HIRAETH

Nineteen

"Aurelia, please tell me you didn't just write on my wall with your marker." I heard Sebastian say as I walked in the living room. I had over slept and just woke up.

"But dad, the white paint is so boring. It hurts my eyes." Aurelia says and I can't help but laugh a little. Sebastian hears me and turns around to look at me. He is stiffling a laugh himself.

"Aurelia," I say in my best tough voice," you know you aren't supposed to draw on the walls." I cross my arms for effect. Sebastian has completely turned around so that Aurelia doesn't see him laughing.

"Am I in trouble?" Aurelia asks, her bottom lip quivers and my tough act is over.

"Oh no, don't cry." I say quickly. "You really do know better than to draw on the walls though, baby. Why would you do that?" I ask, laughing a little.

"The white really is boring." She replies, she's quiet since she knows she shouldn't have done it.

"I agree. White is boring, but since we don't technically own the apartment, we can't paint it either. So, let's get this cleaned up so we can go to the park." I say, smiling when she finally perks up and volunteers to get the soap and rag. I love that little girl.

"You handled that well." Sebastian said, still smiling from laughing earlier.

"It's just a little bit of marker. Nothing to get too bent out of shape over." I say as I give him a quick hug and a kiss.

"Mimi? Did you just kiss my daddy?" Fuck.

Sebastian and I both look at the little girl staring at us.

"Uh-" I look at Sebastian as I try to think of something to say.

"Yeah, baby she did." Sebastian smiles.

"Why?" Aurelia asks.

"Well, that's actually what we were going to talk about when we go to the park, but I guess we could talk about it now." Sebastian says, he looks at me and gives my hand a slight squeeze before walking to Aurelia and picking her up.

Here we go.

We sit on the couch with Aurelia between us.

"Aurelia, do you remember when you asked me why we didn't live with mom- I mean, Alexia?" Sebastian asked her and she nodded her head.  "Do you remember I told you that we didn't get along or like each other very much so it would be better if we didn't live together?" Aurelia nods again.

"Well, me and Madelaine like each other very much. So, we decided to be really good friends at first and now we feel like we are more than friends." Sebastian says and I wonder if he's explaining it in the best way.

"So, Mimi is your girlfriend?" Aurelia asks.

Sebastian looks to me, "Well, are you okay with me being your dad's girlfriend?" I ask her, those big blue eyes meet mine and my heart melts all over again.

"Are you still going to stay with me a lot and paly with me?" Aurelia asks me.

"Of course!" I say. " I will probably be here more actually." I smile at her.

"Okay!" She says and jumps off the couch, running to her room.

Sebastian and I look at each other, confused before Aurelia comes back into the living room holding a piece of paper.

"Here, Mimi. This is for you." She says as she hands me the paper.

I turn it around and Aurelia had drawn a picture of herself with Sebastian and I on either side of her.