The Cost Of Winning

FIANNA'S POV :

"Now you need to be a good girl for Daddy , Bren , okay ?" , I say , as I help her put on her coat .

"I's will be good , Mommy , me pwomise !" , she tells me . "If me is naughty , Daddy not let me does the music !"

Ashley called me yesterday and asked me to let him take Bren out when he had his visit today , and even though I can't honestly say I'm thrilled with the idea , I tell him it's okay . Miki threw a fit , telling me I was nuts , but Ryan pointed out that , barring some major disaster , he's going to have her every other weekend in a couple of months , so it's better to find out beforehand if he can handle it . He also told me that he has a surprise , so I'm wondering what that's gonna be

As I finish zipping Smidge into her coat , the doorbell rings , and Brenna dashes toward it . She starts to grab the knob , but sees me looking at her , and she yells , "Who it is ?"

"It's Daddy , cutie !" , Ash says from the hallway .

"I's can open now ?" , she asks , and I nod , so she turns the latch and opens the door . Ashley steps inside , and he's not alone . I know what his "surprise" was now , as CC follows him inside .

"Hi , Daddy ! " , Brenna exclaims , holding up her arms to be picked up , and he immediately obliges , swooping her into his arms and kissing her on both cheeks .

She then looks behind him and asks , "Daddy , who him is ?"

"This is my friend , CC , Bren ." , he says , closing the door behind CC . "CC , this is Brenna ."

"Hi there , Brenna . Your daddy's been telling me about you ." , CC tells her . "It's nice to meet you ."

"Daddy , yous don't meet him to Mommy !" , Brenna says . "Miss Kim say that's wude !"

"It's okay , Smidge , I know CC ." , I tell her . "He's been Daddy's friend for a long time ."

"Wike you is fwends wif Aunt 'Kaela ?"

"Yes , just like that , but Daddy and CC have known each other even longer ."

"So is yous my Unca CC , wike Unca Wy is ?" , she asks CC , very seriously .

"If that's what you want to call me , I'm cool with it , kiddo ." , he replies , then turns toward me .

"Hey , Fianna ." , he says . "How have you been ?"

"I'm good , C , how about you ?"

We talk for a couple of minutes , catching up a bit , while Ash helps Brenna put on her hat and gloves . When he finishes , Bren runs over to me , grabbing my leg and says , "Mommy , I's goin' byebye wif Daddy now ! I can has hugs ?"

I pick her up and give her a squeeze and a kiss on the nose , and she kisses me on the cheek . "Behave for Daddy and Uncle CC , all right ? And if you don't eat your lunch , then no cookie when you get home ."

"Me is good girl , Mommy !"

I put her down and ask Ashley , "What are you going to do today ?"

"I figured we'd go to the mall for a little while , and maybe catch a movie , if there's anything good .", he says .

" The mall means shopping , I know , but please don't go crazy and buy her a crapload of toys , I don't want her getting the idea that she can have everything she wants ."

"I'm just going to let her pick out a few things to keep at my place , to play with when she's there , and maybe one thing to bring home . I don't plan on being ridiculous about it , Fi ." , he informs me .

"Don't worry , I'll keep a leash on him !" , CC chimes in .

"I'm not sure that's helpful , dude ! I think you might go crazier in a toy store than she would ." , I chuckle .

"See , I told you she'd remember you , C !" , Ashley retorted .

Finally , they head out to Ashley's car , and I watch through the window as he fastens her into her seat , then gets behind the wheel , with CC next to him . Bren waves as they drive off , and I let the blinds down , and turn on the TV , to attempt to go through some of my DVR programs that I won't watch when she's home and awake .


ASHLEY'S POV :

I drive downtown with Bren and CC , and we decide to check the movie first , before she has a chance to tire herself out . CC checks the listings for me while I drive , and we find a second - run theater playing "Up" , so we take her to that . She seems to enjoy it , and finds the big weird bird absolutely hilarious .

"Me want's one of them , Daddy !" , she informs me .

"Okay , maybe we can find a copy of the movie to take home ." , I say .

"Not the moobie , Daddy , me wants the birdie !"

"I don't know if they made any of those toys , kiddo ." , CC says .

"No , I means a birdie , for weally !" , she says , clearly frustrated that we aren't getting it .

"Sweetie , that's not real ." , I explain to her . "He's a make - believe bird ."

"That no fair ! Him would be so fun to play wif !" , she huffs .

CC looks at me , and says , "The sad thing about it , dude , is that I can't argue with that ."

I swear , I think I've brought two kids with me today .

After the movie , we head over to the mall , and decide to go get lunch at the food court before we shop . CC zips off to the pasta stand while Brenna and I look around to see what our choice are . She sees a McDonalds stand and says , "I's can have chickie nubbits , Daddy ?"

"Yes , I guess you can ." , I say , and I order her a kids meal , but I get it with juice and apple slices , so it's not totally junk . I pay for it , then carry her over to the table where CC is sitting , and ask him to watch her while I order . As I start to walk away , she says , "Daddy , don'ts forget some nacklins when yous comes back !"

I order myself some sushi , and grab a handful of napkins on the way back . When I get back to the table , CC is drumming on the tabletop while Bren giggles .

"Daddy , Unca CC does music on the tibble ! " , she announces .

"Yeah , Uncle CC is lucky that way , he can do his music just about anywhere . The rest of us have to have our instruments ." , I reply .

"More peoples does music wif you , Daddy ? Who them is ?"

