A Message

Turns out it was getting late, and Imani isn't good with darkness, especially when it’s not at home, so it signaled our time to be leaving. Would’ve been fine with even staying the night, but that’s just my confidence boost talking from all this fun.

“Bye cutie, have a good night.” Sofía waved from the front door entrance.

Is it weird if I almost waved back.

“Bye bye Sofía! I love you!” Imani waved back.

“Aww I love you too!”

Hoping those words were for me feels a little childish. The imagination of her sending me off with an 'I love you' sounds great, and now I'm once more jealous of Imani. She deserves it though, and I got my own gift of love from Sofia back in her room, so maybe I'm being greedy. Now that I think more on it, we never exchanged an 'I love you' or anything close. Maybe a kiss counts as an unsaid version? We did a lot of that.

“Thanks for making dinner, and bringing your bundle of joy. Today has been really fun.” Sofía took my hand in hers. "We should have another play date with Sammy around."

“That sounded good. I… really appreciated today. One of the good days I’ve ever haves. Lets do that.”

That was terrible Carmine. A girl you like holds your hand and now you've failed Elementary. 

“Are you okay?”

“Sorry. Just a little sleepy is all.” I fake a yawn.

Sofía yawns because of me, but it’s a real one. “I know what you mean. See you again another time.”

“Right. See you later.” I walk away with Imani. 

See you later? Does that even sound right? She might think I can't drive.

On our way to the car, I take my phone out and call Laychel. I figure it’s time I let her know I’m fine with the visit, but that I won’t be going to her.

“Laychel.” I immediately speak once she answers the phone.

“Carmine? So soon. I hope you thought this through.”

“I did, and I think I’d like to start off by apologizing.”

“Carmine…”

“So hey, I’ll come see you myself.”

“And our daughter?"

I paused to look back at Imani, who's rubbing her eyes and barely able to put one foot in-front of the other. I pick her up in one arm so she can rest her tired legs and head. 'Our daughter.' For some reason that doesn't sit well with me.

"She has a play date with a friend of hers' Sunday, and that's when I'll drop her off to come see you."

"Oh... Is it not possible for me to come see her instead?"

"Um..."

"See I was thinking I'd come and introduce myself. I know she would love to meet her mother. How much have you told her about me?"

"Are you sure? I figured we would just talk about how things are going and just..."

"Just?"

Heal our pasts and go our separate ways. But I can't just say that. Sounds too cheesy of a resolution.

"Just... I don't know... Chill out? Have lunch? McDonalds maybe?"

"McDonalds!?"

"Just a random place, nothing special."

"You're crazy if you think I'd go to McDonalds. Have you been taking Imani there? My poor baby!"

I buckle Imani into her seat and close the door.

"It... I wasn't serious."

"If it's nothing serious then I'll come to the playdate."

"I'll need to let them know."

"Please do. Text me the time and place and I'll be there.

"Right."

"Tell Imani mommy is coming."

"...Sure thing."

"Thank you, and goodnight.

The call ends and I let my arm go limp. Through the car window I can see my sleeping daughter's face. How soothing. A call like that would have me reaching for a cigarette, but she's all I need.

Before I leave, I need to talk to Sophia. Set up a playdate, and let her know that my ex is coming. That's not so bad is it? I hope she doesn't get mad if I dump all this on her the night before. Pacing back and forth at my car isn't helping. She'll understand.

I go back to her front door and ring the bell. She must be so confused. I wait briefly without anyone answering the door, so the thought that I'm bothering her with this sudden reappearance is making me itch.

The door clicks and the knob twists before slowly swinging open. "Carmine," She answers. "What's the matter?"

As if I couldn't get any more engrossed in her beauty, the outfit she wore was now a purple camisole with just thin straps holding it up by her shoulders. Such a dangerous way to answer the door to a man. I hope I'm the only one who has bare witness to this sight, if not, then I want to own it. Agh, what am I doing?

"Um... Carmine, could you not look at me like that?" Sophia laid her arm over her chest and stretched the nightgown down to cover more of her legs.

Idiot Carmine. You got caught being a fool once again. Strangely she doesn't seem as mad about it as you'd expect. Instead, she seems to sort of like it. Worst of all, did making eye contact actually disappoint her? I must be misunderstanding something.

"Sorry, I just had something I needed to see-say! Ahem, say,"

Now my eyes are playing tug of war. You damn pervert, keep it together!

"So... What is it?"

"Ah it's about the next playdate."

"Yea?"

"How does tomorrow sound?"

"Oh, of course! You could have told me tomorrow over the..." She paused to collect her thoughts, and even I knew what was going through her head. "Our contact information. Oh my god, we have to exchange that this instant!"

"You're right!"

We shared a laugh over the combined realization, and she rushed back to her room to grab her phone. I took my phone out and when she came back we exchanged our numbers. Her first text was a winking emoji, which I found cute, so I replied with the same.

“So… Was that all?” 

“No. Um, actually, I have something else…” I proceeded to explain the situation with my ex.

Throughout the discussion she listened and nodded very patiently. Her mood shifted to a slight concern that made me a little uneasy whilst speaking, but when I finished, she took me by surprise with a hug. It was an embrace I didn’t know I needed. Her tight squeeze easily relieving my worries.

“I’m glad you told me,” she let go with only her hands grazing my arms. “As for the play date. I’m perfectly fine with it.”

It made me long for a little more, but I couldn’t be so selfish whilst taking up her time.

“Thank you, for hearing me out at this time. I wish I could stay longer, but that’d be a little strange.” Words fell out of me without even a thought, I guess she had me a bit too relaxed.

“You want to stay?”

“Did I say that? I didn’t mean anything weird by it. It just felt very nice here is all. I mean I’d like to talk more-um. I-I don’t know.”

As if to keep me from burying myself any deeper with my poor speech, or just out of impulsive attraction, she took my head down for a kiss. We had done it just earlier, plenty of times even, but I don’t think I could’ve left without another like this, and she knew it, or she thought the same.

Our lips parted and she looked at me with a devilish grin. “You’re just the cutest aren’t you?”

“Me? Well…” I took her in closer by the waist. “I don’t know about that. You’re pretty hard to beat.”

She bit her lip but pulled away. “Well, it’s getting late. You should be heading home.”

“Ah you’re right,” I stepped back. “Again, thank you, and see you tomorrow.”

“You’re welcome, papi chulo. Have a good night.”

“What?”

She snickered and waved goodbye, closing the door before I could ask what that meant, but I believe papi is father, and I am a dad, so maybe it was something along those lines. How sweet.

On the trip home I felt a buzz from my phone in my pocket only a little after I left, which had me begging for lights to turn green. At home I first put Imani to bed, then got changed for bed myself before checking the message. The notification was from her, and it only hinted that what she sent was an image and an overlapping message saying ‘figured you’d miss me already, so here’s,’ cutting off from a display limit. It made my body warm and fingers pause before swiping to enter my pin. Since the last app I had open was the messaging app, I was already surprised by the present she left me. 

It’s an image of herself sitting in bed, with a finger tugging down at the center lining of her gown’s chest pocket. This move made the window into her cleavage much larger and especially more distracting.

She noticed that I had seen her image, and to that she continued to write. “Was that too much? I’m sorry!”

Something about her being both assertive yet unsure of her attractiveness reeled me in, and my fingers moved to express my thoughts without hesitation.

“Of course it was a lot to take in with how beautiful you are, but I am not complaining!”

It was all too cheesy, but there’s nobody but us to judge. That unfiltered cheesiness had us hypnotized till midnight, tapping away with messages to each other that walked a fine line between teasing and deep desires.