Let's Make Up

I Do

Avery asked Molly to help her pick out a movie and chatted with her incessantly the entire time they were out. They decided on Sleeping Beauty because the princess obsessed girl had, surprisingly, never seen it since her mom told her that it was basically the same story as Snow White. Molly explained to her it wasn't, and that it was one of her favorites when she was a kid. They also picked up popcorn, mint cream filled chocolates and an assorted tub of colorful chewy candies.

"That's quite a bit here, make sure you don't spoil your dinner." John said as he placed everything down on the counter for the cashier

"I won't!" Avery told him, thinking that all the treats would be much more exciting than dinner anyway since she'd be going back to her mom's.

They got settled in the living room and he closed the curtains so that there wouldn't be any glare on the TV screen. Avery said she felt like they were really in a movie theater. She sat between the adults and made herself cozy with a blanket, but switched a lot between laying on either one of them at different times. John was inwardly very pleased with how comfortable his daughter was with the first woman he'd ever introduced her to. He had gone on a few dates in the past, but nothing ever came of them, and he never felt the need to bring those women up to Helen or get them familiarized with his daughter.

John zoned out while watching the movie, as he wasn't really the target audience, and realized he heard sniffling.

"What's wrong?" He whispered, after looking over to see Molly blinking away tears.

Her eyebrows were down and she told him the movie was different for her now that she was an adult. She got up to get some tissues and compose herself, so John followed her, telling his daughter that he'd be right back.

"Are you okay though?"

Having just watched the scene where the king and queen let their baby stay with the three good fairies until the age of 16, Molly choked on her words. "I just can't imagine giving up my only daughter and not being able to watch her grow up."

John could empathize since he only got to see Avery on weekends, and only in a biweekly pattern. He felt he missed out on a lot of her milestone moments, especially from the very early years. He also knew, however, that Molly was coming from a place of not even being able to conceive a child.

He held her as she cried a little more and rubbed her back to comfort her, saying gently that it was alright. Once she was a little put together, he told her they should get back so that Avery wouldn't worry.

Molly fought herself from getting over emotional for the rest of the film's duration and even sang along with the princess which made Avery extremely happy. John wasn't over Molly's choice of texting Julien right away, but seeing the way she had allowed herself to be vulnerable with him, and how engaged she was with his little girl, he knew he didn't want to be upset with her too much longer.

John got Avery buckled in the backseat of his car and made sure he'd gotten all the extra things that had been packed to go along with her. It was already the late afternoon and she would have to get ready for bed in a few hours so she needed to go home to Helen's.

"Molly come sit in the back with me!" She said.

John smiled as Molly didn't fight the request and simply got up from the front passenger seat to go beside the demanding girl.

Avery was delighted and the two talked about what the upcoming week would hold and how they would miss each other. After a short bout of silence, the girl spoke again.

"How did you and Daddy fall in love?"

Molly looked to the front and caught John looking back at her in the rear view mirror. He blinked purposefully at her and she took that as a go ahead signal.

"Well, I think I met him a long time ago." She said.

"You did? But Daddy said you just moved here." Avery replied.

"He's right, I did just move, but I've been dreaming of a man like your dad for a long time. When I first met him I found him sooooo handsome." She said, using extra emphasis like Avery would, and making John's left eyebrow twitch with wanting to hear more.

"Eww!" Avery giggled.

"Hey! Your dad is not 'ew'!" She laughed along with the girl and scolded playfully.

"What about you, Daddy?"

John glanced at his mirror again.

"What about me?"

The girl waved her hands with frustration. "You know! How did you fall in love?"

"Oh! We're still talking about that?" He asked in the passive dad-joke type way.

"Dadddyyyy!!!" The girl complained.

"Alright. I think I knew as soon as I saw her. I was out shopping and saw her, one day, looking at a box of granola bars. I thought she was probably the cutest girl I had ever seen, besides you of course, sweetie." He paused while coming to a stop before making a turn and checking the rear mirror again to see if she was still keen on hearing more. "Well, I followed her around the store a bit, but she never noticed me so I thought I'd go home. I went shopping a lot after that to see if she'd show up again, and I did see her across the street once, but I thought my chances were blown. Low and behold, a little while later, I met with her in the diner where I take you for ice-cream so that she could get interviewed for a job. Kinda funny isn't it?"

Molly smiled widely while blushing. "You never told me you saw me at the store."

"Sure I did. I told you that you stick out around here. Doesn't that tell you that I'd seen you around and you caught my eye?" He said, trying to pay attention to the road.

"Yeah, I guess, but you didn't tell me you wanted to ask me out!" Molly replied, still a little shocked.

"Well I didn't have to. Pretty soon we started living together! Seems like fate was on our side, or at least on my side. You never paid me any attention in the store."

Avery was pleased. "Daddy and Molly love each other!" She used a mocking sing-song voice as John just shook his head.

Helen greeted them at the door and Avery hugged her mom quickly before being dismissed, but she still found time to tell her that it was the 'best weekend ever' during her attempted cling.

"How was your movie?" She asked coolly.

"We didn't watch it." John said to avoid any drama.

Avery took off her shoes and ran inside, telling them she'd be back soon.

"Oh?" Helen raised a thin eyebrow, "Was there something wrong with it?"

John could feel his pulse rising with anger.

"Yes. There was no story line, the characters were hardly believable and I didn't care for the acting."

"It's alright." Molly stepped in. "As you know, Julien Winter had a big role in it and we felt a little awkward watching it. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if he wasn't in it." She said with a shrug.

John looked at Molly with appraisal as Helen pressed her lips together in an obviously fake smile.

"Oh, well, I have no idea who that is, but I'll take your word for it that it was bad."

"You know who he is. Just like how you made a peach and persimmon pie-- you chose the movie purposefully." Molly said, matter of factly. "I just don't know why you thought that would scare me away."

Helen's face twisted as she tried to maintain her composure.

"I just have no idea what you're talking about."

"She's right." John said, "There was no need for some stupid plan of sabotage. What were you even trying to achieve?"

"I... Well, I don't think it's right. What will people think with you off gallavanting around with some floozy that's half your age?" Helen said, breaking her 'gracious host' charade.

John looked angry. "She's not half my age. Who even cares? It's not like I attend anything with you anyway. Everyone knows we're divorced."

Helen didn't know how to proceed, so she crossed her arms and tapped her foot anxiously.

Avery returned with a couple dolls in her arms to show Molly. She showed her the Sleeping Beauty one since the movie was still fresh in her mind and asked if Molly would come play with her during the upcoming weekend.

"I'd love to, Princess, but I'll be in Northmount with your dad." She said with a sympathetic smile.

Helen rolled her eyes.

"What will you be doing in the city? Only degenerates hang around there."

Molly shrugged in basic agreement, but told her that she had some business to attend.

Moving her chin towards his direction, Helen questioned why John would be there as well.

"I don't know, Helen, I didn't realize I had to tell you my plans that don't involve you or my daughter. They've got that big chapel there. Maybe Molly and I can rush some nuptials." He said sarcastically.

Molly clutched his hand with both of hers, bringing it to her chest, and put on a pretend voice.

"Oh, Johnny, I thought you'd never ask! I do!"

John laughed and pulled her in close the same way he did when she was first kidding around in his living room. Helen's eyes bulged from shock as she watched them kiss right in front of her. His hand was strong on her cheek and Molly was enjoying making his ex wife upset.

Avery screamed with glee at their displayed affection and belted out, in repeat, the same annoying chant from the car ride down.

"Molly and Daddy love each other! Molly and Daddy love each other!"