She Needs Jack More Than Him

"Are you comfortable?" after getting rid of the man who said that he was the neighbor and good friend who helps in taking care of Cassey's daughter when she goes to work. Tyrone had ignored the word friend and then took the girl in her arms and left the complaining man there.

Not that he could hear that fool's complaints when he turned once to leave. But the girl was oddly quiet in his arms. He shuffled her to a position which he felt would be more comfortable while staring at her face.

No matter how much he looked, he could never get enough of it. His daughter! He never knew that he had one! She looked so much like him that he could not explain.

His eyes started to turn wet but he coughed instead.

"If you need anything, you can tell me." he added when the girl did not reply. She was oddly silent. Or could it be that it takes more time for a baby to speak and she is still young?

But then how was he supposed to know if she needed anything?

"Do you need water?" he asked and the girl finally shook her head.

"Do you need food?" he asked, still unsure, if he was doing it correctly but the girl shook her head again.

It brought him to an awkward silence.

Tyrone looked at the child in his arms again. He had thought that she would cry, make a fuss when he would take her. She was just a baby and he was a stranger but she only kept staring at him.

"Cough! Do you know who I am?" he asked with uncertainty. Could there be a chance that Cassey had told the baby about her father. Even if that would have been the case, she was not old enough to recognize him. Did she?

He had no idea when it came to babies. He was still not sure if he was holding her right. But just when he had thought one more question would go unanswered, she nodded her head, surprising him.

"Man.." her reply amused him, "A big man!" it felt more like a criticism than a compliment the way she looked at him that he suddenly felt apologetic about his frame.

He cleared his throat, "then are you afraid of me?" he held his breath as he stared into her big doe green eyes. Kids often cry when they see him. After the scar, he closed his eyes and gulped.

"Why would i?" she asked back in a prideful tone. "I am strong enough to beat you if you hurt me."

"........" he blinked his eyes and looked at her tiny frame. She was not even his waist length and her body was so petite yet the confidence in her eyes was strong that marveled him. Yes! She was his daughter. How could she be afraid of a man hitting her.

Proud filled his eyes but it was soon replaced with worry.

"But you still should not go out with strangers. What if they take you away from your family and hurt you?" he paused but then quickly added, "you can beat one but you can not beat all of them!" the girl paused and pondered over it.

"You are not taking me to my mother?" she asked with a skeptical look in her eyes that he felt guilty.

"Of course, I am." he explained, afraid that he would leave a wrong impression on her daughter who nodded with a look of satisfaction in her eyes.

"But what if I am lying. You can not trust others so easily." For some reason, he did not like that she believed every word he said.

The girl looked annoyed this time.

"I want Jack back." she muttered with frustration.

"No! I will take you to your mother." he refused, he was not going to take that man with him. The way Jack held his daughter and asked about his wife in a worried manner.. He felt the anger rising again and he took a deep breath to control it.

"Jack will come too." she added but he shook his head resolutely.

"No! So many people are not allowed in the infirmary. Your mother is sick." he tried to explain but now she was irritated. She wriggled from his hold and tried to sit on the other side of the carriage but her tiny feet did not let her.

She did it have anything for support and the seats were high and wide. She looked around and then glared back at him.

It was clear that she wanted help but she did not ask for it. He muffled a laugh and then asked in a soft tone.

"Shall I help you by sitting there?" he pointed at the seat when he felt her eyes relaxing a bit as she nodded while looking away.

He held her. She was so soft. No matter how many times he held her, he could not believe that she was his daughter! He wanted to shout at the top of his lungs and announce the world that he had a daughter!

She wriggled again when his hands did not let her go even when she sat on the seat and he coughed and took his hands away.

She looked out of the carriage as if trying to ignore him. Did she not like him? The thought trembled him when he kept stealing gaze at her and coughed a few times more to gain her attention.

"You are sick! Jack will come too."

"You are never going to meet Jack again ever!!"