His Daughter

A Million Promises

Third person POV:
Two weeks. It had been two weeks of daily calls where Scarlett was unsure if she'd actually get to hear the small voice on the other end. Where Rose would ramble on about everything she'd done at summer camp that day or the fun adventure that the younger girl had sadly missed out on. Two weeks of painful separation that begged to harbor problems between the three. But two weeks that somehow drew them closer.

Scarlett was unfortunately correct in her concern of not seeing her newly proclaimed second child the following weekend. Though the excuse was that of troubles at work where Colin could not find a way to leave the office any more than for a night's rest. The bafflement of that's affect on the ability for Carter to spend the weekend was still unfound.

Otherwise speaking, the woman was happy with her daily conversations with the young Jost. The five year old seemed to be doing much better, though that didn't occur until three days after the hard parting. The expected meeting with her unknowingly, to her, favorite people was never mentioned so it's lack of occurrence wasn't missed. Though she was once again heartbroken when her faith in her father was shattered as he failed to keep his promise of a movie night that Friday evening. The promise that acted as a white flag, a symbol of surrender and forgiveness for his actions and words.

Carter didn't speak the next day. Casey, her uncle, caught word of what happened, and while unsurprised by his brothers predictable actions he felt the familiar pang in his chest at the description of his saddened niece. So, after paying a nice call to Scarlett informing her of the situation, he showed up with a bouquet of flowers, candy, and Carter's favorite movie: We bought a zoo. She didn't talk still but a small smile as she laid in between her uncle and Mimi was tattooed on her lips.

Scarlett and Casey had begun talking months prior when Colin had failed to fill in the woman on some key moments in Carter's life. While the girl was not biologically hers, Casey understood the care she held for her and felt that if his niece wasn't ready to meet her the least he could do was let her meet his niece. Recently, however, it had become a channel of information where unspoken secrets of the unnecessary failures of some parties were revealed. He knew it wasn't technically right of him to share such knowledge, but his hope for Scarlett's ability to change somethings encouraged his actions. Plus, Carter would never share her true feelings of such matters.

Come Monday Carter was already adjusted to the day routine of going to daycare, waiting for Colin to pick her up, Mimi or Casey showing instead and saying he'd called about something last minute at work, being disappointed, going back to Mimi's house, and having an afternoon facetime with Scarlett while she ate a snack.

Carter couldn't remember the last time she'd been "home", that being the home her father owned. The one she was meant to grow up in, the one to hold all her earliest memories, though instead it was cold, practically hollow inside. The sporadic visits she made to the apartment were tied to the limited occasions where Colin took her home, to that place.

She didn't know much about it, sure she had a cute little room, but it was practically bare, the remnants of her nursery theme paired with a hardly used bed and a few toys and clothes around. The majority of her time was spent sleeping, if she even recognized she'd been there to begin with. In most cases she'd already fallen asleep at Mimi's or even Casey's and Colin had simply picked her up. The late night transition form one place to another where she woke up groggy the next morning in a daze as she was rushed to get ready for daycare.

Carter had come to love the snack time chats with Scarlett, her Scarly. She was happy to realize that even in the days she didn't feel up to talking, the lady on the other end still wanted to talk to her, to look at her adorable little face. The way she'd ask her about her day and listen so intently as she occasionally told about something exciting that had happened that day or a promise to the ice cream shop after dinner that her Mimi had made in honor of her father.