The Ties That Bind Us: (The Ties Duet Part One) by Danda K. (chromebook ebook reader TXT) 📕

As he looks her way, she sticks her hand out expectantly. Jaxon rolls his eyes as he adjusts the baby in his arms to reach into his pocket. He takes out a hundred bucks and slaps it into the palm of her hand. Gelissa eyes the bill, unimpressed.

I know this girl’s game, and Jaxon better not fall for it.

Jaxon’s eyes narrow. “If there’s anything else you need for my daughter, let me know, and I’ll go pick it up personally. I’m not gonna be your personal bankroll, Gelissa.”

She glares daggers at him as she shuts the door.

Emersyn’s still staring at Jaxon like she’s memorizing him. I watch as he looks back at her again, adoringly. His eyes turn glassy, but this time happiness adorns his face. He straightens her hat and adjusts the bottom of her coat as he admires her, and it’s the most genuine exchange I’ve ever witnessed between a father and his daughter.

I take out my phone and snap a quick picture of them, knowing Jaxon would love to have this memory saved.

He finally speaks to her, bringing his eyes to meet hers. “Emersyn, I’m your da--”

All of a sudden, she sneezes right into his face, stunning him. He pulls his head back, and I spot the baby spit shining on his cheek from here. He stays frozen for a few seconds, blinking rapidly, until he finally wipes his face with the back of his hand.

He turns to me, and I’m trying, trying so hard to keep a straight face, but there’s no stopping the smile that pulls at my lips and the laughter that follows when Emersyn also starts belly laughing.

“Something funny, Nyx?” He looks at me with a raised eyebrow, and I cover my mouth with my hands to hide my smirk.

“I guess this sums up parenthood, huh?”

All three of us are laughing as we head back down the hall to take Emersyn to her new home for the next couple of days.

One YouTube tutorial later, Jaxon finally gets Emersyn buckled in, and we’re heading back to Coney Island. Other than the clicker when Jaxon switches lanes and the occasional noises coming from Emersyn in the back, the truck is filled with silence.

By the time we pull up to the house, Emersyn’s fast asleep holding a pink polka dot blanket and stuffed unicorn. We park in the garage, and Jaxon carefully unbuckles her to carry her to her little bed.

When he comes out of the room, he drops her coat and hat over one of the kitchen chairs and rummages through the shopping bags from Target. “Wow, I didn’t realize I bought so much stuff.” He takes out a few sippy cups and examines them.

“I’m pretty sure you just paid Target’s entire electric bill for the month.” I furrow my brows at the pillow he bought.

“You do know those are for breastfeeding, right?” I point to the U-shaped pillow.

He raises his eyebrow. “I thought it was like an innovative way for kids to sleep, like one of those body pillows.” He shrugs and continues to go through the bags.

I crinkle my nose. “Yeah...pretty sure it’s still a nursing pillow.”

There’s a little voice calling out from the second bedroom. Emersyn’s awake.

Jaxon turns to head to the room, but when he does, we find her already standing by the kitchen entrance with her blanket in her hand.

Emersyn yawns. “Mama, now.”

Jaxon kneels down on one knee, resting his forearm on his leg. “Mama’s not here, Emersyn. You’re gonna stay with me today.” He places her hand on his face. “Your daddy.”

As he picks her up and carries her into the kitchen, she immediately eyes all the toys and tries to reach for them. Jaxon grabs one and takes her into the living room so she can play.

I give them their space as they play for well over an hour. While they get to know each other, I prepare some turkey burgers and fries for dinner. I don’t know what a kid her age should eat, so I open a box of mac and cheese and start to boil the water.

We’re just taking the last bites of our burgers when we notice Emersyn rubbing her eyes and growing irritated. “I’m gonna put her pajamas on.” Jaxon stands up and carries her out of the kitchen. He comes back a few minutes later, and I hand him her sippy cup filled with milk.

It takes about an hour, but she’s finally down. Jaxon kept trying to rock her in his arms and read over ten books to get her to sleep.

Jaxon falls onto the bed, shirtless, and lies on his back, pulling the blanket over his body. It isn’t long before his chest is rising and falling steadily and light snores escape his lips. His grey sweatpants peek out through the covers as he adjusts his legs underneath.

I lie down next to him and pull the blanket up to my neck, feeling the warmth from his body through my white pajama shirt when he pulls me closer to him.

My eyes finally flutter closed when a scream tears through the house, coming from Emersyn’s room.

Jaxon jumps out of bed so fast he hits my head with his elbow in the process. He looks around the room frantically, confused about where the noise is coming from.

His eyes widen as he remembers his daughter in the other room and runs towards her. I stay rooted to the spot, the sound of her screaming bringing back familiar memories I don’t want to acknowledge.

I hear Jaxon try to soothe her in the other room. She seemed to be a pretty chill baby during the day, so I’m sure she’ll calm down soon. And if there’s anyone in the world who could talk down a person in distress, it’s Jaxon.

Thirty-eight

Jaxon

Why won’t she stop crying?

I’m doing everything possible to get her to calm down, but nothing’s working. I rocked her for twenty minutes and even