Chapter 9 Birthday Girl

• "Hello, Dad," his favorite cheerful voice resounded around his ears and he chuckled warmly. She still brings the light into his dark heart.
• "Hello, Princess." He called back and she giggled.
• "Did you forget what day today is?"
• "Did I now? Mhmm..." the man pretended to be lost in deep thought and the little girl just laughed harder. "What day is today?" He asked, causing her to laugh louder.
• "It's my birthday, you silly old goose!" She yelled between giggles.
• "She called me old. My own daughter called me old, oh what a life." This cracked the little girl up harder and she nearly tumbled over from her end.
• "But, you are old, my silly old goose, Daddy." She said between giggles.
• "My poor heart."
• "I know you didn't forget."
• "Of course, I wouldn't forget the birthday of my one beloved." Her laughter boomed and he smiled. "Happy sixth birthday, monkey." He finally said and she laughed.
• "Thank you, Daddy, but this monkey is getting bigger and bigger." She asserted as if he didn't already know that.
• "Where has the time gone? You were so little just yesterday." He feigned sadness and she tittered.
• "Yesterday?!"
• "Did I say yesterday?"
• "Oh, Daddy, I love you so very much."
• "And I love you much more." He felt his eyes sting with unwelcome tears and he just let them roll down his face.
• "Did you get me a present, Daddy?"
• "Yes, baby, as a matter of fact, it should be arriving at your doorstep in five, four, three, two, one...." The sound of the doorbell ringing echoed in his ears and his daughter's voice followed.
• "I'll get it!" With the phone still in her ears, she walked over to the door and opened it. A delivery man stood with a huge box smiling grandly at the jovial little girl.
• "Hi, my name is Peter. Are you, Miss Allison Rodriguez, please?"
• "Yes, please!" She replied cheerfully.
• "Well, then, your father said to make sure this gets to you specifically because he sent this little note and he requested that you return it to him." The man told her before pulling out an envelope and handing it over to the girl. She took it and immediately dipped her hand into her jacket pocket and retrieved her own little note.
• "Here you go." She handed it over then grabbed her box and walked back into the house, shutting the door. "Mom!" She called loudly, causing the unprepared Alexander to jolt as her voice pierced through his eardrums.
• "Geez, baby, trying to make your father deaf, are we?" He asked and she laughed.
• "Mom!" She called again and once Alexander heard her voice in the background his heart skipped a few beats.
• "Yes, honey, I'm coming, I'm coming."
• She sounded as cheerful as her daughter. She was really happy, why wouldn't she be, her wedding is just a few days away so of course, she's the Queen Bee once again.
• "Where did that box come from?" She asked her daughter once she caught sight of her struggling with a huge box.
• "It's my present from my Daddy."
• "Michael?"
• "Ew, no, mom, it's from my real Daddy, I don't like Michael anymore. He yells at me when you're not looking, he is a bad man."
• Those words pierced through Alexander's chest like a flying arrow and just then he wanted to see that asshole and punch him into unconsciousness for even daring to raise his rotten voice at his daughter.
• "I have told you not to speak like that about Michael. We are getting married in a few days and he will become your father too."
• "Evil stepfather." The little girl grumbled with a frown. "I want my Daddy!" She fought and Alexander needed to calm her down.
• "Hey, Princess, I'm right here, let's go open our present, okay, don't think unhappy thoughts, my angel, it's your birthday."
• She nodded as if the man was present in the room.
• "Okay, Daddy," she whispered into the phone, her eyes returning to her mother's. "Please, help me move the box to my room." Grunting in annoyance Maria picked the box up and carried it down the foyer while Allison ran behind her. "Daddy, can you guess what cake I'm having for my birthday?" Alexander laughed, of course, he knew what cake she often had.
• "Kitkat cake." He answered and she nodded again.
• "It's my favorite in the whole wide world."
• "I know that, honey," Alexander replied. He could almost picture her ever-smiling face standing right there in front of him. He has really missed her.
