But I Am The Keeper

She's A Warrior In Training

Ryder’s POV

Raylee- Age 9

"Ready for training, sweetheart?" Raylee had finally started a weekly schedule of defense classes.

"Yeah, Just. Trying. To. Put. On. My shoes."

I walked over to her to see the source of her distress.

"I think it's time we went shopping for new shoes for you, don't you think?"

"No dad. It. Will. Fit."

I silently watched on as she struggled, for several minutes, to fit into shoes that she had clearly outgrown.

I glanced down at my watch. “Lee, it’s been 5 minutes now, you’ll be late.”

“But daddy...” she whined. “These are my favorite sneakers.”

“Then we’ll just get another pair for you.”

“No, it’s not the same. Uncle Josh told me I can only become a great fighter if I wear these.”

There we go again. I could not believe my ears, for a few months now, everything had been Uncle Josh. Uncle Josh this, Uncle Josh that. What, did Josh brainwash my daughter?

I briefly stepped away from Raylee to ring him up.

“Hey Josh, I need you to talk to Lee...”

I glanced over at her still sitting on the floor in front of the door, then down at my watch.

“I’ve been home for nearly 10 minutes now waiting for her to put on her sneakers.”

“Which ones, the purple ones?”

“Yes, the ones Alli bought her that she hated and all of a sudden, after YOU told her to wear them, they are now her favorite sneakers.” I swear children and swizzle chairs have a lot in common.

“What’s wrong with them?”

“She’s adamant they will fit, when it’s quite obvious they wouldn’t, and for some reason, nothing else is good enough to be worn."

Josh broke into a fit of laughter. “Like father, like daughter.”

*Stupze* I rolled my eyes, clearly maturity has nothing to do with age. “Josh, I’m serious.” I pleaded, refusing to give a second thought to the connotation of his statement. “So, will you talk to her?”

After several seconds of convincing him, he finally agreed.

“Thanks Josh… and while you are at it, put in a good word for me… Let her know how great her dad is.”

“Hmm, I’m not sure if I could do that part.”

“What, why?”

“She is too smart, she’ll see straight through my lies.” And there he went again with his boisterous laughter that echoed through the phone. I was all too tempted to disconnect the call, but unfortunately, I was way too desperate for his help, so I allowed it to slide.

I sucked it up, biting my lip to subdue my rising temper.

'In through your nose, out though your mouth, in through your nose, out though your mouth.'

'Thanks Liam, much better.' I linked within to my wolf.

Plastering on a big broad smile, I approached Lee. “Guess who is on the phone?”

“Uncle Josh?” She squealed. Duh, of course she would have guessed it correctly.

I enthusiastically nodded, but truthfully, I was dying on the inside. Was she no longer a daddy's girl?

I handed her the phone and went to the backyard where Allison had been hanging out some clothes.

“Hey babe.” Hugging her from behind, I planted a kiss in the crock of her neck, directly on her mark, my permanent reminder to the world that she's mine.

She arched back a bit, her bumper brushing against my crotch as she released a faint moan. “Honey, what are you trying to do to me?” She briefly paused, turning around to face me. “Are you trying to make another child because you are no longer Lee’s favorite.”

“Please don’t remind me.” I sighed as I glanced back into the house, through the window, having a clear view of a beaming Raylee on the phone.

“Just give it time. You know it’s because she misses her Uncle. He’s been gone for 6 months now.” Allison tried to be of comfort, cupping my face in her soft, delicate hands as her thumbs gently caressed my cheeks.

“Dad, I’m ready!" Lee shouted from inside, interrupting this blissful moment I was indulging in.

With my habitual sigh, I stared into Alli's beautiful hazel eyes. "That’s my cue, see you this evening.”

She tiptoed, pecking my lips. “Bye love. See you later.”

I walked in and much to my surprise, there was Raylee, all dressed and ready to go, in her red track pants, white game shirt and... another pair of sneakers??

“Where did you get those from?”

“I always had these. Mom bought them when those ones became too small.”

I stared at her puzzled for a while, so all of a sudden, she acknowledged that they were too small.

“Let me guess…. Uncle Josh told you they were too small?”

“No, I always knew they were too small, I didn’t need to be told that.” She lightly chuckled. “I didn't like them at first, but then Uncle Josh told me, when you were growing up, you had some purple sneakers just like them, then he said, if I wore them, I could be a great warrior just like you when I grow up, so that why I only wanted to wear them.."

My eyes widened in shock.. ‘like me? She wore them because she wanted to be like her daddy?’ I felt a tear pricking the corner of my eyes. “You mean, the ones you hated became your favourite sneakers because daddy had a pair like them, and you wore them so you could be just like me?” I just wanted to be sure I was not fabricating this memereble moment.

“Yes, but then Uncle Josh told me just now, it was your heart that made you great, not the shoes, and he said, I already had a heart like yours.” She flashed me one of the brightest smiles I’ve ever seen in my life, besides my wife’s own, of course, then she walked out the door.

I stood glued in my place for some time, at a total loss for words.

I was still my daughter’s favorite and she was still daddy’s little girl. I was overwhelmed with a sense of euphoria, basking in my joy.

“Dad!? Are you coming? I can’t afford to be late.”

Beaming from ear to ear, my words floated from my lips. "I'm coming."

We finally reached the training facility, with a few minutes left to spare.

“How is my favorite warrior doing today?” Dave lifted my daughter into his arms, giving her a quick twirl, before taking her into the boxing ring.

He practically ignored my existence… as usual. Raylee was everyone's favorite, but I didn't care because I was hers.

“Alright Ray, remember what I thought you last Sunday?”

She nodded, her two puffs shaking with the motion.

“Well, we are going to combine that with what you learnt the week before, ok?”

I watched as Raylee's form took on a different persona, her little face conveyed that she meant business.

"Ready!?" Dave growled, preparing to engage in the day's lesson.

Like a proud father, I smiled as I watched her skillfully manoeuvring to dodge some of the advances of Dave.

I reminisced about my first experience. I was much older, 18 to be exact. I remember how, because I rejected Allison back then, Liam gave me hell to train.

'The good old days.' Liam chuckled. 'I really was a rebel in my prime.'

'Was? You mean you've changed?' That was enough to silence him.

"Ouch!"

I was immediately yanked from my thoughts as my eyes flicked to see Raylee on the floor, clutching her side. I was ready to run to her aid, just like I had done at her first few training sessions, but Dave quickly mindlinked me, with three simple words. 'Don't. You. Dare.' It was a low, deep, dangerous growl and I read him loud and clear.

"Remember, never turn your back on your opponent, Ray." Dave extended his hand to help her up. "Now watch me again and then you try."

He stepped forward and leapt into the air, shooting his foot out as he descended.

"Now, your turn."

She did a splendid replication of his moves and I am not saying so just because she's my daughter.

After training, ice-cream was the evening's treat. Her favorite, just like her daddy. Cookies and Cream.