by Katy Kaylee
Dillon
I glanced away from my laptop screen at Malia from where she sat opposite me on the jet. She had her headphones in and she was watching a movie that she was convinced that I wouldn't watch with her, and even though I would deny it with my life, I didn't. I didn't mind the occasional heartwarming story about a cat and two dogs who found their way home – twice – or even about lost love or things like that, but this movie was really not something I wanted to watch, so thank goodness she decided to watch it by herself. I had a bit of work to do, which wasn't just a lie to get out of watching it with her. Judging by the look on her face and the way the shallow tears glistened in her eyes, I knew that the shit was about to hit the fan. I finished typing an email to Geoff and sent it through to him before I closed my laptop.
Malia glanced up at that moment and looked at me as she cocked her head. She touched the screen, enabling the pause function and slipped the headphones off her ears.
"Are you done?" she asked.
I nodded and asked, "Do you need some company?"
"No. You won't like this movie. In fact, I don't even like it."
"Can it be?" I clutched my chest.
"Very funny," she said and rolled her eyes and placed the headphones on the table between us. "Besides, I am not in the right frame of mind to watch that movie anyway."
"Why is that?"
"It's just a bit sad, you know, considering the whole thing with me and my mom," she sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.
"I'm sorry that your old wounds were reopened. It was never my intention to make you tell me things that you don't want to," I said apologetically.
"Don't apologize. Somehow you know exactly when the right time is for me to tell you things, and you pick up on that so well," she said. "I guess it doesn't matter what I did in my past, even though I still think about it, especially when I am with Willow. My life could have been so different if I just stood my ground and did what was in my heart, but then again, I wouldn't have moved to Florida, and I wouldn't have met you and Willow. That would have been a real tragedy," she said with a smile.
"I couldn't agree with you more, sweetheart," I said to her. "There is something that I want tell you, and I didn't know how to at the time. I tried to mull it over in my mind and I just couldn't let it go, you know."
"What is it?"
"That night that I went out for a few drinks with some of the guys from work, when I came home and put you to bed, you said something to me, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I didn't want to ask because I didn't want you to freak out or anything."
"Was that why you were asking about whether I remembered saying to you that I wasn't upset with you?"
"Yes, and I'm sorry I'm only mentioning it now, but, I feel that it is time you knew."
She narrowed her eyes slightly and pursed her lips.
"Right after I said good night to you, you told me that you loved me."
Her eyebrows shot up, just as I expected them too, but my heart sunk down into my shoes as I suspected that she may have just muttered in her sleep.
"I did?" she asked and I nodded. "Wow, that's the kind of thing that one shouldn't say while your half asleep."
"One of the things," I shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant, but clearly failing miserably.
She took a deep breath and glanced at me again, not knowing what to say.
"Look, I get it. You were half asleep and I don't expect you to remember anyways."
"Is that why you've been thinking about it since it happened?" she asked and raised an eyebrow at me.
"I was just tryin to convince myself that..."
"That what?" she asked and leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table. "That I didn't mean it?"
"Maybe."
"Why would you do that?"
"Being in love with someone is a big deal and it's fucking terrifying, especially after my divorce, although I think I didn't love Jade to start off with," I scoffed and ran my fingers through my hair. "I guess it was just easier thinking that someone like you would never be in love with someone like me."
"That's the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard in my life. Someone like me? What is that?" she asked. "Why would I not be in love with someone like you?"
"I have a past and baggage," I answered simply.
"We all have a past and baggage, Dillon," she pointed out. "It doesn't make us less deserving of love."
"I guess when you put it that way," I muttered.
She took a deep breath and sat back against the leather seat. "To answer your question, I did mean it. I do love you, even though I don't remember saying it."
"You love me?"
"I do, more than I've ever loved anyone, and even though it scares the shit out of me, I can't stop. I love you with everything inside me. I just can't imagine a world without you in it," she answered.
A smile crept onto my lips as I leaned forward and reached out to her. She placed her hand in mine and I kissed her knuckles. "I love you too, Malia."
Her eyes filled with tears as she stood from her seat, and so did I. She pulled me close and kissed me so hard I thought I was going to explode.
"Ew, your guys," I heard Willow say behind us and we glanced at her.
"What?" I asked.
"Could you go do that somewhere else, please? I'm an impressionable child. I don't need to see that, ever," she shuddered.
"Hey, your dad just told me that he loved me, so it's kind of a big deal," Malia said.
Willow's eyes widened as she stared at me and Malia for a few seconds and her jaw dropped. "Really? You love her, Daddy?"
"I do," I answered and put my arm around Malia's waist.
Willow turned her attention to Malia and asked, "And you love my dad?"
"I love your dad."
Willow let out an excited shriek and did a little happy dance which I had taught her when she was five. "This is the greatest thing ever."
"I couldn't agree with you more," I chuckled.
"When exactly did this happen?" Willow asked and glanced at Malia. "Was it the city of love that sparked this?"
"Not quite. I knew I loved your dad before we even left for Paris," she answered.