"Well , your Uncle Jake and Uncle Jinxx play guitars , and Uncle Andy sings ."

"I 'members him ! Him is weally , weally big ! " , she exclaims ." Him's amost as big as Unca Wy ! Him was at Unca Webby's house , wif Miss Joowie !"

"Yeah , Uncle Andy is pretty tall ." , CC says .

After we finish eating , we head for the toy store to find some things for her to play with at my house . We pick up crayons , several coloring books , a couple of dolls , a package of oversized Lego blocks , and a tricycle for her to ride around the yard on . I also manage to find her a child - size guitar , which isn't really top quality , but it'll work to practice with until I figure out if she's gonna lose interest . CC also finds a stuffed pug , which he decides to buy for her . She immediately declares that it's name is Wockles , and he can go home and be friends with Pickle .

We finally leave the toy store , and as we're walking through the mall , we pass a store where a little girl who looks about five or six is getting her ears pierced . She stops to look , and says "Ivy gots some of them . I wants some , but Mommy say 'No' ."

"Well , sometimes it hurts , sweetie , maybe that's what Mommy's worried about ." , CC says .

"No , her don'ts want to do it 'cause them is too much lots of moneys , me thinks ." , she says .

"Do you really want them , sweetie ?" , I ask her . "If you're sure you do , I'll get them for you ."

"I's sure , Daddy ! I for weally wants them !" , she yells , jumping up and down .

As we walk into the store , CC says , "Y'know , Ash , maybe you should hold off until you can talk to Fianna , if she already told her no ."

"CC , I'm her father , and I have as much right to say what she can and can't do as Fi does , and the quicker she figures that out , the better it'll be for all of us ." , I inform him .

"I'm not quite sure about that , but you're not gonna listen to anybody , so why the hell should I bother ?" , he mumbles , and walks off to look at some bracelets .

I help Bren pick out some cute little earrings , and then we get her up in the chair and get her ears pierced with a pair of little gold stars . I pay for everything , and we head out to the car .

We head to my house to drop off the stuff for her visits , then CC and I take her home to Fianna . When we get there , she runs to Fi and waves the dog , saying , "Mommy , hims name is Wockles , Unca CC gived him to me , and him can be fwends wif Pickle !"

"That was very nice of him , did you thank him ?" , she asks .

Brenna flings her arms around CC's leg , and says , "Thanks you , Unca CC ! Hims a good puppy , and me wikes him bunches !"

He gives her a hug , and says , "You're welcome , kiddo , I'm glad you like him . That's my favorite kind of dog ." , then sets her back down and asks Fianna if he can use her bathroom .

When he puts her down , she runs back over to Fianna , and says , "Mommy , see what Daddy getted for me !" , and she pulls back her hair to show off her ears .

Fianna looks at her for a few seconds , and says , "Yes , Smidge , they're very pretty . Now how about if you take the puppy to your room to meet Pickle , I need to talk to Daddy for a minute ."

Bren runs off to her room , and Fianna turns toward me and asks , "Did she not tell you that I told her she couldn't have earrings yet , Ashley ? She's only two , she's not old enough to make that kind of decision !"

"She told me you said it cost too much , so I decided to go ahead and do it !" , I inform her . I'm starting to get annoyed with her attitude towards everything I do , and it needs to stop . She's not the only one that can make a decision .

"Of course you did , you're not the one who's gonna have to fight with her to keep them cleaned up so they don't get infected ! If I tell her she can't do something Ash , I'd appreciate it in the future if you'd have some respect for that !"

I reach out and take ahold of her arm , just above her elbow , pull her closer to me , and say , "And I'd appreciate it if you'd get over this idea that you're in charge of everything , because I have a newsflash for you . You're not ! Are we clear on that ?"

"Ashley , let go of me !"

"Not until you answer my question !" , I tell her .

As I say this , two things happen . First , CC comes out of the bathroom and sees us there , and he says , "Jesus , Ash , what the FUCK are you doing ?"

And as he says that , I suddenly feel a sharp pain in the pinky of my other hand , and I look down and see that Brenna has it clamped firmly between her teeth .

CC moves between Fianna and I , forcing me to let go of her , and Bren detaches herself from my finger and looks at me with tears pouring down her face .

"You go away from my Mommy , I's don't like you no more ! Go away !" , she shrieks at me , then hurls herself at Fianna .

What the fuck just happened here ?! Where the hell was my head , I just scared my daughter had to death , and now she doesn't want to be around me .

"CC , get him out of here , or I'm pushing the button !" , I hear Fianna say , and I look at her and see that she has her phone , with 911 showing on the display , and her thumb hovering over the Send button .

I lean down toward Brenna , and put my hand out to her , but she just moves behind Fianna's legs and refuses to even look at me .

"Ash , come on , or I'll carry your ass out myself !" , CC practically snarls at me , grabbing my arm and spinning me toward the door . Fianna puts the phone down , and reaches down to pick up Brenna , and as he practically hurls me out into the hallway , I hear something that makes it feel like someone's just buried an axe in my chest .

I hear my sweet little girl , sobbing , and saying , "I wish hims not my Daddy no more !"

And as CC pulls the door closed behind us , I hear Fianna say , "So do I , sweetie . That's Mommy's fault , and I'm so sorry , baby !"

We were doing so well moving forward , and now we've gone three steps back , if not more .

Brilliant , Purdy ! You may have just fucked yourself beyond any hope of redemption .





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