• "Are you alright, Daddy?" She asked, feeling the shift in his mood. Alexander needed to control his emotions so he didn't agitate his little girl.
• "I'm great, baby, I was only thinking how fast time flies and just now you're six, I can still picture you in your little totes boots and diapers crawling all over the place." That made her laugh and Alexander breathed a sigh of relief.
• In the room now, Maria dropped the box and asked if she needed help opening it but she said no and ushered her mother out of the room.
• "Um, Daddy?" She asked and Alexander answered with an 'Mn' "I want you to watch me open my present." Immediately, Alexander switched the call to a video call and she then found her special spot and placed the phone down. "Ready?" She asked and Alexander nodded while humming 'Happy Birthday to his daughter as she unwrapped her gift. Once the gift was undone, the little girl stood there in awe at her new dollhouse. It was perfect, with six rooms, all furnished, a swimming pool, a car park with three beautiful cars, it has a game room, a music room with her favorite instruments, a gold guitar, a drum set, a violin, and a piano, a sparkling round disco ball light sprinkled colors all over the music room. When she turned to meet her father's eyes, she had tears rolling down her flushed cheeks. "I love it, Daddy, thank you so much!"
• "Anything for my little girl." He replied then winked at her. "I'm glad you liked your present."
• "I love it but I love you more."
• "Please, baby, if Michael has been mean to you, tell me immediately, okay."
• She shook her head and smiled. "He hasn't been mean, he just yells at me when I'm too loud or playing around him or when mommy isn't in the room, I think he doesn't like kids."
• "Still, baby, promise me you will tell me."
• "I promise." She pulled her pinky forward and frowned when she realized she couldn't join it with that of her fathers'. "I promise, Daddy." She whispered, slowly returning the pinky to her side.
• "That's my good girl, now go have fun at your party, I'm sure your mother is throwing you a big one."
• "I don't like parties, it's always too loud and has too many kids I don't even know and most of them are obnoxiously loud." She hissed and Alexander chuckled. "I just want to eat dinner with you and mommy on my birthdays, not have parties but mommy likes throwing them so I want to make her happy. She spends way too much money."
• Alexander laughed loudly. She sounded just like him. "You know your mother well." He couldn't stop laughing, they both did. "Go have a blast, baby girl, and do not get into trouble, okay."
• "I won't, I'm a good girl."
• "Yes, you are." Alexander cheered and she giggled. "I love you, Allie."
• "Allie loves you more."
• Their call came to an end and he slumped into his bed, his heart content. His phone vibrated beside him and he picked it up and smiled when he saw the caller.
• "Well, tell me she loved her present?"
• Alexander chuckled. "Yes, East, she did, and thank you for buying that for her." He appreciated.
• "Hey, it's nothing, you would do the same for me too," Easton replied, he didn't want his best friend getting all emotional. "I have got news, my friend."
• "Really?" Alexander asked eagerly.
• "Yes, a friend of mine who runs his own finance company with over one hundred and fifty employees is hiring. His PA is hospitalized and he needs a replacement as soon as possible. I put in a few words in your favor and you have an interview on Monday, buddy."
• "Wow, sounds amazing, East, thank you so much for always looking out for me."
• "Hey, it's nothing, and stop thanking me so much, I didn't give you my left kidney, geez!" They both laughed. "Just score this interview and get this job, you will be right back on track in no time."
• "Thank you again."
• "Ahh!" He heard the other groaning from the other end and he chortled. "Enough with the thank yous already and don't you dare say sorry to me."
• "Sorry."
• "Fucker, Goodbye Xander." The phone beeped and he fell into his bed once again with a huge grin plastered on his face like he was born that way. He hadn't tasted alcohol since the last time Easton visited and he has started to eat normally and healthy again. His daughter is happy and he may just be getting a job on Monday. Maybe things will look up soon for him. His mother and father are doing very well on their end as well.
• A message came through his phone and he opened it to read. It was Easton, he had sent him the address to the company and time for the interview.
• Maybe, life isn't so bad after all.
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