Page 91 of Tides and Tidings

“Oh shit!” I threw myself down next to Charlie and threw my discarded T-shirt back on.

Blythe

Wren was on her way in here. There was a soft knock at the door.

“Wrenny?” I called back calmly.

The door opened slowly and Wren poked her head around. “Hi.”

Her eyes were watery and her face was red. Charlie immediately took notice. “What’s wrong?”

“I had a bad dream.” Her bottom lip quivered as she made her way to the foot of our bed.

“What was your dream about?” Charlie’s face softened.

Wren shook her head as another tear fell.

I could feel Charlie was putting on his boxers underneath the covers. There’s nothing quite like a kid barging in to snap you out of your post-sex bliss.

“Why don’t we go downstairs and you can tell me about your dream.” I offered.

Wren climbed up the bottom of the bed and sat in between us. Her eyes were low. “In my dream Birdie didn’t want to be my mommy.”

My heart squeezed. I held my arms out for her. “Come here.” She climbed into my lap and nuzzled her head in the crook of my neck. “That was just a silly dream. You know I love you, right?”

Wren nodded. “You’re sure you want to be my mommy? My last one didn’t like me and left. I don’t want you to leave me, Birdie.”

Charlie sat up and made quick eye contact with me. “Little Bird, that’s not true at all. Where did you hear that?”

“That’s what the kids at school said.”

“Little fuckers.” Charlie mumbled under his breath. Anger brewing under the surface of his calm demeanor.

I brushed her hair out of her face. “Don’t listen to those kids. They don’t know what they’re talking about.”

“Then why did she leave?” Wren challenged.

I looked to Charlie for help. I wasn’t prepared to have this conversation. I had my own poor opinions on Wren’s mom and wasn’t about to impose those on a six-year-old.

“She just didn’t want to be with Daddy anymore,” Charlie responded.

Wren sat up. “It didn’t have anything to do with me?”

We both shook our heads. Even after all this time, they were still in the process of healing.

Wren wrapped her arms around my neck. “You promise you won’t leave us?”

“I would never leave you both. You’re my heart.” I paused. “Who else would I talk about the ocean with?”

That got a small smile out of her. “Could we watch the next episode now?”

“Sweetheart, it’s the middle of the night.” Charlie countered.

“You guys weren’t asleep and now I’m awake too.”

I bit back a smile. “Want to cuddle up and we can watch it in bed?”

Her messy curls bounced as she nodded.