Once Christine walked out the door with Spencer it gave me a chance to calm down before dealing with Ashley. Taking a few breaths I let the bad out and the good back in, a mantra I learned in Anger Management Class.

“Daddy?” Ashley padded out of the back room looking a bit hesitant.

Sighing I bent down and reached out, “Come here,”

She smiled and ran over. Tiny arms circling around my neck I hauled her up her face so close to me, I loved these times when it was just her and I. She didn’t see a screw up or an alcoholic or a dead beat. She saw her dad, big and strong and most of the time a goof.

“I got you an early Christmas gift,”

Brown eyes widen and she let out a small toothless grin, missing your front teeth will do that, “Really?”

Chuckling I nodded kissing her warm cheek, “Yes really. Now I wonder where I left it?”

“Where?” she bounced slightly in my arms.

Setting her down I pointed to the closet. She looked at me than the closet than back to me, I tried not to laugh at how adorable she was so I took a breath and nodded. She let out a small scream and ran to the closet swinging it open.

“Well?”

She made me nervous since the moment the drums were revealed she froze; her body didn’t sway or shift. Licking my lips I stepped up and kneeled behind her, “Ashy?”

Suddenly she was wrapped around me squeezing so tight I thought that if she was a little older than she might have hurt me a bit.

Smiling I held her until she pulled back teary eyes holding my gaze, “I love it daddy!”

My smile grew so big it did hurt my face and I didn’t know if the tears building in side my stomach were going to stay down to much longer, “Really?”

“Yes…” she nodded in that way kids do as if saying there is no more asking. She leaned in and kissed me, “Thank you…”

“Your welcome sweetie,”

Ashley turned back to the drum set and walked to the door before turning around with a gleam in her eyes, “Daddy?” she whined tugging on the bottom of her shirt.