When the clock hit 5 Jay almost sprinted out of the district, unlocking the car and driving straight home.
He looked at his watch as he pulled up on the driveway. He'd managed to get home in a matter of minutes, his foot staying steady on the accelerator in a bid to reach his destination.
It was Monday and he was in luck: Hannah's yoga event was today. As long as he was back before 9, he wouldn't have to come clean just yet.
He sighed to himself as he walked towards the door, knowing what he was doing was wrong. He was married for God's sakes. Married people weren't supposed to have secrets.
The other half of him, though, liked the thrill of it. His wife not knowing that he had history with Erin made it kind of exciting. Not that he knew what was going on with Erin. Given the time they had spent together already, they still hadn't really spoken.
Especially about why she had suddenly upped and left out of the blue five years ago. Out of his life without a goodbye.
Perhaps tonight, he could make it a point to ask her. Perhaps tonight he would get the explanation he thought he deserved.
His daughter greeted him when he got into the hallway, her face lighting up as she saw who it was.
"Daddy!" She ran towards him, her feet colliding with his work boots before he lifted her into the air with ease.
Jay smiled at her. "Hey Zo-bo. What are you up to?"
"I'm coloring, Daddy! Come and see!" She wriggled free from his arms and tugged on his hand, wanting him to follow her into the lounge. He walked behind her, kicking off his boots on the way.
Hannah was in there also. "Oh, finally you're home." She rose from the couch and kissed his cheek. "I'm gonna get ready."
Jay looked temporarily puzzled, his eyebrows furrowing before he relaxed. "Oh," he said with realization, "You got that yoga thing."
"I do," She smiled at him as she left the room.
He crashed onto the couch, looking over at Zoey who had resumed her coloring.
"How was school today, bug?"
She looked up from what she was doing. She half smiled at him. "It was okay Daddy-"
He frowned at her. Zoey loved school. "Just okay?"
Zoey looked down at the floor. "I missed Daisy, Daddy. I wish she was there."
Her sad little face made his heart ache. "Come here a sec."
He watched as she slowly left her crayons to walk over to him. When she reached where her dad was sitting, Jay pulled her into his lap and hugged her close.
He knew four year olds could get upset over anything but seeing her so cut up about not seeing Daisy made even himself feel miserable.
Jay took her small hand in his own. "Hey," he began, trying to cheer her up. "How about we go and see her for a bit?"
Zoey's expression changed in an instant, her gloom turning into a full-fledged grin. "Really Daddy, can we?" She clasped her hands together in excitement.
He returned her grin. "Of course, baby. Go to your room and get your shoes on. We'll go see Daisy." He'd barely finished his sentence before she climbed from his knee and made for the stairs.
Hannah came into the room two minutes later, dressed in her exercise attire. "I'll get going." She bent down to kiss him quickly. "I don't think I'll be too late, I'll see you in a few hours!"
"Bye, Han." He tried to make it seem heart-felt but his mind, as usual, was elsewhere.
The faster Hannah had left for yoga, the sooner he and Zoey could leave for Erin's.
Just as Hannah left their home, Zoey came skipping down the stairs.
"Woah, careful you don't fall there Zo!" He moved to scoop her into his arms as she reached the bottom step.
She let out a giggle as he lifted her into the air.
"Sorry Daddy I'm just excited to see Daisy!"
He walked them both out to the car. "Me too Zoey. Me too."
00000000000000000000000000000000
"What are you waiting for Daddy?" Zoey pointed towards the ringer at the side of the door. "You just need to press that button!"
He had no idea why he was so hesitant, he'd been in this very place only yesterday. As if his daughter could sense his nervousness, she moved her hand to hold his.
"Just push the button Daddy." She said with urge, apparently desperate to go inside and see her friend.
He did as his daughter told him, raising his arm to eye level and pushing in the button with his index finger. From somewhere inside he heard the response signal. Along with a dog bark.
"Jasper!" Zoey shouted. "Oh Daddy you get to meet Daisy's doggy!"
"Yup Zo, I think I can hear him!"
He didn't have time to say anything else before he heard somebody unlocking the door in front of them.
He'd seen her only 24 hours ago but he still felt his breath hitch in his throat.
Erin peered around the door half in sight at first, one of her hands grasped around the doorframe. When she realized who it was, she moved so she was in full sight.
She was head to toe in sweats, the lining of the lycra material clinging to her figure in all of the right places. She took her arms from the door, slowing dropping them to rest on her hips.
"Well hello," She pretended to ignore Jay at first, directing her greeting at Zoey.
"Erin!" Zoey ran forward a bit, wrapping her arms around Erin's legs.
Erin stroked the little girl's hair and smiled. "Hey Zoey," She crouched down to Zoey's level. "Daisy is in her bedroom. She's excited to see you-"
Zoey had a habit of running off before people had finished talking to her. She snuck around Erin's body and ran up the stairs. Erin watched her run for a second before turning back towards the door. Folding her arms across her chest, she started at his feet gradually letting her eyes glide up his body.
"Hi," she eventually said when her gaze settled on his face.
They finally made eye contact. "Hi," he repeated, suddenly feeling a shiver sensation taking over his body. And it wasn't because of the cold.
"Aren't you coming in?" She stepped to the side a bit, creating a space for him to enter into the hallway. But not enough for him to do so without their bodies coming into contact.
"Sure," he laughed, stepping forward and coming crazy close to her face. He sucked on his lower lip silently when he felt the slightest touch of her breast against his chest. He didn't dare look into her eyes until the moment had passed, knowing if he did so he wouldn't be able to control whatever he did.
