Page 3 of Wrong Number, Right Grumpy Single Dad

CHAPTER TWO

Ronin

“But daddy, I need to see her! I want to make sure she’s getting better.” My seven-year-old daughter, Amylee, pouted, her little arms crossed over her chest from where she sat across from me at the dinner table. She was a strong-willed little girl, just like her mother. And when she had an opinion, she wasn’t afraid to let me know. I feared the teenage years and they were quickly approaching.

“She is getting better, sweetie. The rescue will take good care of her and then set her free.”

Amylee’s eyes widened before her face crumpled and the sobs broke free. “No, daddy! I don’t want Willow to be set free! I want to keep her!”

“Amylee, sweetie, we talked about this. Willow wants to live a free, happy life in the wild. Not stuck in a cage.”

“She can be free in my room! I told you she could!” More cries broke through.

Half of my heart shattered while the other half marched forward with my thoughts. It just wasn’t feasible to take on a pet right now. Maybe when Amylee got older and could handle the responsibility. Hopefully she’d prefer low maintenance, like a cat.

“You know that wouldn’t work, darling. What if she poops on your brand-new comforter?”

My daughter’s face turned pale. More tears flowed.

Internally, I sighed. Sometimes kids just didn’t quit when they got their mind stuck on something. Especially mine.

“Can we just please visit her tomorrow after school? Please?” Amylee wiped her tears away with the back of her hands and puffed out her bottom lip.

I couldn’t resist.

“Fine. Real quick. Now eat all of your dinner please.”

“Okay!” Tears instantly stopped.

I had no clue how the place worked, if they were even open to visitors, so I called the next morning. Sure enough, Willow was doing better, and they said we could stop by.

Amylee didn’t stop talking about the bird, and I hated how she was setting herself up for heartbreak, hoping Willow found a home with us. It was one of the worst parts of parenthood- knowing your child would end up hurt at some point and not being able to stop it.

As a single dad, I’ve dealt with a lot more issues than I ever expected to. There was so much more to being a parent than I ever realized.

Hell, even her coming into this world was a surprise.

I was barely twenty-one when the one-night stand happened, my first and last one, and the condom broke. Just my luck, she told me she was pregnant. By the time my daughter was born, I had a friendship with Joelle, and we tried to co-parent while living separately.

It worked at first. Until Joelle’s drug habit came rip roaring back and she stopped being able to take care of Amylee. I ended up taking on full custody and eventually Joelle lost herself to the streets. Last I heard, she was homeless in the city somewhere, looking for her next fix. Seven years later and nothing had changed.

After everything happened, I decided the city wasn’t the place where I wanted to raise my daughter. My parents and I found places to rent in the small town of Apple Falls, right next door to each other, and began our lives here.

With my degree in computer graphics, I easily found work online, my daughter spending her days between the care of my parents and I. Now she was in first grade, taking the bus like a big girl, and the years were flying.

Deep down inside, it ached to see her without a mother figure. But I doubted I’d find anyone good enough. Not for my daughter. At least that’s what I told myself.

Besides, there wasn’t time for love. So I might’ve been a bit grumpy about it, but never to my girl. She was my shining star.

The big yellow school bus stopped at the top of the street and my daughter jumped off, more excited than I’d seen her since we went to the lake on vacation.

“Daddy!” She cried as she ran over to me. “Can we go to the bird place now? Please?”

I chuckled. “Yes, let’s go. Hurry, I’ll race you to the car!”

Amylee took off, racing down the sidewalk like she had so many times before. I caught up to her but slowed down, letting her win, unable to resist the smile on her face.

“I beat you!” Amylee giggled, her teeth in the front still big for her face, her adult ones coming in last year. It was adorable.