Flicker

8

Valerie PoV

I'm getting dressed for my date when Daniel runs in and hides behind my legs.

"What's wrong?" I ask, picking my little troublemaker up.

"All I did was tell him that hims been grumpy since Audrea left and hims said that he was gonna spank me!" He cries, rushing out an explanation.

"Daniel Benjamin!" Drake calls walking upstairs.

"You sir, are officially in time out." Drake announces trying to grab him from me.

Daniel looks at me in pure horror as I don't fight it.

Defend in Public, correct in private

It's the rule we decided on parenting that way we don't give him mixed ideas about one of us having more say than the other.

Once I get my earring in, I walk out the bathroom to find Daniel.

"What did he do?" I ask and Drake sighs.

"He's got an attitude, I asked him to pick his toys up and he told me I could do it. I told him he had to do it and he said no because I'd been a big 'poopy head' since Audrea left." He explains and I nod.

I walk over to the corner and Drake glares at me, thinking I'm about to take him out.

I bend down and grab his arm, turning him to the side and swat him about 10 times.

20 is where we stop when spanking him, so this actually hurt him enough to have him crying hysterically.

"You wanna lie to me again?" I question and he shakes his head, jutting his bottom lip out.

I turn him back to the corner and ruffle his hair.

"Being him to me when he gets out." I tell Drake before walking upstairs.

I quickly change into my outfit, a black skirt with an orange sweater top.

I start to do my makeup when Drake walks in with Daniel.

I grab him and hold him with one arm before improvising.

"Hold him for a sec." I tell Drake and Daniel's eyes go wide.

"I want mommy!" He cries as I jump on the counter and sit down, crossing my legs.

Drake wipes Daniel's face when we hear the doorbell ring.

"I'll get it." He smiles, setting my son in my lap.

Daniel stands up and wraps his arms around my neck, burying his head in my shoulder.

"Hey Val." I hear and turn to see Gabby, Levi's daughter behind me.

"Hey Gabs." I smile and Daniel quietly waves.

"Why's he crying?" She asks and I roll my eyes.

"He got in some trouble." I explain and she roles her eyes.

"You're makeup's smudges right there, can I help?" She asks quietly and I nod.

She moves to a spot on my chin and starts blending a blob of concealer I'd forgotten to fix.

I roll my eyes as she backs away and looks at me with pride.

"Now you don't look like a blob monster." She chuckles before I hear a slap and turn to her direction.

"What did I tell you about being respectful?" Levi asks lowly and my eyes go wide.

"She was making a joke because she helped me fix a blob." I shoot at him and a loom a realization crosses his face.

"I'm sorry." He quickly apologizes and Drake comes behind him with a ping pong paddle and slaps him on the butt with it.

"Ow!"

"What did I tell you about taking my wife on a date." He huffs crossing his arms.

"Wait you're dating a married woman?" Gabby questions.

I grow concerned at Daniel's silence and look down to see him curled into my side, peacefully asleep.

"Erm, technically?" Levi chuckles scratching the back of his neck.

"We've been split for a year." I say quietly as I move to stand.

"Noooo!" Daniel whines and I sigh, readjusting him.

Drake walks over and carefully takes him out my hands, surprisingly Daniel doesn't argue.

"You ready?" Levi asks and I nod.

"Have her home by 11!" Drake calls as we walk out the door.

"Yes sir!" Levi yells back and I roll my eyes.

"Where we going?" I ask as he opens the passenger door for me.

"I made reservations at McDonalds." He smirks and I roll my eyes.

"Really?" I ask and he nods.

"So Gabby likes you." He says with a smile.

"Daniel hates you." I joke and he scoffs.

"The little dude loves me." He responds as we turn into a restaurant.

"Okay you're officially my favorite date." I say quickly as I realize we're at longhorns stake house.

"Wait until you find out I'm paying." He smirks and I allow a smile to form on my face.

We go inside and get a table when Drake calls Levi.

"Sorry." He says awkwardly before answering it.

"I'm sorry she did what?" He asks in a dangerously low tone, "Oh you are well within your rights and let her know she's getting it from me too." He pauses again, "Alright bye."

He shakes his head and looks at me.

"Your fine."I chuckle and he lets out a breath.

"I might actually blister her ass." He mumbles looking up, "She put Daniel in a corner and had a knife pointed at him telling him if he talked she'd stab him."

I stare at him in shock and he shakes his head as the waiter walks over. She takes our order and Levi rolls his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he mumbles, looking away from me.

I feel a ping of sympathy rising in my chest as I tilt my head.

"It's fine, honestly." I smile and he nods at me.

We talk for a while before our food arrives and I feel a smile come to my face.

"And my Mom always told me the way to a girls heart was chocolates." He jokes and I shrug, "What made you agree to go out with me?"

I pause for a moment and feel embarrassed I have to think about it, "you're hot and a good dad."

"Straight forward." He chuckles and I roll my eyes.

"Beating around the bush is dumb." I explain, taking a bite of my steak.

For the life of me, I couldn't tell you what we talked about. But talking came and and the conversation had a simple flow that kept the both of us content.

After we finish eating and he pays, the two of us walk to the car.

"Off to go bust butts." He smirks and I have to stifle a laugh, saying a silent prayer to thank the Lord I am not in that position right now.