The Way Back | ✓

2.3

note: HAPPY NEW YEAR LOVELIES! My gift to y'all is an update for The Way Back as well as Imperial Compass. I hope you enjoy and if you did, you can gift me back with your thoughts in the comments and a vote ;)

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 The last of the boxes settled onto his new floor in his new shining apartment. Moving from his old home and into this rusty apartment was a huge change. It lacked the homey atmosphere, something Andrew wished to change soon.

He grinned, holding his hand around Aurora's shoulder as she hugged his leg. "Thanks for the help, sweetheart."

She hugged his leg tighter and Andrew laughed, leaning down to scoop his daughter into his arms. "Oof," he groaned, a toothy grin on his lips, "you're getting heavier."

"It's because I'm growing," she replied back with a beaming smile.

"It is? Wow, look at my intelligent little girl. So smart," Andrew rejoiced, praising Aurora and she knew her father was messing around. She laughed, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him close. She made to withdraw but Andrew wrapped his arms around her small chubby frame. The embrace was warm and it kindled an equally warm fire within him. Being with his daughter never failed to put a smile on his lips.

"How about we have dinner here tonight?" he proposed, setting her down to the floor. "It could be the opening night just for the two of us."

"I don't think so," cut in another voice and his groan was out of his mouth before he could swallow the protest.

He turned his head to the doorway where Talia stood, a vase in her hands and an expression full of disapproval — the only expression she seemed to wear with an expert's ease.

"It's just dinner," he shrugged, an inviting smile on his lips. "You can join us too."

"No, thank you. Aurora has school tomorrow. She needs to get into bed early."

"And she will. I live less than five minutes away from the house," Andrew bargained but he should have known that his persuasion skills were out of date.

Talia looked at Aurora. "Go pick your toys from the room, baby. We're going home."

The expression she served her daughter gave no room for argument and Aurora almost begrudgingly made her way back to her room — a spare that Andrew was turning into a place for his daughter.

"It's not the room, it's her room," Andrew informed, stepping towards the door. They watched Aurora disappear into the room, a quiet tension building in her absence. "Why can't she stay for dinner, Talia? I live literally five minutes from the house. Dinner will take an hour or less."

"It's a school night, Andy," Talia sighed, her reasoning weak, "She needs to get home, have dinner, wash up and go to bed. And it's already dark outside. I don't want you walking the streets now with here."

He raised his eyebrows, finding both amusement and irritation from her words. "I could drive her home. Or do you not trust my driving skills, too? And what is wrong with walking these streets? We have a safe neighbourhood, Talia. We used to walk the streets all the time."

"Yeah," she nodded, "used to."

The burn made him angry but he knew the only way to soothe it was to stay calm and not fuel the fire. As calmly as was possible for him, he said, trying his to keep the accusatory tone from his voice, "You promised not to take Aurora from me."

Talia sighed, something she seemed to be doing a lot since he last saw her. If she was so tired of this why was she creating this big fuss in the first place? Could she not be civil and let him get along with his daughter. Instead of doing that, here she was putting unnecessary barriers between him and his daughter, the only person in this world that didn't make him feel so alone.