Why Doesn't Daddy Love Me? (Brabrina)

chapter 2

~

"Rylee tell me what's wrong" I sign, tears brimming my own eyes. I cannot stand to see my daughter cry.

The small blonde drops her head and after a few moments of nothing she finally looks up. And I wasn't expecting her to sign what she did.

"Why doesn't daddy love me?"

Saying that I'm shocked by my daughter's question would be an understatement. This came out of nowhere and honestly I'm not sure how to answer her question.

How are you supposed to tell your six year old that her father wanted nothing to do with her. That he left me to raise her alone because he couldn't deal with it, and it would interfere with his baseball.

So I just decide to respond with a question of my own.

I wipe the tears that are falling from her big brown eyes away and stroke her blonde hair. "Sweetie, where is this coming from?" I sign.

It takes her a few seconds to compose herself but she finally responds. "Tomorrow our daddies are supposed to come have lunch with us at school" she signs and small hiccups leave her mouth as she tries to calm down. "And everyone was so excited to bring their daddies. But I don't have a daddy." she finishes and drops her head.

My heart shatters into a million pieces after she signs that. I move closer to my daughter and lift her chin up so she's looking at me. "You do have a daddy, Ryles. Everyone does. Just... "

"He doesn't love me" she says softly.

"He has just never met you, baby. Everyone who meets you falls in love with you because you are just so amazing." I poke her tummy, trying to lighten her mood.

"I want to meet him" she perks up "can I?"

What am I supposed to say to that? No? I can't do that. But I haven't even seen her sperm donor -as I like to call him, because he surely is no dad to her- since I told him I was pregnant.

I sigh and place my hand on her cheek "I don't know Rylee." and as soon as she reads those words from my lips, her shoulders fall and tears begin to fill her eyes again.

She lays back down again and turns away from me. This causes an actual pain in my chest and I hate it. I hate seeing her like this.

I walk around to the other side of her bed and kneel down, so I am eye to eye with her. She pretends to be asleep when I come over to her but I saw her shut her eyes when I got up. I slightly shake the girl for a few seconds, causing her to finally open her eyes and look at me.

"You know I love you right" I sign.

She just stares at me for a minute before she whispers "to the moon and back" That has always been a thing we said to each other, practically since she learned to speak. But this time it all feels different. I can't help but think, maybe my love just isn't enough for her anymore.

But I just shake the feeling away and place a kiss on the little girl's head. "That's right. To the moon and back"

After that I get up and walk out into the hallway. I pull out my cellphone and call the diner. When Rhonda, the manager, answers I tell her that I can't come in tonight. I tell her that some personal things are going on and I needed to be here for my daughter.

"That's okay Sabrina. I'm sure I can find someone to cover your shift. I do hope everything is okay" she says sympathetically.

"Thank you so much Rhonda. I promise I will make it up to you. I will work extra hours" I suggest, feeling sort of bad for getting off the hook so easily.