"Pre-school! Pre-school, pre-school!" The beryl eyed girl sang, her charcoal curls bouncing with each step. Troy chuckled observing his daughter's eagerness.
"Okay princess what do you want to wear your first day of school?" He asked before his daughter ran to her room only to reemerge with a pink tutu that was adorned with sequins and sparkles.
"Alrighty if that's what you want to wear sweetie." He said only to earn a glare from Taylor, who obviously disapproved of their toddler's outfit of choice.
"Yay! Pre-school" She squealed again before going to her room to get dressed. Taylor trudged in after her a second later, trying vainly to convince her to wear something more "reasonable". Troy shook his head as mother and daughter bickered over clothes before continuing to cook breakfast for his little tike.
"No mama, I wanna wear my tutu!" Bella yelled from the back room which was met by equally passionate opposition from her mother.
"Madaline Arabella Bolton you use your inside voice right this minute, and if you ask nicely instead of yelling for whatever you want you can have it." Taylor reprimanded.
"Babe just let her wear what she wants; it's not that big of a deal." Troy said pecking Taylor's lips lightly.
"Troy, as if she is not spoiled enough, she has her father letting her get away with anything she wants." Bella immediately burst into tears, running into her father's arms who picked her up and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Mama being mean…I wanna…w-wear my…Tutu!" She cried between hiccups. Troy nodded cradling her head against his shoulder and shooting Taylor an angry glance.
"Tell you what princess you get cleaned and wear whatever you want while I and mommy have a talk." She nodded tentatively before wiping her eyes, smiling and skipping off.
"What the hell is your problem Taylor?" Troy demanded gritting his teeth in anger.
"Sorry if I don't want our daughter to be a spoiled brat." She replied with zest.
"She's not a brat and you know what I think your problem is, you've gone almost two years without speaking to your father and you're jealous of your own daughter's relationship with hers." He replied shaking his head at her.
"Troy… you know what he-" She started only to be interrupted by Troy again.
"I know that you pushed him away when all he asked of you is happiness for him. And I also know that the only brat here is you." Troy instantly regretted his rant after he saw the hurt that shone in Taylor's eyes. Troy opened his mouth to apologize but Taylor abruptly turned away from him and Madaline came back in the room adorned with her favorite Hannah Montana shirt and pink tutu.
"Daddy where my pancakes!" Bella demanded to which Troy rolled his eyes.
"Ask nicely Bella." He said before placing a stack of flapjacks in front of her. She nodded before digging in, and smearing syrup all over that tutu she wanted to wear so much. Chuckling Troy decided to trudge after his wife, to see if they could reconcile. Peeping into the bedroom, he watched as she changed to get ready for her first class.
"Hello Peeping Troy, you don't have to stare you know I am your wife." He nodded grabbing her waist and pulling her form against him. Placing his head in the crook of her neck, he placed a kiss there then proceeded to place light kisses up and down her neck.
"Troy." She winced, she hadn't meant for that to come out so breathy.
"Yeah babe?" He mumbled slightly nipping her collar bone.
"Baby I have class and you have to…to drop Bella off at pre-school." Taylor stuttered. Turning away from his embrace, Troy pouted and Taylor giggled.
"We'll finish this later naughty boy." Pecking him quickly she reached for his bag but Troy swiftly grabbed her arms, gently pulling her against him again.
"I'm sorry Taylor what I said it was-"
"True" She finished "I miss him Troy, but I guess I just felt like I was losing him to them." She sighed before she felt her lips being captured by Troy's.
"Babe…mmm…I have school." He defiantly shook his no before pushing her on the bed, and covering her body with his. Giving up she decided to shut up and enjoy, she had an internship with her psych professor anyways.
"Mama! I got syrup on my tutu." Madaline cried pushing open the door and climbing onto the bed. Pulling away from each other, Taylor laughed and picked up her daughter placing kisses all over cheeks.
"Mama you silly." Bella giggled trying to pull away from her mother's embrace. "Hey baby girl how about daddy and I bring you to your first day of preschool." The tot squealed and clapped her hands together enthusiastically and nodded. After changing out of the sticky tutu and putting on a sensible skirt, Taylor placed a bow in Bella's hair and the family was off to school. Pulling into the parking lot Troy kissed Taylor's hand before going around to open her door, and unbuckle Bella from her car seat.
"Daddee why I gotta be in that thing, Imma big gurl." The little girl vehemently claimed reaching her hands out to her father so he could pick her up. Lifting her in his arms he shrugged at her question and the trio proceeded to go into the building.
After finding room 109 Troy let Madaline down and Taylor grabbed her hand as they walked into the room full of rowdy four year olds. Searching for an adult Taylor spotted a petite redhead who smiled brightly at her and gave her a welcoming smile that put Taylor at ease.
"Hi you must be Ms. Turner I'm Taylor and this is my husband Troy, we talked earlier." The amiable teacher immediately nodded recalling the conversation.
"Yes, I remember and this must be Madaline." She replied bending down to gander at the little girl who hid behind her mother's leg.
"Hi." She murmured shyly.
"Bella me and mommy are gonna go but you have a good time okay babe." Troy said to his daughter bringing her from behind Taylor leg and gently pushing her towards the other students. As the couple turned to leave Taylor went back to give her daughter a hug and kiss on the cheek.
Bella was inconsolable. After receiving a phone call in the middle of the day that she was wailing for her parents Troy rushed to pick up his daughter who turned away from him and begged for her mother.
"Mama!" the weeping girl howled running into her mom's arms. Taylor instantly scopped her up, cradling her against her chest.
"Aww my baby, what's wrong sweet angel?" Taylor inquired rocking back and forth with the upset tot. Troy looked on in anguish, wondering what could've happen to not only make Madaline upset but to make her turn away his embrace. She always wanted her daddy.
"Can you tell me and mommy what's wrong baby?" She wiped at her tears swiftly and nodded.
"You not my daddy." She whispered appaling both her parents.
"Madaline Arabella Bolton why would you say something so hurtful to daddy?" Taylor scolded turning her daughter to face her.
"The boy…he said you're not 'cuz you white and white daddys have white babies." She explained through her tears. Shaking his head in disgust at the little boy's ignorance, Troy grabbed his daughter and placed her in his lap.
"Baby I am your daddy."
"But I'm brown, you're not brown."
"Princess you're brown because mommy is brown, but you also have blue eyes because I have blue eyes, and you have my ears, and my nose. Sweetie you look just like me, and just because I'm white doesn't mean that I'm not your daddy and you're not my little princess." He said tickling her sides causing her to giggle and squirm in his lap.
"Daddy! Stop it." She exclaimed to which he complied placing kisses all over her cheeks.
" I love you daddy." She kissed his cheek to which he smirked and repeated the sentiment.