Worth It (Adam and Izzy cont'd)

Adam looked around his old bedroom that he grew up in and a hint of shame filled his gut. This was not the life he had wanted for his baby girl. He wanted her to have her own room with her own things, not to share a bedroom with her father. Nothing had gone according to plan.

Failure. That's all you are, Adam thought to himself as he moved furniture around to fit Izzy's new bed into his tiny room, their tiny room. He felt as though he had done nothing but fail his family. He couldn't save his wife, and was he actually saving his daughter by moving away from her mother?

"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy," Izzy exclaimed running up the stairs to the man who meant the world to her. There was a thud, and Adam ran out of his room to find his slightly disheveled daughter had tripped up the last step. She looked at her scuffed knee and shook it off. She smiled at her father and held out an envelope.

"Mamma came. She said she couldn't stay, but gave me this for you," Izzy said all smiles. She had no idea what was going on, and that hurt Adam more than anything. Would she hate him for leaving her mother? Would she want to leave him for Jasmine? Could he even raise her properly?

"Thank you baby girl," he said as he picked her up and opened the envelope.

It read:

Adam,

I should never have been a mother, let alone a wife. I am far too selfish, as I now know. My novel, as I am sure you are aware, was a success. Please accept this check as a form of compensation. I will send monthly child support. However, right now I am going on a book tour for a year. I hope I have given you enough money to start a happy life. I am sorry for the pain I have put you through. I signed the papers. We are no longer married. I hope you find a woman who truly makes you happy.

Yours,

Jasmine

"Daddy, you're crying," Izzy said wiping her father's tears and hugging him around his neck.

"Baby, I have some explaining to do," he said as he glanced at the check.

It said:

To Adam Gomez, with love. $100,000.

More tears poured down his cheeks, and Izzy listened to her father explain why her mom wouldn't be around anymore, why they had moved away and that Mommy still loved her no matter what.

Adam didn't know if that last part was really true, but he prayed that it was.

Izzy hugged her father and said, "We will be okay Daddy. You always take care of me."

FIVE YEARS LATER

"Dad, come on," Isabelle yelled up the stairs impatiently.

Adam glanced around the house he had bought with the check from Jasmine, and smiled at the fact that he could now afford to pay her back.

This house was everything Adam and Isabelle needed and wanted. Adam remembered the day they looked at it. His Izzy had sat on the stairs and proclaimed that this must be theirs, and Adam fought tooth and nail to make it so.

It was filled with memories of the two of them painting the walls together. There were even paint stains on the carpet should they forget.

"Alright, Izzy. Now, if you don't like her, you tell me immediately. I won't date a woman that you do not approve of. Understood?"

"Dad, you've been dating for two months now. You're just scared...but I'm scared too," Isabelle admitted clutching at her dress. It had flowers on it and girls like flowers right? It was the best one that she owned so she hoped her daddy's girlfriend would like it. Isabelle had even tried curling her hair by herself, but nothing worked so she put it all up in a pony tail.

"You look beautiful, Izzy," Adam said kissing his daughter's forehead.

A knock on the door startled both the father and daughter, and Adam forced a nervous smile and opened the door.

Isabelle looked at the woman and knew she was perfect for her father. The woman was a few inches shorter than Adam. She had beautifully red hair and a face full of freckles. Isabelle thought it reminded her of cotton candy for some reason.

"Izzy, this is Bailey," Adam said with a shaky voice.

"Normally, I would shake your hand, Izzy or Isabelle? But, I am super nervous and my hands are all sweaty," Bailey's voice seemed to match the shakiness of her father's.

"That's okay," Isabelle assured her with a smile and right then she knew that someday the three of them would be a family. At that moment, the same thought crossed through all three of their minds.

That night was filled with laughter and love which Isabelle and Adam had only shared with each other. Isabelle smiled and thought, my family is complete.