"And I knew it before too, but I was afraid that she didn't love me like I loved her," I added.
"Because she's so much younger than you. I get it, Daddy."
"You little sass mouth," I said and approached her. I put my arms around her, pretending to attack her, and tickled the shit out of her until tears of laughter streamed down her face.
"Stop, stop," she called out in desperation between the giggles.
I raised my hands and smiled down at her. "I love you, honey."
"I love you too, Daddy," Willow chuckled, wiping the tears from her cheeks. Her brow furrowed and she glanced over my shoulder. "Where did Malia go?"
I glanced over my shoulder and frowned as well. "Malia?"
I walked down the aisle and said to Willow, "She probably went to the bathroom."
"I'm going to the cockpit for a bit."
"Okay, but remember-"
"Don't touch anything. Don't distract Mason and Liam," she said and rolled her eyes at me. "I know, Daddy."
"Right," I said and walked along the length of the jet. I heard shuffling noises coming from the bathroom and opened the door. Malia was crouched down on the floor in front of the toilet.
I crouched down beside her and asked, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, it must be from the altitude drop or something. I just felt a little dizzy, but I'm fine now," she answered.
"Maybe your should go lay down on the bed for a while. I'll get you some water."
"No, I'm fine, I promise."
"Okay, but if you feel sick again, we're going to have to make a pit stop in Bermuda," I said with a wink.
"Oh, the horror. We'll be lost forever," she whispered.
"That doesn't sound as bad as people think," I said and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Get
ting lost with you sounds like fun."
Dillon
Being back in Florida felt like we were living near the equator in comparison to the dry heat of Paris, and I just felt clammy and tacky all the time. It seemed at though our bodies came accustomed to the Parisian weather quicker than we thought it would, and I began to mis those Paris nights, watching the fireworks from our balcony and hearing the sounds of Disney in the air.
Not even the cold water of the pool could cool me down, or Willow and Malia for that matter. The heat had become unbearable for Malia all of a sudden and in the two weeks since we've been back from France, she had suffered. Things seemed to get better though and I was glad, but it was still hot and humid.
Fun times.
I lay halfway in the water, drifting on my inflatable donut, Willow reading a book in the shade and Malia lounged out in the shallow end of the pool. The sun was slowly setting on the horizon, painting the sky in hues of reds and yellows, and it couldn't have come at a more perfect time. I had take a few days off from work to spend with Willow and Malia, and to allow the dust to settle after I told Geoff, Walt and Ted about being in a relationship with Malia. At first they thought that I was kidding, and joke around with me about her being a little young for me and what would a girl as hot as her want with me – which I didn't find offensive at all, since it came from them. It was only until I showed them a few pictures from our trip to Paris that their jokes stopped and they grew quiet. They apologized if they offended me, and congratulated me on being happy. Ted, the awkward guy that he was, asked me whether Malia had any friends we could introduce him to. The poor guy was as unlucky in love as I used to be, and truth be told, I felt sorry for him.
"Daddy?" Willow asked me, breaking the silent ambience of the flowing water at the edge of the pool onto the rock formation.
"Yes, my princess?" I asked lazily.
"If I wanted a little brother, who would I have to talk to about that? You, or Malia?" she asked.
I heard Malia spit out her water that she had just taken a sip of and jolted my head to the side. Unfortunately I shifted my weight too much in the process, and capsized my donut, causing me to dunk myself into the water. I surface and glanced at Malia, who was now sitting upright.
"Are you okay?" she asked me and I nodded at her. Clearly she was just as shocked as I was by Willow's question.
We stared at one another for a second and I turned to Willow.
"What's the matter, Daddy? Did you swallow pool water?"
"No, I..."
I didn't know what to say to her and ran my fingers through my wet hair, forcing it out of my face.
Willow raised her eyebrows at me expectantly and I glanced at Malia, who just shrugged at me. "You know, even though it's a team effort, I think Malia is the one to talk to."
"What do you mean a team effort, Daddy?"
"Yeah, Dillon, what do you mean by that?" Malia asked and crossed her arms.
I opened my mouth to answer, but there were no words coming out. The smirk that formed on Malia lips caused me to narrow my eyes at her and I shook my head.
"I have an idea," Malia said and Willow turned to her. "Why don't we go ice skating?"
"Ice skating?" Willow asked with a smile.
"Yeah. I've been wanting to go for ages, and since I am getting a little sick of this heat, the cold air would be godsend," Malia said.
"That sounds like fun," Willow said, "and I have to commend you for changing the subject as well as you did, Malia."
Malia smiled brightly at Willow as my daughter climbed out of the water and headed into the house. I glanced at Malia with a relieved and grateful look and sunk down into the water. This was going to be an interesting evening.
The cold air at the ice skating rink saved us from the warmth we had been complaining about for nearly two weeks, and we welcomed it with open arms. Malia was a natural skater, but then again, she did grow up in Portland. It was amazing to see her gliding along the ice, holding onto Willow's hand. Willow, who also looked as if he had been skating her entire life, waved at me as they passed me by. I was still slowly getting the hang of this whole skating thing, and every so often, Malia and Willow would skate past me. Malia took my hand and the three of us went around the rink, and Malia's ease and confidence in what she was doing was amazing.
