look after you ( andrew bazzi )

IV

  after andrew had dropped rosalia off at school, he made his way back home— him not having to be at work that day and being able to do all that he needed to at home.

  the man made his way into his bedroom, going to his closet and grabbing a box that had been pushed into the far back.

  the box was decorated with pictures and different things— the words andrew and allison wrote on top of it. he sat the box down on his bed, opening it and pulling out a few objects. there were a ton of pictures and a variety of tickets from their many dates during the years they were together.

  the one picture that had caught his attention though, was the one from the day rosalia was born. the picture shows the couple with the baby, pure admiration on both of their faces.

that was the best day of andrew's life and rosalia being born was the best thing to ever happen to him. everyone said they couldn't raise a baby at 17, but they proved them wrong. everyone said he couldn't raise her by himself at 21, but he proved them wrong.

andrew continued to go through the box, thinking back to the years he spent with the mother of his child. when he picked up another picture— it consisting of allison and rosalia making pancakes together, both of the girls covered in flour and pancake mix— he was reminded of the day allison decided to leave all her responsibilities behind.

the woman was stuffing things into her suitcase, grabbing multiple things from her dresser and shoving them into the suitcase as well. rosalia and andrew were both in the child's bedroom, andrew reading a bedtime story to rosalia in hopes of her falling asleep.

allison tried to be quiet so she wouldn't bring any unnecessary attention to herself. she wanted to leave in the morning when rosalia and andrew went on their usual walk to the playground a few blocks down the road, but she couldn't wait any longer— her only shot out of here was leaving tonight and she wasn't missing this chance. the woman was zipping up her suitcase when andrew had made his way into the room.

"she made me read the same story four tim- baby, what's wrong?"

allison felt a few tears fall down her cheek, feeling her heartbreak at the thought of leaving him and her child.

"allison—" he paused, seeing the suitcase on the bed. "where're you going?"

"andrew—"

"you're leaving?" the man cut her off.

"i don't— i have too."

andrew shook his head, taking a step towards the girl only resulting in her taking a step back. "allison, you don't have to do anything. you have a choice, you always do and right now you have a choice to leave rose and i behind and forget all the responsibilities you have or—" he took another step towards her, grabbing her hand in his. "you stay. you stay and continue to be rosalia's mother and you continue to take her to pick flowers every sunday and color with her every night before it's time for her to go to bed. you stay because you want to be in her life. i cant make you stay, that's a choice you have to make, but if you won't stay for me then stay for her."

the two stood silently for a few moments before allison ripped her hand out of andrew's and grabbed her suitcase. the woman grabbed her jacket, slipping it on and making her way towards the door.

"i hope you know, you're not only breaking my heart but you're breaking hers too."

allison stopped, not daring to turn around.

"you're such a coward that you can't even say goodbye. what do you want me to say to her when she wakes up and ask where mommy i—"

"daddy? mama? where are you going?"

the two adults turned to the familiar voice, both feeling their hearts drop when they saw rosalia standing there.

allison looked at andrew, seeing him look from rosalia to her. the woman spared one more look at rosalia before hurriedly leaving the house.

andrew felt his heart break at the sound of the door slamming shut. he saw rosalia visibly flinch at the loud noise.

"daddy? why are you crying?"

the man quickly tried to wipe his tears away, knowing that if he seemed upset then it'd lead to her being upset as well.

"let's get you back to bed, princess."

authors note:
this chapter is so short
sorry not sorry 😘