The Mom Next Door

20-My Fault

*leahs pov*

I close the curtain after peaking at Jen's house. It sounds like Jennifer and her mom have been arguing for at least an hour. Sofia is trying to make me go over there and make sure everything is okay, but I just told her that's in not our business. Plus I'm not gonna show up while they're still arguing.

"Go get dressed babe." I tell Sofia and she runs upstairs. Once she comes back down, we get in the car and go out to eat since I promised her.

"Daddy's not gonna be able to take you this weekend, Sof." I tell her. "Why not?" She asks and takes a bite of her food. "Something came up, probably a business thing." I shrug and she stays quiet.

"So you'll be with me. Is that okay?" I tilt my head. "Yeah, but you have to watch a movie with me." She points at me. "Of course. I'm always up for that." I tell her and she smiles.

"Can we get desert here??" She asks. "I don't think so baby." I shake my head 'no'. "Pleaseee!" She says and I roll my eyes.

"Okay, but you can't stay up all night. Promise me you'll try and go to sleep." I tilt my head. "Pinky promise." She says and holds out her pinky.

I giggle and hold out my pinky so we can make a promise. We order the desert and Sofia eats all of it, except for the small amount of bites I took.

"I'm done." She puts down her spoon and leans back in her seat. "You look like a mess." I laugh since she has chocolate all over her mouth. "Lick your lips." I tell her but she doesn't listen.

I take a napkin and give it to her but she doesn't take it. "I'm saving it for later!" She says. "I-...ok.." I shrug. "God you're weird." I shake my head and sign the check.

"Well you gave birth to me." She shrugs and I look at her. "That doesn't even make sense." I chuckle.

We leave the restaurant and get home shortly.

"Go take a shower and I'll do your hair." I say and she goes to take a shower. I go upstairs and get some work done on my laptop until Sof gets out of the shower.

She hands me her hairbrush and sits in my lap. I gently brush her hair, and braid it. "Done." I say and kiss her head before she stands up.

"Time for bed." I tell her. "Nooo." She wines. "Yesss." I mock her. "We didn't check on the garden today!" She says, making up something to do so she doesn't have to go to bed.

"Baby, we don't have to check on it everyday." I tell her. "What if my gardenias are dying?!" She says and I laugh because I've never heard her say that, and we didn't even plant gardenias-. I'm surprised she knows what those are.

"Fine. Quickly though, then straight to bed." I say before we both walk downstairs. I turn on the light to the back porch and we walk down the steps. "See? The same as yesterday." I tell her.

"Good." She nods. "Okay. Goodnight." She pats my shoulder and walks inside. I laugh to myself and follow her inside.

I tuck her in and tell her goodnight, then I head downstairs to clean up. As I'm washing the dishes, I get a text from Jennifer.

"I'm at the front door." I read and raise one brow.

I set my phone down and walk over to the front door. I open it and Jennifer turns to me with glossy red eyes. "Hey..." I say softly since something is obviously wrong.

I take her hand and pull her in for a hug, which she obviously needed by the way she's squeezing me. She bursts into tears as her face is buried in my chest. "Baby..." I say to and rub her back, then I shut the door with her still in my arms.