He felt something warm and fuzzy brush against his leg, looking down to find a small grey puppy at his feet.
"Ahh, the famous Jasper," he bent to tickle the dog before it quickly scurried into another room. "So you're the reason my daughter wants a pet!"
Erin cleared her throat and closed the door behind them.
"So, where is this paint?" He immediately cringed after he'd said it, not entirely sure why he'd started their conversation by talking about fucking paint.
"It's right here," she pointed to a rather large pile by the stairs, mostly taken up by pots of paint.
He laughed, amused at the fact that he'd been oblivious to such an obvious pile. "What room are we starting with?"
She seemed to contemplate his question a moment. "How about the lounge? That's the biggest room, it'll take the longest to do I guess."
Jay nodded in agreement, walking towards the colors. "And what color is the one for in there?"
"The cream one," she walked through the hall into the lounge and Jay took it as a cue to follow her.
She turned back to him, presenting him with paint brushes. "Do you need anything? Coffee? Water? Beer?"
He laughed a little. "I don't think beer is a good idea. I'd kill for a coffee though?"
Erin nodded, leaving him to go temporarily into the kitchen. He started on one of the walls, careful not to splash paint on himself.
She soon returned with his coffee and a drink for herself. She walked over to hand him the mug.
"Thank you for bringing Zoey over, Jay. I think Daisy missed her today."
Jay took a sip of his drink. "I think somebody missed her the same," He put down the mug and his paintbrush, turning to face Erin. "Listen, Erin, about yesterday-"
"I don't want to hear it. I told you, she's fine. Kids have accidents all the time."
"I know, but-"
Erin stepped closer to him, bending to put her own drink on the floor. "Jay, stop. Daisy is okay. We can go up and see them if you don't believe me."
She held out her hand and Jay had little hesitation to slip his fingers through her own. He followed her up the stairs, both of them heading down the hallway to where Daisy's room was.
They stopped just outside the door. Jay took his hand from hers, to both of their reluctance. He sighed but knew he couldn't have his daughter seeing him hold Erin's hand: she knew he held Mommy's hand because they were married. And they loved each other.
To see him holding hands with another woman would confuse the hell out of her.
Erin, too, seemed disappointed when their hands parted, but she didn't vocalize what she was thinking. Instead, she focused on the voices coming from Daisy's bedroom.
"I missed you in school today, Daisy! Miss Kirsty made me play with Jenny and it just made me miss you!"
"I missed you Zoey! I like it when you play with me!"
Erin and Jay exchanged a glance as they continued to listen to the conversation.
"You really are my best friend Daisy! It's like you are my sister!"
"I wish you weremy sister!"
Erin heard Jay chuckle. "That's cute," He turned to face her. "They're cute."
She hoped he couldn't sense anything in her face. "Mhm," She pushed herself into Daisy's bedroom, preventing herself from saying something stupid to Jay. "Hey girls!"
"Erin!"
"Hi Mommy! Hi Mr Jay!"
Jay waved. "Nice to see you again Daisy! What are you monkeys doing?"
"We were just playing! Are you going to play with us?" Daisy had a look of hope on her face.
"I have work to finish downstairs," He started, much to the disappointment of the little girls. "Maybe Erin can play?"
Erin flashed him a look as if to say thanks for that before she moved further into Daisy's room. "I can stay and play for a little while. But then I'll be going back downstairs with Jay. Okay?"
Zoey and Daisy nodded, grateful at the thought of an adult wanting to play.
"I'll see you downstairs in a bit?" She half whispered to Jay, hoping the girls wouldn't hear.
Jay nodded, leaving the door ajar behind him.
He would have probably joined with the fun, but he wanted to get a good start on the painting. And that wouldn't happen if he sat upstairs and got distracted.
Before he reached the stairs, he realized he needed the bathroom. And he couldn't remember which door it was. He didn't want to disturb the girls so he was going to have to guess.
The rest of the upstairs doors were closed. The only one he could remember the location of was Erin's bedroom. That was the door at the other end of the hall so he could rule that one out. The bathroom had to be one of these doors in between.
Jay felt drawn to one door in particular. He had no idea why but then he remembered. It was the door Erin told him not to go in.
He wanted to respect her privacy, of course. He really did. But whatever it was in there couldn't be that secretive could it?
It was almost as though the door was speaking to him, enticing him inside to witness the contents.
His curiosity got the better of him and he turned the door handle. He stepped through the doorframe and closed the door quietly behind him.
There seemed to be a real chill as soon as he opened the door. He thought that was to be expected though, she was renovating the house, of course it was going to be cold.
There was hardly anything in the room. The little furniture that was there, covered with white sheets and hidden from his view. Probably to protect the material while Erin worked on their surroundings.
And it was dark. If he didn't have pretty good eyesight, he would have failed to notice the box in one corner of the room.
But he did and he walked over to it. It wasn't locked or anything, just lying in the corner. So much for all this privacy.
He slowly lifted the lid and gasped.
He didn't dare touch it, perhaps too stunned to move.
For there, in front of him, was a box of letters. Along with what looked like a memory book, pictures of a baby glittering the front cover. Judging the images from the color of the eyes, and the cute little nose it wasn't hard to make out that the baby was Daisy.
As his breath caught in his throat, he realized why he'd had his sudden reaction.
The items, letters and memory book, were both addressed to him.
Okay so obviously my next chapter is going to be the big one but I hope you guys like this one too.
Please Review :)
