Uncomplicated 2.6: The little princess

Ever since I aged to adult, Pat (my old imaginary friend) has been "stuck aging", and The Maker can't figure out what to do about it. We got a creepy notification that he had to leave to be somewhere else. Then he got in the car and drove off.... completely invisible.

Once we get inside, the doorbell rings.

Addie goes upstairs to put Bonnie in her crib, and I autonomously answer the door since everyone else in this household appears to be otherwise busy.

It's Donovan Steele, and the only reason I know that is is that it shows up in the upper left hand corner box when he talks to me. He watches intently as Addie finishes going up the stairs, and I've half a mind to punch him in the face. If he seriously thinks he's getting her back, he'd better think again.

 The weeks pass, and Mom loves having a baby to take care of in the house.

I hear Dad mumbling about how Bonnie looks nothing like him. I guess he secretly hoped his genes would skip a generation since I look so much like Mom.

This dad thing is a lot easier than I feared it would be. Also, for once, Addie doesn't complain about me being up all night to write because I take care of the middle-of-the-night feedings.

After all, who can complain about such a sweet baby? Yes, she makes stenches rivaling that of her grandmother's, but she's still my little princess.

One night, I hear Addie quietly talking in our bathroom. I assume she's on the phone.

"Yes, but... No, I don't want it to be given to someone else. ... Yes, I understand that, but... I'll think about it."

When I go to check on her in a few minutes, I find her pretending to sleep in our bed.

Early one morning a few days later, she finds me trying my hand at making a few drinks since none of us have been able to do that before The Maker installed nightlife on the laptop.
"Not doing so hot, am I?" I ask Addie as she walks up to me.
"Doesn't look like it," she agrees.
"Good thing our livelihood doesn't depend on me being a bartender," I say laughingly.
"Speaking of livelihood... There's something about which I need to talk to you."
"What's that?"

I watch as the citronella torch behind me makes her light green eyes glow. She has a beautiful face, and I hope our daughter grows up to look just like her.
Finally deciding to say what she wants to say, she tells me, "I've been offered another job."
A safer one, I hope. "Really? Doing what?" I ask, thinking that it's just about time for her to go back to work.
"I'm doing a little undercover work in Champs les Sims."
"Champs les Sims? Undercover? Why undercover? And we don't have the right expansion pack installed on the laptop world we live on in order to go to Champs les Sims."
"I'm leaving the laptop."
I suddenly realize what she's not saying. "Wait a minute... What do you mean 'I'm'?"
"I mean just me," she says with only a trace hint of sadness.

She waits quietly for me to process the information, and my mood sours in direct correlation with my expression.
"You're saying you're leaving me." I pause a second. "You're leaving Bonnie?!"
How can a mother leave her child?
The sun begins its quick arrival while I watch her.

"I have to do this, Nick. Bonnie will have you and your parents."
"But no mother," I snarl at her, disgusted. If I ever thought Addie was selfish, now I'm certain.

"What could possibly be so important that you'd leave your own daughter?" I ask.
She doesn't answer my question. Instead, she starts crying. I watch her, too angered to attempt to comfort her.

"There's more I have to tell you before I go," she whines through her crying.
"More?" I ask incredulously. "Are you at least going to tell me why you have to leave?"
She doesn't answer my second question. "I have to tell you... I'm not positive you're Bonnie's father. I never should've said I was. Truth is, Donovan could just as easily be her father. In fact, I told him about my pregnancy before I told you, and he got nasty about it. I never thought he could be so mean. He told me he wanted nothing to do with me anymore, so I came to you."
Since the day we brought Bonnie home from the hospital, Donovan has been by a few more times. Each time, Addie has answered the door and slammed it in his face.
He wanted to look at Bonnie to see if she's his... to see if he could tell just by looking at her, I think with a sickening chill.

I take a deep, shuddering breath. "So, you're telling me that the daughter I deeply love might not even be my daughter, genetically speaking."
Addie sniffs and nods silently.
My heart breaks for Bonnie. "And you're leaving her with a man that might not be her father so you can go do some mysterious, all-important mission."

I continue. "That's tantamount to leaving her on a stranger's doorstep, Addie!" I yell.
"I can see if my sisters will take her," she whispers apologetically.
"No!" I yell again, making Addie jump. I normally have a good handle on my temper. "Absolutely not! How can you even think that's the real problem here? That I won't want her if it turns out she's not mine?! How can you even think that?" I ask again.
"I have to do this, Nick," she pleads, her eyes willing me to understand. It doesn't work.
"Fine! Go 'do this' then! But you're leaving Bonnie with me, not your sisters or anyone else."

And if Donovan should ever get into his head to try and take my daughter from me... I immediately make plans to find a lawyer.
Addie says some other, meaningless drivel that I pay no heed to before she leaves for the airport.

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Legacy notes: Addie really only stayed in the house for one day. I made it "weeks" for the story's sake.