Baby Love

Chapter 19

Word Count: 2418

Taylor's POV

"You look stunning, my love," Joe greets me with a kiss on the cheek as I step into the kitchen.

"Thank you," I blush, "You look gorgeous, babe."

"I like your dress!" Averie bounces on the couch.

"Thank you for saying that," I smile at the girl. She has been a lot less of a devil child these past few days. No more dragging her out of school kicking and screaming, so that's definitely a plus.

"Daddy, you should've got a new suit," she complains which makes me chuckle. The men never really have to change up their outfits for special occasions like so.

"Now why would I want to do that," Joe teases her.

"Cause you could look as pretty as Taylor!"

"I can't believe that you just told me that," Joe fakes his hurt as he puts a hand over his heart.

"Taylor is much prettier than you Daddy," Averie bursts into a fit full of giggles.

"Nugget, I can't believe you would say that," Joe joins her laughter.

"I do not regret anything," Averie shouts causing her Uncle Patrick to hold his ears.

"Are we ready to leave?" Greg checks his watch for the umpteenth time today.

"I am," Joe confirms.

"Let me grab a sweater, sometimes the theater is cold," I go back to his bedroom and grab the first cardigan that was in my suitcase. I knew this would come in handy somehow.

"Bye, Nugget, be good for Uncle Patty," Joe kisses Averie goodbye but she is mildly distracted by the movie playing.

"Bye Averie, bye Patrick," I wave at the two before letting Joe pull me out the door.

"Averie is right by the way, you are way too pretty for me," Joe compliments as he pulls my door open.

"She's just being silly," I chuckle at his remark.

"But she's not wrong," he smiles before pecking my lips.

"Wait! Wait!" Averie comes running out after us. I don't even want to know how she managed to get out the front door and away from her Uncle.

"Nugget, what are you doing?" Joe exclaims as he sees his barefoot daughter running wild. Partick appears out of breath in the doorway seconds after Averie. That poor boy is in for a wild night.

"I wanna say goodbye," she furrows her eyebrows as she comes to a stop in front of us. I can tell she's nervous by the way she rocks on her heels.

I lift my dress so it's a little more to the side before crouching down to her height. "Bye Averie, we'll be back in the morning when you wake up," I tell her, not sure if she wants a hug or just wants to literally say goodbye.

"Okay, bye-bye," she nods but her eyes seem to convey a different story.

"Nugget, come here," Joe squats down and opens his arms for her. She hurries to embrace him with her demeanor sadder than when we were in the apartment.

"Do you have to go, Daddy?" she mumbles as she wraps her arms around his neck as we both stand back up.

"Yes, Daddy has to go so he doesn't go to jail and his favorite lady can have all the Piglets in the world," Joe kisses her head as he rubs her back.

"I don't want you to go to jail," she frowns.

"I don't want to either," Joe hums in response. I'm not sure where that dumb explanation came from but if she understands it, I guess it's okay. Is not going to work considered jail? Or how did this development come about?