The Hardest Part Is Letting Go Of Your Dreams

When we pull apart from the kiss Frank cups my face in his hands. "Are you really really sure baby?" He asks and I smile and nod before saying "I miss you when you're not around." Frank smiles wide and nuzzles his face into my neck. "I
miss you too baby, so fucking much. I can't wait to have you home, the apartment is so empty and horrible without you and Rubes there." We cuddle closer to each other and drift off to sleep, a huge smile on both our faces. When I wake up the next morning I climb out from under Franks arms and pull on some pyjama pants, leaving Frank asleep in bed as I go into the kitchen for coffee. Once I've made a cup I go into the living room and sit next to Ruby who's already there watching tv. "Morning baby" I say and she says "Shh daddy" not taking her eyes off the tv. I hear a laugh from the doorway and I look over to see Frank smiling at us looking very amused. I flip him off and turn back to look at her. "Ruby, that's very rude" I try again and she turns her head and frowns at me, huffing out an angry little breath before saying "Daddy shut up." I stare at her in shock before collecting myself and saying "Right that's it, no
more tv" reaching out and grabbing the remote, turning the tv off. "Daddy" she whines and I say "No Ruby that's very naughty, you don't talk to daddy like that ever again." Anger flashes across her little face before she screams out and throws herself on the floor, thrashing around screaming, throwing one hell of a tantrum. I sit there watching in shock and Frank walks over and leans down, picking her up with much difficulty, her body still thrashing around. "Ruby stop it right now " he tells her firmly but it does no good, her screaming getting louder so he carries her from the room saying "Right time out then." When he comes back in he's alone and I look over at him, asking "What the hell just happened?" He shakes his head and says "Shes growing up babe."

The next day Ruby and I move back home and Ruby spends the whole day sulking and not wanting anything to do with me or Frank. Late in the afternoon we have finally finished moving all our stuff and Frank is in the kitchen making dinner. I'm sitting on the couch watching tv and mindlessly sketching when Ruby comes into the room and stands infront of me. "What's up Rubes?" I ask, waiting to see if she'll talk to me. "Geegee I broke my dolly." I stare at her for a second, shocked, before saying "Geegee? Aren't I your daddy anymore?" She shrugs her shoulders and I sigh before saying "Go get your doll then and I'll have a look at it." She runs out of the room and I get up and rush into the kitchen, tears streaming down my face. "Babe what's wrong?" Frank asks and I sob out what just happened. "Oh babe it's alright" he says softly, wrapping his arms around me. "She's just a baby still, she doesn't really know what she's saying." I nod and pull back, wiping my eyes before turning and going back into the living room. Ruby comes in a second later with her doll, the arm pulled off it, handing it over to me and I pop the arm back into place and hand it back. "Thank you Geegee." "You're welcome Ruby." She turns around and runs out of the room and I feel like crying again. Frank calls us for dinner and when I walk in to the kitchen Ruby is already sitting at the table. "Want some juice Ruby?" Frank asks and she nods and says "Yes please daddy." I grit my teeth against the urge to throw my own tantrum and dinner passes in complete silence from
me. After dinner Ruby brings her barbies into the living room and says "Will you play with me?" I look at Frank and he smiles back before turning to Ruby and saying "Sure baby" sliding off the couch and sitting on the floor with her. I watch them play for a little while before Ruby crawls over and rubs her head against my leg. "Meow" she says, pretending to be a cat. "Meow" she says again, climbing up on the couch next to
me and rubbing her head against my arm. I resist the urge to push her away and she giggles and says "I'm a cat Geegee." "I see that" I say and she crawls over, half laying in my
lap and purring. I sigh and give in, rubbing my hand over her back, pretending to pat her. She giggles again before sitting up and saying "I'm Ruby again." "Oh good" I say and she giggles and climbs into my lap, making herself comfortable. "Geegee can we watch Nemo?" "Sure" I tell her and Frank goes over and puts it on before coming back and sitting on the couch next to us. Twenty minutes later Ruby is asleep against my chest, snoring softly and Frank leans over and gently strokes her hair, looking at me and saying "Don't take it too seriously babe, I'm sure tomorrow you'll be daddy again." I sigh and nod my head before Frank stands up and takes Ruby off my lap, carrying her into her bedroom. When he comes back he says "So, we should celebrate you being back here again" winking at me and I smirk and say "You wanna have a party?" He smiles at me before walking over and scooping me up into his arms, carrying me bridal style to the bedroom growling in my ear "Yeah we're gonna go wild and trash the bed" nipping my ear and making me groan lowly.

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