Down the line

46 - Preparation

*3 years later*

Lee POV

I should have done this sooner. I should have asked. I shouldn't have to ask. She's my daughter too.

I knocked on the door and stroked the facial hair that I had. I hated coming here. The past couple of weeks had been stressful but I had to make everything perfect for my brother. He's had a lot of stress lately.

I hear the door unlock and it pulls open. A man was presented. He had a cigarette in between his lips, I still smoked too.

"Yes?"

"I need to speak to Kelly." I sigh. I honestly couldn't dread this time of the week more. There was only one good thing about it.

"Lee right? I'm Dylan." He takes the cigarette out with one hand and holds his other out for me to shake. I just glare at him.

"You smoke in the fucking house?" I snarl at the random man invading my child's living space.

"Well yeah."

"You smoke with my fucking daughter in the house? You have got to be fucking kidding me." I fold over my arms and bite down on my bottom lip.

"Kelly! Lee's at the door!" Dylan shouts behind him.

I tap my foot and stare at the ground. No answer.

"So..." Dylan begins. I couldn't be bothered to listen to him drool on. I rip the cigarette out of his mouth and throw it on the floor before twisting my foot on top of it.

"Get out of the way." I push into him and open the door.

The house was musty. I wanted to get her out of here as much as possible, but Kelly refused most of the time.

"I'm changing her Lee. It's not even your day." Kelly turns her head as I walk into the back room. The house was dark and stunk of cigarette fumes soaked into the furniture.

"I want her to come to my brothers wedding." I finally admit, spilling it out quickly. I didn't want to wait around.

"You're kidding right? There's no way I'm letting her go there." Kelly huffs as she sits my little girl up on the table and pulls up her tiny pair of jeans. She stays silent.

"It's her uncles wedding."

"Still, no."

"Well you know. I was just being polite by asking. I was going to take her anyway." I shrug as I walk over to the baby changing table. Quickly I wave at my daughter. I watch her smile.

"No Lee, she's not going." Kelly commands.

"Come on Charlotte. You're coming with Daddy for a couple days." I tell the little girl who was smiling on the side.

"You can't do this. I'll call the patrol!" Kelly shouts at me as I pick Charlotte off of the side and hold her in my arm. Dylan runs into the room after hearing the shouting. I just push past him.

"You'll call them? Then what? You'll get arrested for being a fucking bitch? Get your petty playboy to file a complaint. Whore." I kick the front door open with my foot.

I walk down the drive with Charlotte in my arms.

"Daddy." She says. The way she said my name melted my heart.

"Please don't repeat what daddy says." I chuckle before putting her down and allowing her to walk.

I hold her tiny hand as we walk down the streets of Wellington to Mom's house. We eventually got there to be presented by Lewis in a suit and tie.