Finding Her

C H A P T E R - N I N E T E E N

Little Shit

V A L E R I U S ' P O V :

"Pancakes with papà?" My eyebrows furrow.

"Mrs. Williams said to give it to you!" Ellie smiles. I hold the paper in my hand. "Everyone's papàs are coming! Or other people if you don't have a papà." She shrugs, looking at me with those doe-eyes.

"And you want me to go with you to school for this?" I ask, peaking at her from above the paper. Ellie nods. "Then I'll be there."

She walks away jumping for joy and I can't hold back my smile.

• • •

"Valerius!" I turn around when I hear my name being called.

"Jesus." I grumble. "What are you doing here?"

"You sound so happy to see me!" Angelo slaps my back with a smile.

That shit head.

"He's in Ellie's year?" I ask Angelo, grumble is more like it though.

"Well they're the same age, aren't they?"

Shit. I roll my eyes. Just another thing I have to worry about now.. Angelo's dumbass kid.

That little shit.

I watch Ellie talk to her three friends as they all pile into the cafeteria. I've come here for Ellie's lunch or breakfast is what they called it on the paper. The school is hosting an event for all of the dads, they did moms just before. I found out after it happened, Ellie didn't want to tell me about it because she thought I'd be sad. We come during lunch and we eat with our kids for bonding or whatever.

I notice Ellie catches sight of me when her eyes light up. She waves to me with a big smile. Pride flows throughout me.

My girl.

The teacher instructs the kids to find their parents and they do. Ellie runs to me, and when she finds me, I pick her up and kiss her cheek. Her legs wrap around my torso.

"How has your day been, baby?"

"Good!" She cheers with a toothy smile, only, one of her teeth on the bottom is missing. Her first tooth gone. She was so excited because she said it meant she's a big girl now. I was surprised, I didn't think she could lose a tooth so young. She even wanted to yank it out herself. "You came!" She squeezes me tighter.

"Of course I did, piccolina! I wouldn't miss a chance to spend time with you."

Her smile only gets wider.

We sit down and I notice her friends are at the same table as us. Summer and her mom Sheila sit across from us with the twins and their dad, Lorenzo I believe. Angelo sits next to me with his son. Ellie and Tommy are between us. I go to switch her to my other side so the little shit doesn't touch her but, there's no room on the other side, someone already sat down.

Damnit. One wrong move and I'll punt this kid.

Plates of flimsy looking pancakes are sat in the middle of each table and we all get our own.