Colossal Jump

Chapter Thirty-One

I'll go to dinner, I'll smile, and I'll be alright.

"What's up, Ava?" he questions.

"Change of plans." I huff. "Dad's working late so we're going to their house for dinner," I explain.

"Okay." He shrugs his shoulders, a slight grin on his lips. I wish I could be that carefree, like small changes didn't matter. I needed time to process and adjust to the smallest of changes.

"I need to get London ready." I go to walk off, but Blake stops me.

"I'll take care of London, you get ready." Blake kisses the top of my head before he marches up the stairs to pack her bag. I wander over to the couch and grab London from her new playpen. Since she's become a little too wanderoos, we've decided to box her in a little.

I sit back and hold her in my lap.

"You're just like your father, you know that?" I say.

London smiles up at me and holds her foot. It's hard to imagine what she's thinking right now, and I guess that kind of makes me curious. I'm envious of her life right now. She's got nothing to worry about because at that age, you don't understand the expectations of life . . . all that is expected from you is to grow up and be happy.

She giggles, her eyes close, and then she smiles. I hear the sound of a small popping noise before it hits me.

"Oh, you're definitely like your father." I shake my head and wrinkle my nose. "That's gross." I place London back in her playpen and walk away. The smell of her fart follows me, so I stand over by the kitchen to escape it.

"What's did my daughter do now?" Laughs Blake as he walks down the steps.

"Your daughter farted and it was bad."

Blake's nose wrinkles as he walks near London's play area.

"That's a ripper," he agrees.

He grabs London and checks her nappy. As Blake pulls the nappy back to check inside, gags at the smell.

"Oh, that sucks." I giggle.

"Ava, I love you." Blake gives me his best pleading eyes, but nothing he says is going to get me to change that nappy! He smelt it, he's changing it.

"Have fun changing your daughter's nappy," I tease.

"She's our daughter," says Blake.

I see the regret floating in his eyes. For once, I get the joke and the humour in it. For once, I'm not worried about London or anything to do with her, I'm worried about my parents.

"Right now, she's your daughter." I laugh.

"Don't worry, Miss Ava Greyson, I will get you back for this." Blake holds London a distance from his body as he walks up the stairs. While he changes her nappy, I work on cleaning up the kitchen.

Mum called at a good time, I hadn't started preparing dinner. However, I'd taken out plates and food to start cooking.

As I put the plates away, I hear the faint sound of Blake's voice. I be he's complaining about the smell – honestly, I would too.

When Blake is finished, he returns from upstairs with a happy baby and her travel bag. I grab my coat and bag from the front door before we head off to the car. On the walk, I give Blake the keys and I take London from him. We get to the car and I strap her inside while he gets comfortable.

Because we only have one car, Blake and I have to manage whose driving and who's carpooling. Since I haven't needed go anywhere, it's easy enough for me to drive Blake around, or to just stay at home without the car. But when I get in the car, I touch all the buttons and move his seat around, so it takes time for him to adjust everything.