look after you ( andrew bazzi )

XIV

"uncle sammy!"

rosalia jumped down from the stool she was seated on, running up to the man who'd just walked into the house. "hey, lovebug."

"what're you doing here so early?"

sammy picked the child up in his arms, leaving a kiss on her cheek. "i'm here to talk to your dad. where is he?"

"he's getting ready still. you want me to go get him?"

"no, no. it's okay. i'll wait." sammy said, bouncing her in his arms. "you excited to see miss kuwonu?"

"yeah, but i'm more excited for this weekend." a toothy grin made its way onto the child's face. "everyone's going to be here, it's going to be so fun. plus, daddy promised he'd sing! thats great, right?"

sammy smiled softly at the excitement traced on rosalia's face. he knew after the conversation he had with andrew, he wouldn't see her much anymore. it pained him, but he knew andrew deserved to hear it from him rather than allison. he deserved the truth. "so great, lovebug. i love you, you know that, right?"

"yeah, uncle sammy. i love you too."

"i'll always be here, okay? no matter what, i'll always be your uncle sammy. you'll never lose me, rose."

"i know." rosalia smiled, giving the man a kiss on his cheek. "are you going to throw cake at daddy like you did last year? that was so funny."

sammy kept the smile on his face. "mayb—"

"sam? i didn't know you'd be here this early." andrew said, coming into the room.

sammy let out a soft chuckle. "i couldn't sleep and wanted to get here before you took rose to school so i could see her."

andrew nodded in understanding, sending his child a smile. rosalia returned the smile before looking back at sammy. she wrapped her small arms around his neck, taking him by surprise. "i love you very much, uncle sammy." the child whispered.

sammy felt his heart warm at her words. he hugged her back, not knowing when he'd be able to see her again. rosalia could see the distant look in his eyes, the child being able to catch on that something was wrong. sammy never really told her his feelings, unless it was a holiday or some special occasion. she could sense that something was going to happen and even if she didn't know what, it made her sad.

"i love you so much more, lovebug."

rosalia left another kiss on the mans cheek before jumping out his arms, running back to her room— leaving the two men alone.

"i have to tell you something and you'll probably hate me afterwards, i'm fine with it— as long as you know." sammy said, his voice soft. "i— i don't even know how to say it."

andrew furrowed his eyebrows. "what is it, sam?"

"i slept with allison. i was sixteen and stupid and i know that's no excuse, but she showed up at my house last night and i knew you'd find out, either from me or from her and i knew i'd rather you hear it from me. i've never regretted something more, andrew. i'm so sorry. you're my best friend and i betrayed you, even after all you've done is been there for me when i needed a friend. you've let me help you with rosalia and i love her like she's my own and i'm so sorry."

"i knew, sammy."

the words that came from andrew made sammy take a double-take. "what?"

andrew let out a laugh at the shocked look on sammy's face. "i knew. i kind of assumed something happened based off the way you acted around allison— like you were guilty, like you'd done something you weren't supposed too. allison told me before rosalia was born, something about wanting to have a clean slate and it hurt, but i forgave her and i forgave you because i understood that mistakes happen. i forgave her because i wanted rosalia to know what a family was, but that was a mistake on my part. i should've left her the second she told me she slept with one of my friends. with you, it was different though. she didn't seem guilty over it, she wasn't awkward around you. i could see how guilty you felt over it, how uncomfortable you got when all of us were in the same room and even though, i wished you would've told me yourself— i understood and i forgave. there was no purpose to hold a grudge, that just comes back to haunt me. you're still one of my best friends, sammy."