Samantha Teller || A Tig Trager Love Story

10 Not Leaving

"Tig, let me clean your face up," I said as we walked into my apartment.

"No, I got it. You go take care of Ava," he said.

"Babe," I said in an attempt to protest.

"I've got it," he said.

"First aid kit's in the bathroom," I said, kissing his cheek that wasn't bloody. He nodded and walked off as Ava opened the fridge.

"Ava, que faites-vous (what are you doing)?"

She smiled innocently. "Puis-je avoir du jus (can I have juice)?"

"Oui (yes)," I said grabbing the juice from the still open door and pouring a small amount into a sippy cup and handing it to her.

"Merci (thank you)," she said. I nodded and leaned down to kiss her head.

"Mama, qu'est-il arrivé(what happened)?" She asked softly.

"At TM?" I asked. She nodded so I picked her up and took her to the couch in the living room.

"Ava, your dad showed up looking for us," I said softly. "He wanted you to go back to France and live with him."

"Take Tiggy," she said. I smiled softly as I heard the bathroom door.

"No baby. He wanted to take you away from Mama and Tiggy and everyone else here," I said.

"No leave me Mama," she said.

"No I'm not leaving and I'm not letting him take you away," I said.

"Me either Munchkin," Tig said. He walked over to us and kneeled beside us.

"You're stuck with me now. Both of you," he said. She smiled at him and jumped off my lap into his arms.

"Tiggy is staying," she said excitedly.

"Yes," he said. "I'm not going anywhere."

Ava was beyond excited and she started running around like a maniac.

"I'm going to go figure out something to eat," I said.

"Mama, pouvons-nous regarder des dessins animés(can we watch cartoons)?" She asked excitedly.

"No," I said. "I know you watched cartoons earlier."

"Oh no Ava, we've been found out. Run, hide, save yourself," Tig said dramatically. Ava started laughing and ran off to her room. I smiled at Tig as I opened the fridge and pulled out some vegetables. Salad for dinner would have to work. It was getting pretty late already and I was super hungry.

"Salad?" Tig asked.

"You're welcome to have a sandwich or something. Or you could go home and fend for yourself," I said.

"I don't want you two here alone," he said softly. "Not with everything that happened today."

I nodded a little as I worked on the salads for Ava and I. Tig started to rummage through the cupboards to find the sandwich things.

"That's fair," I said softly.

"I'll take the couch," he said.

"No old man of mine will be sleeping on the couch," I said.

"Really?"

"Nothing will happen cause Ava is right next door, but yeah you can sleep in the bed with me," I said.

He nodded and kissed my temple.

"Go get Ava," I said. "I need to know what she wants."

He walked off and I grabbed a glass for myself and poured some water into it.

"Yes Mama," Ava said from Tig's arms.

"Are your legs broken?" I asked. She giggled and shook her head.

"What do you want in your salad baby?" I asked.

"Ranch," she said. That might be the most American thing about her. I blame it on my dear baby brother who got her to eat some the other day with her lunch and she's been obsessed since.

"Vegetables?" I asked.

"No vegetable please," she said.

"Nice try," I said. I grabbed the ranch from the fridge and added some to her bowl before adding dressing to mine as well.

"Go wash up so Tig can make his dinner," I said to her. He sat her down and she ran to the sink, climbing on her step stool to wash her hands.

"Hey after we eat I'm going to run the truck back to TM and grab my bike then go grab some clothes," he said.

"What happened to not wanting us here alone?"

"I think you can manage for twenty minutes. You remember how a gun works?"

I rolled my eyes and nodded as I carried Ava and I's plates to the table. Tig joined us and we ate dinner as our own little family unit.