Chapter 8 Daniel
DANIEL
After jogging for an hour, I took a short break to freshen up. Wiping the sweat from my brow using my shirt, I looked around Bethesda Fountain with a satisfied smile.
Sunday couldn’t have come soon enough after the week I’d had at work.
While I was used to working hard, lately, I found it more challenging than before.
Yet, between fulfilling Father’s demands and earning more money, I had little to no time to complain.
But rare moments like this were worth the noise I called life, and I’d learned to appreciate the quietness immensely.
I took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh breeze.
This time of the year was my absolute favorite—when summer stood on the outskirts of this city.
You could see it in the trees, feel it in the warm air, and hear it with the sounds of tourists flooding the streets.
I never understood the obsession so many people had for this city.
Growing up here, I came to loathe New York, as it could be an incredibly lonely place for those who didn’t fit in.
And I, well, I pretended to fit, to belong, and there was nothing lonelier than a foreigner to his own home.
The sound of laughter caught my attention, and I turned to see a young couple sitting by the fountain.
The girl had a pair of headphones on, while the boy stared at her with adoration in his eyes as he held a Discman between them.
He must have played her a song he liked, and this small gesture of love made me think of Elliot.
He always looked so joyful while listening to music on the player I’d bought him for learning.
While he constantly claimed to use it for its original purpose, he was fooling no one.
Although, I didn’t care and, in fact, was more than tempted to buy him more CDs to listen to.
A running group passed by me then, reminding me I still had five miles left to run. Moving my ass, I began jogging again. After all, I wanted to be home before Maya and Claudia woke up so I could buy the two breakfast.
A short gym session followed my run, and finally done with my workout, I stopped at the best bakery in Manhattan to grab pastries for the girls. After that, I hurried back home, all but excited to start my day off—
“Daddy!” Maya called once I stepped inside the house.
Despite being happy to be greeted by such an angel, disappointment briefly washed over me for not getting here before she woke. Quickly picking her up in one arm, I held her close.
“Who’s my big girl?” I asked, my lips stretching into a grin at seeing the beautiful smile on her little face.
“I am,” she giggled while poking my cheeks.
I kissed the top of her head, savoring her sweet scent. “You sure are, sweetheart.”
Maya leaned closer and bumped her nose with mine in what she called a “butterfly” kiss.
“Do I smell carbs?” My wife’s voice carried through the halls before she joined us in the foyer, still in her pajamas—which, for the record, matched Maya’s.
“You sure do.”
“What did I do to deserve such a husband?” Claudia beamed before slipping the bag of baked goods from my hand.
“Mommy, I want some, too!” Maya cried in my arms, and her appetite made me laugh.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart, there’s enough for us all.”
She turned to frown at me, her big brown eyes studying me with much seriousness. “Do you promise?”
My heart melted at her cuteness, and I couldn’t help but smile like a sucker.
“Yes, sweetheart. I promise.”
She rewarded me with a big hug that warmed my heart and reminded me, once again, how I’d do just about anything to keep her happy.
Before becoming a parent, I didn’t even know such love existed.
The pure, unconditional love I would sacrifice myself for without a second thought.
I used to be quite miserable in my life, but Maya was a game-changer.
A child I never actually wanted turned my world upside down and gave me a sense of purpose—a reason to go through my days just to see her smile.
I’d never experienced such a thing before her, and I thought I never would again until I’d met my French prince, who also had the power to make life worthwhile with nothing more than a simple smile.
With Maya still in my arms, I walked into the kitchen, where Claudia started to pull things out from the fridge so we could cook breakfast.
“How about you two make pancakes?” she offered, and before I could respond, Maya roared a loud yes.
Not about to argue with my kid, I put her down and walked with her to the pantry, where we began collecting the dry ingredients.
Insisting on doing everything on her own, Maya wanted to grab the mixing bowl from one of the shelves.
To do that, she had to climb on a stool to reach for it.
Admiring her independence at such a young age, I watched from behind and made sure she wouldn’t fall, like any proud parent would.
After she picked everything up (almost by herself), we went back to the kitchen and placed the ingredients on the counter.
“We’ll need eggs and milk, too,” I told Maya, who was already running toward the fridge.
“I got it!” she announced, making me chuckle.
She truly was adorable—
“What were you doing in Brooklyn?”
My heart paused in my chest, letting me know how fragile this reality was, and that one word was enough to shatter it.
Not stopping what I was doing, I reached for the pancake mix. “Why are you asking?” I attempted to keep my voice low and composed despite the sense of fear that struck me. Although, why was I even scared? I’d never done anything with Elliot. Anything but—
“You got a parking ticket.” Claudia tossed something on the counter.
I put aside the spoon I was holding and picked up the letter.
“It looks like you got it the night of your dad’s party last month,” she said, just as I noticed the date on the top of the letter.
I must have gotten it when driving to visit Elliot. I was so upset that evening that I probably didn’t notice where I parked my car.
“It seems like it,” I said and placed the ticket down.
“So, what were you doing there? I thought you went back to work that night.”
Turning to face Claudia, I felt like I’d been caught.
“I… I went there to clear my head from Father’s nonsense.”
Her brows pinched together, an amused smile on her lips. “In Brooklyn?”
“Well, yes. There’s a small bistro I like that’s not far from the bridge—”
A loud snort escaped her. “Are you telling me you drove all the way to Brooklyn for a bistro?”
Knowing her, she didn’t doubt my words but was genuinely surprised. After all, Claudia preferred staying in the realm of her beloved Manhattan.
“It’s a good place. Very authentic,” I said.
“You know what, now I'm intrigued. How about we go there for dinner?”
“Pardon?” I frowned at her bizarre request.
Slapping my chest, she smiled. “I said, take me there.”
Feeling like a mouse caught in a trap, I stifled my panic and cleared my throat.
“Are you sure?”
Moving from beside me, Claudia went over to Maya and began helping her mix the batter.
“Yeah. This baby girl is going to a playdate this afternoon, so why don’t we have a date ourselves? It’s been a while since we went to eat in a new place. It could be fun.”
A sense of possessiveness took over me with the thought of my wife invading what was mine.
“It’s a bit far, though.” I moved to stand beside her, my pulse roaring like a drumbeat in my ears.
“Now I’m even more curious. Any restaurant that made my husband drive there is worth seeing, don’t you think?” She turned to look at me, a small smile on her lips.
I wanted to say no, as I hated this idea. Yet, not wanting to make her suspicious, I nodded.
“Fine. I guess you’re right.”
Completely unaware of the inner chaos she’d just caused, Claudia’s face lit up, and she stood on her tiptoes to kiss me before moving her attention back to our daughter.
And to think I started this day thinking it would be a good one.