Baby Love

Chapter 13

Word Count: 2250

Taylor's POV

With Joe filming this week and his premiere on Friday, I am left alone most of the day to do as I please. I have been volunteering to pick Averie up from school because some part of me believes that I need to win her over if I have any long-term chance with Joe. Joe said that his parents could but she'd need to hang out at their work after. I'm free so I told him I might as well. The first two days she was not happy to see me as it was Grandma's day or Grandpa's day. I really hope today wasn't Uncle Tom's day or something. I don't want another unhappy Averie.

Unfortunately, today was Uncle Tom's day and she was not pleased to see me again. Never mind that I helped her get ready for school this morning and dropped her off because Joe was running late.

"Ready to go?" I ask slipping on my sunglasses.

"No," Averie answered as she shook her head away from me.

"Well, school is closed so it's time to go," I try to explain to her.

"No, thank you," she turns her nose at me.

"Well we have to leave so we can leave nicely or I can carry you out," I decided to give her an ultimatum because this is day three of this crap. Why does she still make a big deal about this?

"Nope," she shakes her head at me.

"Okay, I'm gonna count to three and we can walk out together or I'm gonna have to carry you out," I try to be tough but I don't like it. I'm just tired of arguing with a toddler.

In the end, I have to carry her out as she screams about how I'm a stranger. We get a lot of concerned looks but nothing over the top. This is the third day in a row that Averie has tried her stranger danger spiel.

When we get home Averie runs off to her room while I go make her a snack. Greg can't wipe the shit-eating grin off his face as he follows us into the house carrying Averie's backpack and his own. He thinks Averie's behavior is hilarious. He literally just watched me struggle to get her in the car instead of helping. She had all the theatrics that at some point I think Greg started filming me for the "memories." Haha very funny, it wasn't like I was getting attacked by a three-year-old.

"Averie, can you come eat? I made you a snack," I call out to her.

"No! I'm busy," she huffs.

"Busy doing what?"

"I'm packing!"

"Packing?" I repeat.

"Sounds like she's running away," Greg tells me.

"Joe is gonna kill me," I mumble before heading to her room and sure enough she's trying to pack her entire room in a toy purse and some grocery bags.

"Go away!" Averie sternly tells me.

"Averie, why are you packing?"

"I'm going to Grandma and Grandpa's," she explains.

"Do you need your whole room?"

"Yeah! I need all my things, 'cause I'm not coming back," she defends while trying to shove in a few more toys that definitely won't fit.