Daddy's Love novel Chapter 36

I carry Ana downstairs to see Chris feeding Carol pancakes and I have not seen either of them look happier in a long time. Grey doesn't look as pale and seems to have gained some colour again. He is laughing at her silly antics.

"Who wants to go for some ice creams?" I ask. Chris looks at me, smile slowly fading off his face.

Both the girls squeal and jump.

"Ana won't go." He states.

"But daddy.... " She whines.

"Ana will go." I retort. "She has been having a bad day. Ice creams will cheer her up." I add more gently.

For a second, I think, Grey's going to get into a fight again, but then he slumps back down in his chair, like he doesn't even have the energy to fight anymore.

"Ana can go if she wants, without her daddy." He says, almost expecting Ana to go.

Ana gets down from my arms and runs to hug her daddy.

"I don't want to go anymore." She mutters close to his chest. Carol looks crest fallen.

"Grey, I am sorry." I tell him. He looks up at me, from Ana's hair.

"Thank you for all that you have done for Ana and me. Please leave now."

He says gently. I feel like I have been punched in the gut. I hold Carol's hand and help her get up and then we leave.

We walk back home in tears and sulk all day, the both of us. Later in the evening I see Ana and Chris walking back home. Ana has balloons and was eating an ice cream but did not look half as happy as she was with us together in the morning. Grey looks ill.

I look at Carol, slumped on the dining table. I decide to go back to his place and confront him. This cannot go on. All four of us are perishing without each other.

I ask Carol to go watch TV for a bit while I come from Grey's. She nods trying not to smile.

I knock on his door. He opens it, and gives me a quizzical look. Ana is almost asleep in his arms and I don't want to speak lest my voice wakes her up.