"Not everyone is meant to have a happy ending."
Dating is difficult.
Dating with a child? Even more so.
Victoria James was already willing to give up the dating scene at the age of twenty-four until her best friend had persuaded her to try just one...
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"Izzy, if you don't hurry up and get ready for bed, I won't let you stay up to say good night to Tae Tae when he calls." I fold my arms in front of my chest as I watch her take her dear sweet time picking up the toys in her room.
With a sudden burst of energy, she scrambles to throw all of her things into her toy chest and place her stuffed animals in their rightful spot. Rushing past me, she heads across the hallway to her bathroom and pulls out her step stool from under the sink, and reaches for her toothbrush in an attempt to try to brush her teeth herself.
Shaking my head with a smile, I assist her with adding the toothpaste and observe as she tries her best to brush just like she's been taught, "You know, you could do what I ask just because mommy asks you to without me bribing you with Tae Tae."
Izzy spits into the sink and looks up at me with curious eyes, "What's bribing mean?"
"Bribing means to offer something in hopes they will do what you want or need them to do," I explain the best I can.
"Sorry, mommy. I'll try to do things just because you said so." She forces a smile to show me her freshly brushed teeth and I chuckle and kiss her forehead.
Tapping her bottom, I nod towards her bedroom to have her climb under her blanket as I follow behind, watching her run and jump on her bed with a bounce as she pulls back the Disney princess bedspread.
For the rest of my day and all throughout the evening, I haven't been able to concentrate or feel as happy as I would like to. After my run-in with Miles, my anxiety seems to be on edge. I don't particularly like the fact that he showed up without at least a phone call or even a message through social media first and I especially don't like the fact that this happened as soon as Taehyung is away on a business trip.
It may just be a coincidence but I feel like I'd be ignorant to let my guard down.
Every time I look at my daughter or hear her voice, I wonder if it would even be in her best interest to have Miles around now. In a perfect world, the two of them would get along and she could get to know her dad but something in the back of my mind struggles with that scenario.
What if she hates him or resents him for not being around? Would the fact of him coming back into her life cause more harm than good? As a mother, it's my duty to protect her as much as I can but I also don't want to hold her back from getting to know her father either.
In a way, I wish that she was older and was able to make the decision on her own. To be able to come to me and state whether or not she even wanted to give him the time of day.
My brain scans over the memories of my relationship with Miles and although I was warned of his cheating that I stupidly ignored and he was always so arrogant, it doesn't erase the fact that he's the one I ended up having a baby with.
Still, something inside of my gut tells me to be cautious.
My phone begins to ring just as Izzy is finishing up brushing out her baby doll's hair and she sits up on her knees to glance over at my phone screen, letting out an excited little noise at the sight of Taehyung's name.
