Once they met each other everything was a competition for them. Whether it was who could get their meal finished first, who could get a date faster or who could get into the bathroom first, everything was a competition. The winner got bragging rights and the loser got the shame.
Even when they began dating, it still remained a competition. They continued to fight like cats and dogs, but it became more intense by the week. Each one had to have the last word, which resulted in a lot of words. It could be from where they go that night to what music is playing on the radio on the way there.
When they got married, Derek hated everything because she loved everything. Whatever she liked, he couldn't like, whatever he liked she couldn't like. They would have to settle with compromises that would take days to settle.
It was like the lived to fight with each other. If she said the sky was blue, he'd say it was green. Until one day, I guess the fighting got too much for both of them. It wore them out, somehow.
Of course they have fought about everything concerning their daughter. Whether her name should be Sophie or Annie or Molly. Whether she was old enough to have candy or not. Whether she was old enough to see her first scary movie. Whether she should participate in ballet or sports.
They knew they wouldn't get what either was aiming for. Full custody. They knew it, but being Derek and Casey; they had to at least try.
Both refused to move from the house, but they slept in different bedrooms. Neither could be forced to move away from their child or their property.
Casey heard small hiccups coming from Sophie's bedroom across the hallway one night. She pushed the door open gently to see her little girl sitting on her bed crying.
"Honey, what's the matter?" Casey asked, sitting beside her six-year-old.
"Why do you want to keep me away from daddy and why does daddy want me to keep me away from you?"
Casey immediately felt shame come to her. In all the custody hearings, they never once considered Sophie and how she would react being taken away from a parent. She hugged her kid, tears welling up in her eyes at her selfishness.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart," she said. "We didn't mean to-. It's just… you know how me and daddy are when we get in a fight."
Sophie only scowled at her, not seeing that as much an excuse.
"What's going on?" Derek appeared at the door. "You have a bad dream, Soph?"
The little girl shook her head. "I was talking to mommy about why you want to keep me away from her. I love mommy."
Even in the semi-darkness only illuminated from the hallway light and the butterfly nightlight, Casey could see the pain reach Derek's face. She felt the same way.
"Why can't I have both of you?" Sophie questioned.
They both settled for joint custody. It was one battle that was too important to fight.
Please review. Thank you. Wow, that sounds so formal.