Runnin' | Mateo Bowles

21

Mateo 🍓

" Thank you."

I nod my head at her and she leaves. The line keeps getting longer and longer. Kids and teens laughing and smiling waiting to get their turn to meet us.

I try and peep who's coming down the line but I can't. She's a tiny kid with long curls. Damn reminds me of Milan. I hope she stops at Ayleo and then leaves. Pretty sure I'll have a breakdown if she decides to come to my side of the table.

Too late. She keeps her head down as she walks down to my side. I look up at the adult who was with her but she's not there. Instead she's over there taking to Ayleo. He's getting real hands on with her. I'm telling April.

" Can you sign this daddy?"

My eyes almost pop out of my sockets when I hear that. That voice. It's her voice. She slowly lifts her head up curls falling back behind her. Milan. My babygirl Milan.

I almost trip running down the rest of her table and then around it. Milan giggles and jumps up and down waiting for me to pick her up. When I do scoop her up in my arms the cameras start clicking and recording. Paparazzi is asking a whole bunch of questions but I bypass them. Whys important is that my child is in my arms again.

" Mateo Mateo! Who's child is that?"

" Mateo can you turn to show her face to us?"

I don't move. Instead I hug her tightly against me with my hot tears hitting her shirt. She lifts away from me and wipes my tears with her fingers, they're painted a manicure maybe? It's adorable.

" Daddy don't cry. I misses you."

I chuckle at her grammar, " Missed Milan. The word is missed."

" Daddy can I come home now?"

That hurt my heart even more. If only she was old enough to know what's happening. Serenity shouldn't take her away from me, I'm the best father figure she ever had in her life. Taking something important from a child will scar them forever.

" I don't know baby, I don't know." I say, walking back to my seat.

The press interview is going to start in a couple of minutes. In just hoping whoever being Milan here isn't going to take her from me.

I sit back down in my seat with her on my lap. She doesn't pay attention to me because of the picture that's in her hand. It's me, and she's just staring at it smiling. I take the sharpie from the table and slide the picture up from her hands. I sign it and give it back to her. My little fan.

My manager looks at me and I look at him. He smiles and waves at Milan who still isn't paying attention to anybody. He turns back to the crowd and begins to speak.

" Alright everyone! Everybody's picture and stuff has been signed so we have to clear the area! "

The security rushes them out and I can hear the screaming of names. Mine and Ayleo's to be exact. I wave to them as they leave. Milan looks up and waves too sending the crowd of people into aww's.

Ayleo's little friend didn't leave though. My manager pulls up a chair for her and she sits right next to him. I furrow my eyebrows at them. What the hell?