Title: It's all about living life
Chapter 9: Poor Daddy!
Author: Ann (Chrystalsandsnowflakes)
Rating: (G to NC-17): G
Spoilers/Warnings: Takes place in the future, so after EOT
Summary: Rangers first week in Miami
Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine, I just play with them
Poor Daddy!
It's been a week since I landed in Miami. Tank hadn't been joking when he said that he would 'personally make sure I got on that plane'. I suppose that the fact that I still looked like a raccoon and felt like shit on Wednesday had something to do with it as well. I had booked a first class ticket, and was a regular customer with this company, but they didn't feel comfortable with the way I looked. I couldn't really blame them but on the other hand: it was obvious I wouldn't be able to fight anybody since I could hardly carry my own bag without flinching. Of course I had tried to hide that little fact from Tank. After some sweet talking to the ladies behind the desk by Tank they had insisted on doing a full security check and if it came back clear they would allow me on board. So all my bags were searched, my records were checked and yes: I was searched. They had called in extra guards for that… You really wonder why considering my condition, but maybe they wanted to keep an eye on Tank more than that they expected me to cause problems. I hoped that the little problem in Nevada wouldn't show up, and low and behold, after an hour of searching and checking I was allowed to fly to Miami. I don't think I need to explain that all the women on the plane, including the stewardesses kept their distance this time…
I managed to sleep a couple of extra hours, since I had woken up a lot in the past couple of nights from the pain in my ribs. I had been thinking a lot about Stephanie and somewhere deep down had agreed with Tank. Even though she would be 'available' again in a few weeks time, I still should take a timeout and take a step back to give her time to come to terms with the divorce. The almost kiss on the couch on Tuesday evening had proved that the sexual attraction was still there, but that that only could cause trouble at this moment. Besides, I would be back in about a month and she would probably still be in the middle of it all, so nothing was lost.
Seeing her in my apartment had been surreal. She hadn't been there for 3 years and then suddenly she is there, but returns the keys. That was not how it went in my dreams. On the other hand you could say that she was closing off the past, including the time that I was still 'poaching' as she called it, but that didn't mean that there would be not place for me in her future. And the way she responded to my physical appearance had given me the impression that she wasn't without feelings for me, friendship or otherwise. I had wondered a little about that during the past 3 months when she had quit her job. We had not seen each other at all, and neither of us had contacted the other for something like lunch. But then again, our relationship had never been that kind of social. Let's face it, Batman doesn't do friendly lunches.
My daughter and ex-wife had been at the airport to pick me up. I had been a bit surprised when my ex-wife Anna had called about that, but she had explained that Sofia had insisted on going to the airport. Sofia was delighted that I would be around for a whole month and that she would get to spent the weekends with me and that I would visit during the week. She had moved heaven and earth (read: made all kinds of threats that only children can come up with) so that Anna had given in and allowed her to stay with me from Wednesday until Sunday night. I had an apartment in Miami with a room for Sofia so it was no problem, but I had not planned on Tank's little… lecture. When Sofia saw me she had started running towards me, and then had stopped about halfway when she saw my face. She had looked at Anna, unsure of what to do. She had seen me with the occasional bruise or bullet wound, but nothing like this. Heck, apart from the people that I been with in the Rangers, nobody had seen me like this.
Anna seemed unsure of what to say to Sofia as well. I hadn't exactly told her that I was a bit bruised. I walked towards Sofia and slowly bent through my knees, so that I didn't need to bend forward and still be able to look directly into her eyes. She looked back at me, with big, shocked eyes. Then, slowly her hand had touched my cheek and she had said:
"Oh Daddy! Does it hurt when I touch you?" She looked really concerned, poor girl. I mean: this is the perfect example why my life doesn't lend itself to relationships.
"You can always touch me, just not my nose today" She seemed unsure of my statement. I waited.
"Are you sure Daddy?"
"Of course, Sofia! My daughter can always touch me! Come here for a hug!" I was sitting on my knees now, and she hugged me tight with her arms around my neck. I hugged her back and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek, enjoying the feeling of being able to hold her again. I missed her always, it wasn't always present in my mind, but the ache in my heart remained.
"Daddy, it's going to be sooo much fun now that I am living with you for 5 days! We can do so much together, and you'll get to bring me to school and pick me up and bring me to sports and music classes" The joys of parenting.
