Damaged Beyond Repair by Kashmira Kamat (KittyKash) (ebook reader below 3000 .txt) 📖

Dwight was envious that I'd been allowed to live my life the way I wanted and he was forced to crush his dreams and to oblige to father's wishes.

"Hey!" I said. "How was your trip?"

"Good." Dwight responded, "Minnie was such a good girl on the flight, it's almost a miracle." There was some sarcasm in the last line.

"What did she do?"

"All I can say is that your daughter is the reincarnation of Lilith." Dwight said.

"I don't believe that." I glanced at Minnie, her chocolate brown eyes which were similar to mine stared back me, so innocent, so pure. "What trouble did you cause your uncle, sweetie?"

"Noffin." She said guiltily.

"Mom sends you regards. Minnie Mouse and I are going to be here for a week so I'll stop by each day."

"Are you here to see me or am I a quick stop between one of your business conferences?"

"Don't flatter yourself, Rowan. Of course it was a business trip, and I though since you are here, why not take Minnie along. You know, killing two birds with one stone." Dwight said, avoiding eye contact. Dwight was a bad liar.

"By the way, you need to tell Alana to keep her teenage hormones in check." Dwight said softy.

"What the hell does that mean?" I asked.

"She's been hanging often with that blonde cat, Gabriel. As long as you're here, I can't guarantee you what could happen back there. And he is one hot beefcake. I'd hit on him if I had a female set."

"Doesn't matter." I sighed. "I broke up with Alana yesterday, so she can do whatever the fuck she wants. And are you even supposed to tell me that? I thought you guys were best friends or something."

I didn't know why I was starting to sound so angry, when it had been me who had ended things.

Dwight stared at me like I was on crack. "What have I missed?"

I narrated him everything that had happened yesterday, Dwight seemed shocked to learn that Alana had flew all the way here to see me. I left out the part where we almost had sex in the car.

"That's a dick move."

"I don't need your opinion. I know I did the right thing."

"So, what do you want me to do?" Dwight asked me.

"I want you to keep an eye on her." I said and felt guilty the second it slipped out of my mouth. "She is still young and stupid. I don't want Alana to get into trouble or find someone who would take advantage of her innocence. God forbid, if something happens to her while I'm gone...I would never..."

"I'll protect her with my life. That's my promise." Dwight said, and the sincerity in his eyes told me he meant it.

"Daddy, I made you a card." Minnie interrupted our conversation.

Minnie reached for the little bag pack, opened it and retrieved a large card. I took the card from her. "I made it on the pane. The lady gave me cayoons."

"Thank you so much, baby." The card was scribbled in colorful round scribbles. "This is such a great drawing. Is it donuts?"

Her face fell. "Flowers, Daddy." She responded as if to say 'Daddy you're so stupid.'

"Oh, yeah. How did I not notice?" Sometimes Minnie's drawings were like a classified code that needed deciphering.

I opened the card and it was decorated with stars and hearts, written in baby handwriting was.

I MISS YOU DADDY. GET WELL SOON.

"This is the best gift ever, baby cakes, thank you."

"You're welcome." Those were the manners I taught her. Her smile radiated happiness.

"Come on, my friends want to meet you." I told her as I picked her up and carried her upstairs while Dwight settled in one of the push chairs in the waiting area. It was television time so most of them were gathered in the leisure room. Everyone seemed very glad to meet Minnie; it almost felt like I had walked into the room with a ray of light. Victor, the heroin addict who'd been sulking in his room for some reason, also joined us in the leisure room. Uncle Hansen, (It's what he insisted her to call him) carried her to his room. She returned with a little creepy eyed doll in her hand.

"Hansen, it's your daughters. You can't give it to her." I turned to Minnie. "Baby, you should return it back to Uncle Hansen. It's his daughters, sweetie."

Minnie's mouth curled into a little pout. "But I wansh."

"It's alright." Hansen waved a dismissive hand towards me. "My daughter visits often, plus she lives just an hour away."

An hour later, the warden said visitation time was over and so I reluctantly took Minnie downstairs with a large rock weighing over my chest. I knew how this was going to play out and yet I hadn't been prepared beforehand. Dwight appeared to be leafing through a stack of magazines. He took her back from my arms before she had time to protest but, she was my daughter, so she saw right through the scheming.

She raised her hand in my direction, reaching out to me once again. "Uncle Dwigh, can I stay wid daddy today?"

"Come back tomorrow, okay, cupcake?" I told her. "Daddy will give you a present."

Minnie's lower lip quickened as she murmured, "I wansh to stay wid daddy." she reached out for me once again with her tiny hands.

"We are coming tomorrow, babe. Promise." Dwight told her.

"Noooooooo....." She smacked Dwight on the face, threw back her head and wailed loudly, loud enough for Megan to come rushing towards inside the room.

I knew he was just trying to be funny with a last minute joke since he was aware how hard this was for me. My heart hurt as he walked farther away, taking my girl away from me. The wailing continued until Dwight disappeared, out of ear-shot.

Megan patted my shoulder softly in that affectionate way of hers. "You're doing this for her, alright? Don't regret it for even one second, son, this is just a phase. It won't last."

"Yeah." I wiped my wet cheeks, avoided her sympathetic stare and took off upstairs. I had some serious manly tears to shed in peace.