Lyon
Chapter 129

I finally went upstairs and knocked on my little princess’s door.

“You got a minute?”

“Hi daddy.” I know she was pissed at me but my girl was still sweet to her old man.

“Baby, why didn’t you tell me the kids at school were bothering you?” She started pulling at her comforter and avoiding my eyes.

“Caitie bear?”

“I don’t know daddy, I thought I could take care of it myself. I didn’t want to make a big deal about it”

“Did any of them ever put their hands on you?”

“No daddy I promise, I would’ve told you or mom.”

“Okay then, who did you tell?”

“I told the teacher but she said it was nothing that they were just playing around.”

“You want to tell daddy what they were saying to you?” I sat on her bed and hugged her shoulder. It f****d with my head that this had been going on and I knew nothing about it, that shit was scary.

It reminded me of all those books I used to read when she was first born. All the shows I used to watch about the f****d up shit people were capable of doing to each other.

I promised myself back then that I would have the kind of relationship with my kids where they could always come to me. As far as I could tell a lot of that shit could’ve been avoided if parents were more approachable and kids had more strength of character. Two things I’d thought I’d been on top of but was obviously very wrong.

“They called me names, you know”

“No I don’t know, I wasn’t there and you didn’t tell me.” She finally caught on to the tone in my voice, and her eyes flew to mine. Just like her mother as soon as she thinks I’m mad at her about something she tears up.

“I’m sorry daddy I just didn’t want to worry you and the teacher said it was nothing.”

“Caitlin, I’m your father, I was your father before you ever set foot in a school. I’ve raised you to trust me but obviously you don’t because you didn’t come to me with this and that worries me.”

“How am I supposed to trust you? It’s give and take princess; if I know that you will come to me or your mother with any problem you have then I have no problem giving you more freedom. But if you’re gonna start keeping things from me then I can’t trust you. Don’t cry, come ‘ere.”

“I’m sorry daddy I didn’t mean to make you mad.”

“I’m not mad, just a little hurt that you didn’t think you could trust me.”

“I won’t do it again I promise.” I looked down at her wishing I could fight all her battles for her, knowing that I couldn’t. That’s what the books can’t teach you, how to feel.

“I can’t punish you for making what you thought was the right decision but I can’t reward you right now either. I came in here to tell you it was okay to see your little friend after I’ve vetted him and of course there will be some rules to follow.”

“But I’m going to hold off on that for now until you understand why you were wrong not to come to me with this. We talked about this, remember the kid last summer that hung herself in the closet because of bullying?” She nodded her head in silence.

“She thought she could handle it too. You messed up baby, I know you weren’t thinking along those lines but that’s not what this is about. You’re supposed to come to me with this stuff no matter how big or small.”

“You’re the child, I’m the parent it’s my job, my responsibility to keep you safe. I can’t do that if I don’t know what’s going on.” I didn’t wait to hear what she had to say if anything. That shit hurt, knowing that some little f**k had messed with my girl. Of course first thing Monday morning it’s going to be the teacher’s a*s.

Kat was in our room waiting for me.

“Did you know?”

“No the boys just told me.”

“Don’t look like that I’ll handle it.”

“I want to go kick their asses.”

“Way ahead of you babe.”

“Colt you can’t go after kids.”

“I give a f**k, they old enough to know words hurt they old enough to take my foot up their a*s for f*****g with my kid. I’d burn that f**k to the ground if I replace out they hit my kid.”

“I don’t think it got that far. Aiden and Quint said that it was just words. But she was in her room crying Colt and I didn’t even know. Some mother I am.”

“Don’t start that shit, I didn’t know either and I’ll be f****d if I’m a bad dad. This one was on your daughter; she shoulda come to us. Don’t roll your eyes, that’s some Kat Lyon shit right there, she didn’t get it from me.” I was trying to ward off the tears I saw gathering in her eyes. I’ve had enough of that shit for one day.

Kat had hired Carol to work with her at her firm after the twins were born because she’d decided that she preferred to stay home with the kids. Anything happens she takes it personally like she’d failed because she was the one who’d stayed home.

I keep telling her that’s a shit f**k way to think but she never listens. She’s going to stress over this news now for the next couple of weeks, which is only going to f**k with my head.

“Daddy.” Shit, it’s the spawn that’s all I need to round this shit out.

“Yes Catalina?”

“How come Caitie can have a boyfriend and I can’t?” What the f**k?

“Say what now?” She walked over and sat in her mother’s lap thumb in her mouth.

“You heard me daddy.” F*****g Elena reincarnated, except the other one was still with us, I don’t know how that shit works.

“Your sister does not have a boyfriend and even if she did you can’t have one because you’re five.”

“Hah, I got three.”

This one is going to put me in the grave for sure.

“Three Catalina, are you sure?”

“Yes mommy I’m sure.” Oh Kat thought this shit was funny. She was fighting hard not to laugh while I wanted to pull every hair out of my head.

“Well what’re their names?”

“Okay Josh is my play boyfriend he likes to play on the swings with me aaaannnnndd Brian is my homework boyfriend he does all my homework if I forget.” F**k me my daughter is a player.

“And then there’s Cris he’s my boyfriend- boyfriend because we hold hands and stuff, he’s seven.”

“HE’S WHAT?”

“Daddy don’t yell, grandpa Dan says only scrubs yell at women. What does that mean?”

“Your grandpa need to lay off the pipe.” I mumbled that shit under my breath and waited to hear what else my little darling had to say.

“So see I have three whole boyfriends.”

“Kat you better look into homeschooling for this one too.”

“Colt the kids aren’t going to be homeschooled sheesh.”

“Daddy can I have my.”

“No whatever it is no.”

“But you didn’t let me finish?”

“What is it pumpkin?” I could feel one of my parent headaches coming on. This kid!

“Can I have a ring here like mommy?” She pointed to her navel.

“For the love ofgo to bed Catalina.”

“It’s not bedtime yet silly it’s the weekend I get to stay up a whole hour more you said.”

My shit has come back to bite me in the a*s.