Second Chance Mate [Completed]

Chapter Six

Thursday started like all the others, me rolling over to look at the baby camera and find my little goofball doing something crazy. This morning, she was almost out of her crib. I took a video screenshot of the image to post later on. I quickly went into her room before she fell out. I changed her diaper and got her dressed for the day.

As I gave her breakfast, I posted the image of her trying to escape with the caption 'Let the escaping stage begin...." My mom sent me a text telling me that if she's beginning to climb out of her crib, she may abandon her naps soon. I wanted to cry at that message. "Stop growing up," I told Azula kissing her cheek. "I want you to stay my little baby forever."

"Baby!" Azula yelled. I laughed. She is so damn cute. When five o'clock rolled around, I was ready for work and loading Azula into her car seat to go to my parent's house. Luckily, my mom was out grocery shopping, so it was just my dad. "Hey sweetheart, how's it going?"

"Good. I let Sasuke visit with her on Tuesday." I confessed.

"How'd that go?"

I shrugged. "I feel like we're the other woman. He keeps kissing me, and I end up kissing him back. I know it's wrong, but we've always had such a strong connection." I explained. "I took your advice; he's going to sign a contract tomorrow, and Ino is going to help."

"Glad to hear." My dad said, pulling me in for a hug. "How did she respond to him?"

"It was like seeing her with you. I was ready to ball my eyes out." My dad just silently nodded. "I'll be here at eight-thirty in the morning. I'm going to give him a couple hours to visit with her. Can you help convince mom I need to get home by six on Saturday night? He wants to visit her on her birthday."

"I'll take care of your mom, dear. Go to work before your late. Azula, say bye to momma. She has to go to work."

"Momma ork." Azula repeated. "No momma, no go." She pouted, shaking her head.

I pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her cheek and head out. "I love you, my sunshine. I will pick you up in the morning, and we'll spend the day together, I promise. Bye, baby." I said as I handed her to my dad. He managed to distract her enough for me to slip out the door without her screaming about it. I always hate the drop-offs because she has such a hard time with me leaving anywhere without her.

I drove to work, dreading seeing him tonight. I hated this fucking secrecy. It has never sat well with me, and this is worse. I did my regular routine to open and let the night begin. I was alone at the bar again; we only got small crowds since it was only Thursday.

It was almost eleven when Sasuke walked to the tavern and ordered a drink at the bar. I poured him a glass and walked it over to the end of the bar where he was. As I handed him his drink with a smile, "Tomorrow morning 9 to 12, whenever you can. Nap at 12." I said before walking away to deliver more drinks to my customers.

I made my way back to the bar to grab more drinks. "How's she doing?" Sasuke asked as I passed him.

"Great, she got some alone time this afternoon with my dad, who is her most favorite person in the world," I replied, pouring a glass of ale from the tap.

"Has she asked for me?" He wondered.

I looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "You're joking, right? To her, you're just some person she just met. She doesn't know you." I flatly pointed out. It looked like I slapped him when he just looked down at his drink without a word.

He stayed until the last call, not saying a word to me, and I was okay with that. I closed up and sent him home as Kakahi came out of the office to cash out the register. "Trouble with the missus?" Kakashi asked Sasuke as he walked him to the door. "Karin is wonderful, but not a solution to any relationship issues. Time for you to go home."