"That's right, Sofia" From the corner of my eye I saw Anna walking towards us.
"Ricardo, you look like shit" And a warm welcome to you too.
"Anna"
"What happened?"
"Just a little problem, it's been taken care of" I knew that she would think something completely different than what had happened, but I couldn't help myself. She had really condemned my lifestyle and had believed everything that was whispered about me. I didn't really care anymore, as long as she didn't frighten Sofia. So now on 'special' occasions I actually said things that would led her to believe I was as bad as ever. Guess somewhere deep down I liked it that she was a little scared of me. The marriage and divorce hadn't been too pretty, and although we were able to have normal conversations now, there was no love lost between us.
I slowly got up again, and Anna looked critically at me.
"Are you okay with having Sofia around in this condition?" From the corner of my eye I saw Sofia's eyes fill with tears and before I could answer she started.
"Of course it's okay, right Daddy? I will be no trouble at all, I can help with everything, please can I stay with you? Pleeeaassee?" Who could refuse those eyes? Not me. Besides, I wasn't an invalid.
"It's no problem, I love to have you around Sofia, you know that." I sent a little glare to Anna for bringing this up in front of Sofia. However, Sofia's 'thanks' for staying with me was another hug, and this time her arms went around my middle and she squeezed hard. Shit shit shit, that hurt. I quickly grabbed her arms and gently tugged at them until she let go. She looked up with confusion in her eyes.
"Sorry honey, Daddy's ribs are a bit sensitive. You can hug, but only softly okay?" She seemed to consider that statement when Anna reached for my shirt and lifted it. I had actually really thought about what to wear this morning. My badass black outfit would definitely get me banned from flying, and I was afraid that wearing an expensive suit in my condition would only make them think I was from the Mafia and therefore ban me from flying too. So I wore jeans and a loose polo shirt.
A look of genuine worry crossed Anna's face when she saw all the tape. Her hand softly touched the tape, and then her hand slid over my six-pack and her expression changed. Guess she still liked my body. Sofia was watching her mothers hand on my stomach.
"Careful Mom, don't hurt Daddy!" We both had to smile about that. She was such a sweet kid.
"Your mother isn't hurting me, see, she is really careful" Okay, this was getting weird, even for me. Here I am looking like a raccoon with my daughter telling my ex-wife to be careful while my ex-wife is feeling me up. Sofia also gently ran her hand across the tape.
"See, that doesn't hurt Daddy." Sofia seemed to perk up at that and then gently rested her arms around my hips and laid her head on my stomach. I ruffled her hair.
"Is this okay Daddy?" she whispered.
"That's perfect, sweetie" She sighed contently.
"Come on, let's go get the car" I had an employee drop off a car for me, and since I attracted some attention looking the way I did. I didn't feel the need to be searched again so I wanted to get moving. Sofia grabbed my hand and we started walking.
Dropping Sofia at school and picking her up had been… interesting. Some 'brave' women had offered all kinds of help with my bruises, but most had kept a distance, softly talking to other parents. I don't know what Anna tells these people about me, but I probably just confirmed the worse. It made me smile. Hopefully it would keep a couple of single mothers away. I just wasn't interested in any other woman than Steph. And I wasn't used to polite chit-chat or friendly banter or whatever it is that these people talk about.
The weekend had been wonderful, I really enjoyed being together with my daughter. We went swimming and shopping (she actually managed to convince me that she really needed that nice t-shirt and matching trousers, if Steph saw me she would be laughing her ass off) and I took her to the movies on Sunday. She cried buckets when Anna came to pick her up, but I promised to pick her up on Wednesday again for some "quality time and dinner". Most of the bruises were gone and I had taken the tape of my ribs. Only my nose was still sensitive, but I more or less looked like a normal person again.
Monday and Tuesday I had spent in the Miami offices, discussing business and meeting up with friends. I missed Stephanie and had considered to call her several times, but in the end had decided against it. She didn't expect me to call, and it could only make things difficult. Once I had made that decision for myself, I felt myself relax more and more, and settled in for 3 more weeks of easy living. Okay, I had signed myself up for a couple of jobs in the Miami office, and I still received faxes and other paperwork from Trenton, but I worked considerably less hours than normal and Sofia's presence always helped me relax. Children simply make the world a better place.