okay.” I grabbed the SUV keys. “One thing at a time, Mercedy. Let's get this day over with.”
Ava's nose scrunched. “Are you talking to yourself?”
I put a hand on her shoulder and wheeled her to the door. “It's a dad thing, just ignore me.”
She giggled. “Sera does it too.”
That certainly didn't help. While Ava buckled into the back seat, I backed the SUV out of the driveway with Serafina's voice ringing through my head.
If this is the path you want, I need you to be sure. Once I leave, I won't be coming back.
Asking her to come back solely for my own comfort was out of the question, but I couldn't say I hadn't considered it. I'd never ask her to return to our lives just to take care of us. If Serafina came back, it had to be for all the right reasons. The ones that, when I thought about it, Sadie seemed to block.
Unfortunately, I had no idea what the hell I wanted anymore.
My fingers drummed the counter later that afternoon as I strove to keep my tone moderated. Ava and I had just returned home and I'd already snapped at her. She'd given me attitude back and I'd justbarelyescaped a yelling match.
Off to a great start in our new world.
“Ava! Why is your backpack in the middle of the floor?” I cried.
Her voice was muffled as she called back.
“I don't know.”
With a sharp intake of breath, I forced myself to cool down. A long day at the MMA Center didn't help this situation feel any easier. Every twenty seconds, all day long, I found myself staring at the Diner, praying for a glimpse of wild curly hair and bright eyes. No such luck occured, which left me in a truly foul mood.
“Come pick your mess up!” I called, then added tightly, “Please.”
Ava flounced down the stairs with a hum, skipped to her backpack, and tossed it onto the peg near the back door. While I shuffled through the mail, she picked up her shoes and socks, set them on the mat at the door. A rice package that was supposed to be mixed with chicken bubbled on the stovetop. I'd forgotten lunch again, and felt ravenous now. It would be too salty for my usual taste, but the pre-cooked chicken that whirred in the microwave right now was too easy to ignore for dinner tonight. My head pulsed with a headache, anyway, and I still had hours to go in the day.
With no Serafina at the end of it.
My phone rang in my pocket when Ava faded out of the room again. Maverick.Awesome. The last person I wanted to talk to was my insufferable brother. I declined the call.
“Daddy!” Ava called from the other room. “I'm hungry! Can I have an apple flower with peanut butter in the middle of it? The way Sera does it.”
What was an apple flower?
“You can get an apple from the fridge,” I replied and shoved the phone back into my pocket.
“I want it with petals on the plate!”
What on earth was she talking about? Apples didn't have petals.
“What?”
“The waySeradoes it!” she shrieked, apparently at the end of her patience as well.
“Well, I'm not Sera,” I snapped. “They taste exactly the same no matter how you eat it. If you want the apple, get it from the fridge.”
My phone rang again. Agitated, I ripped it out of my pocket, answered it, and snapped, “What?”
“Well, good day to you, brother.”
Maverick's rolling voice set my teeth together. I wanted to smack the smugness out of his tone. Instead, I shoved a hand through my hair.
“What do you want, Mav?”