"Did you skate a lot when you were a kid?" I asked her.
"Yeah. I used to play hockey when I was a kid."
"That explains a lot," I answered.
"It was fun. I got to channel my fury, so it was a great release," she joked.
I glared at her for a short while and she just laughed, finding it very amusing.
A short while later, after I had decided that skating around and around in a circle wasn't for me, and I took a seat outside the rink, watching Malia teach Willow a trick or two. Willow favored the abrupt sideways stop, causing shreds of ice to spray into the air. A dramatic stop if you asked me, but then again, those girls were all about the drama. I could just imagine Malia as a teenager playing hockey and a smile ran across my lips. If we had been in the same school, and the same age, I would have crushed on her so hard, but taking into account that she was ten years younger than I was, it would have been a bit inappropriate if I was crushing on an eight-year-old.
I shuddered at the thought and glanced around me, watching all the other skaters.
"Hello, Dillon."
Her voice was like a piece of chalk against a blackboard, piercing and cringeworthy.
I turned in my seat and glanced up at Jade, standing in the aisle, a few rows away from me.
"Jade," I said and clenched my jaw.
Her hair was much shorter than the last time I saw her, but she still had that angry edge to her voice as before.
"What are you doing here?" I asked as I stood from the seat.
"Relax, Dillon. I was hanging out here just like you were," she said and glanced at the ice.
"Great. Have a nice time then," I said curtly.
Jade snickered and shook her head. "I have to give you credit, Dillon. I never thought you were the type," she said.
"What are you talking about?"
"You, fucking Willow's nanny."
"You have no idea what you're talking about," I growled.
"Oh, so you're not sleeping with the little blonde bimbo?" she asked and cocked her head at me.
"Don't you dare," I warned.
"Easy there, tiger. Control your temper. We're in a public place."
"Count yourself lucky," I muttered.
"Wasting seven years with you? As if," she scoffed.
"Could you just leave please," I asked firmly.
"Why? Afraid Willow will run up to and hug me?"
"No, because she won't do that."
"Because you've been telling her what a bitch I was, how I was the one who left you?" she asked and took a step towards me. "I know about you and Malia, and I know about that young woman who worked for you, the redhead."
"Don't you even-" I gritted my teeth the moment she interrupted me.
"No need to explain to me, Dillon. Expect a call from my attorney in the morning," she smirked at me, turned on her heel and walked up the aisle again.
My blood boiled in my veins and as I turned around, Malia and Willow stood by the large glass panel that separated the rink from the seating area. Willow's eyes were wide, and there was a look of disapproval on Malia's face. My shoulders slumped as I approached the glass and heard Willow say, "I think that it is time to go."
How right she was.
After we returned the skates at the kiosk, we headed back to the parking lot where my car was parked. I held Malia's hand tightly and she gave me a strange look.
"I'm sorry about that," I said.
"You don't have to apologize. You didn't know that she was going to be here," she answered and slowed her pace. She pulled me back and said, "Hey, look at me."
I glanced down at her and pursed my lips.
"It's okay. Y
ou two are divorced, she has power over you. She has no power over Willow and there is nothing that she can do that could ever take either one of us away. Okay?" she whispered to me.
"You're right. It's just that seeing made me so angry, and the things she said to me, about you..."
"What did she say?"
I sighed and answered, "She accused me of sleeping with you-"
"But you are," she said.
"Please don't interrupt me," I said, sterner than I intended to and lowered my gaze.
"Sorry," she whispered and held her hands up in defeat.
"No, I'm sorry. You're not her, and I shouldn't direct my anger at you."
"You shouldn't direct your anger at anyone right now. That's exactly what she wants. Don't give her that," Malia said.
I glanced at her and I knew she was right. Jade had yet again, even after all these years, managed to get under my skin, and I allowed it. "You're right."
"Of course I'm right," she said with a wink and put her arms around my shoulders. "Now, come one. Let's get home and I'll make you and Willow your favorites."
"Banana and strawberry shakes?" Willow asked with excitement and Malia nodded. "Yay!"
"That sounds good," I said and pulled her close, kissing her on the lips.
"Ugh, you guys have got to stop doing that in public," Willow muttered as she grabbed my shirt, pulling me to the car. I opened the door for Willow and she slid into the backseat. As I walked around the car to open the door for Malia, I saw Jade standing on the opposite end of the parking lot, shaking her head at me in disapproval.
I began to get angry by the way she looked at me, and at Malia, and although I tried my best to remain calm like Malia had said, I couldn't. I wasn't going to let her ruin my life again, but I also knew that if I made a scene and confronted her, she'd use it against me. She'd make me look like the bad guy, the guy with the uncontrollable anger who was looking for a fight, the guy who wasn't capable of controlling his emotions, the guy who was a danger to his daughter.
No, I was not going to let it happen. I didn't even hear Malia say my name a few time until she placed her had on my shoulder and I glanced at her.
