"Daddy." The girl says it more confidently this time and her eyes never left his. And the really crazy thing is, somewhere deep inside him he knows that he is the father of this girl child.
"It would appear that I am your father. What's is your name child?" He has to think before each word; already he wants to leave a good impression on this sprite of a girl. He wants her to remember that he is her father.
"My name is Esmeralda Maria Brooke but everyone calls me Essie and my mama's name is Gwendolyn Brooke. Daddy where have you been all this time? How did you find me does mama know you're here?" Essie's eyes widen and tears begin to form at the corner of her green eyes.
"We have to find Mama, please Daddy help me find her. She was by the ice cream man and then I turned away and the ice cream man wasn't behind me and…"
Alejandro cradles his daughter to his chest as she sobs humming that same lullaby softly in her ear. He doesn't know what to do, but her crying stops as he rubs slow circles against her back.
"Don't lose me like Duncan did…" She whispers and clutches the sketchbook closer to her chest. Hot coils of anger sparks at the mention of the man, one for interfering in his relationship and one for apparently losing his child. Blessedly, the train of anger is cut short when he seeing Gwen's figure further up the path.
"I think we found your mother sweet one. Stop your crying, okay?" Essie head whips around and she jumps out of Alejandro's arms to run to her mother.
Gwen's eyes are red rimmed like she has been crying and she clutches her daughter to her chest like she is her lifeline. Alejandro steps back, his heart beating absurdly hard and loud as he runs a finger through his hair.
Awkwardly he stuffs his hands in his pockets, waiting for Essie to acknowledge him.
She's gotten so beautiful. And Essie is the perfect mix of us. But why… Why did she leave me…? Why didn't she contact me…?
He is abruptly pulled out of his thoughts when Essie tugs on sleeve, a radiant smile of joy on her face.
His eyes travel to Gwen's and notes that she had been staring at him longer. Her eyes don't hold any fear or hatred just a deep sadness. And longing.
"Daddy, this is my Mama. Isn't she beautiful" Essie looks up at him expectantly, her green eyes wide and hopeful. He musses her short hair (it suits her character somehow) and recognizes the pink pin in her hair.
I gave that to Gwen when she painted me… All these years...
Essie is still waiting for an answer, and Alejandro gives her a genuine smile directing it first at his daughter (the word has a strange taste in his mouth) and then to Gwen.. He shifts his smile to Gwen and he notes how she bites her lips, a faint blush spreading across her cheek.
"You're madre is indeed very beautiful. The years have been kind to you, Gwen."
"I wish I could say the same to you Alejandro."
She really hasn't changed.
"Still pretending to be brave I see. Especially now that you… we have this little one."
"I'm not little, me and Izzy just turned ten!" Essie couldn't help but to interject.
"It's Izzy and I and Alejandro, there is no we. She is my child, you weren't around to help." Her eyes are burning with anger and pain. She draws Essie against her chest; the gesture is more possessive than protective.
"Would you rather me disappear again? She is obviously my child I have rights…
"You have no fucking rights to my daughter Alejandro! You have no claim to either of them, because Duncan is their father in everything but blood. You are nothing. Nothing to them and nothing to me." She isn't yelling bit her voice steadily grows higher and higher and the tears are threatening to overcome.
The last thing he wants to do is make her cry, she is too beautiful to cry and he loves her even now when she is yelling and him and calling him nothing.
"We both know the truth. You still love me Gwen. I don't know why you left-"
"I don't fucking you love Alejandro I love Duncan and I'm going to marry him ad he will be the father of my girls.
There is stillness after her outburst and by now Essie is sobbing and Alejandro feels like ice. His eyes are blank he face frozen on Gwen. A single tear rolls down her face and she turns away. Her hand finds Essie's and she tries to tug her away but Essie only cries harder and runs toward Alejandro. She trips and lands on her knees and his daughters' tears bring him back to earth.
He scoops her up in his arms and kisses her forehead, mussing her hair again.
"I love you Essie. Be good to your madre for me." He pulls her towards her mother and then walks away.
He doesn't look back once, as he doesn't want either Gwen or Essie to see the single tear running down his face.
The walk home with Essie is tense and silent. Gwen tries to engage her daughter in some sort of conversation but Essie is like ice. Her head is held high, and she never once looks at her mother.
"Essie, you have to understand that man is not your father, Duncan is." Silence.
"Essie please honey you have to understand why I did it. I did it so you and me and Izzy and Duncan can all be a family.
"Mom just stop." Essie's voice is cold; she stands in front of their door, her fists clenched at her sides. Her little shoulders are shaking and she roughly pushes her mother away when she tries to comfort her.
"Essie please…"
"You know mom, you can be insanely selfish sometimes. Let me in the house." Gwen's heartbreaks, but she says nothing. She only opens the door and Essie runs inside, her chest heaving.
Gwen hears a door slam, and she presses her back against the door and slides down. She rests her hand in her lap and lifts her eyes to stare at the sky. The sky is blue and there is a cold breeze in the air. Somewhere in some pocket she pulls out a blue colored pencil
Maybe drawing something will… clear my head…
As she flipped through the pages in her sketchbook, she realizes that one page is missing. The watercolour of Alejandro is gone, smooth edge a result of her Essie carefully tearing out the page to hold something of her father (who Gwen had just forced out of her life).
All she can do is bend her page in her lap and sob.
A/N: HOpe you guys enjoy this chapter. Things are going to get more tragic and convoluted but I promise Gwen and Alejandro will have a happy ending.
If you enjoy this you should check out my other Alejandro/ Gwen fic "distorted lenses"
As always, read and review. Until the next chapter guys
~Tariel