Chapter 37: Alone
Dave

Alone
I been seating here waiting
By the phone (by the phone)
Give anything to hear
Your tone (give anything)
It was all my fault
I know
Now I just stand here
Alone
Still remember the day when everything
Went wrong
Try to think how it would be if you hadn't
Gone
Away, shoulda made you stay
Now I just stand (stand)
[Alone: Marques Houston]

Dave had woken up with Millie snuggled deep up under him as if he would vanish into the thin air at any given moment and as much as he thought about it and wanted to he just couldn't. He knew it ate her up inside how they came to be a couple and she low key wondered when karma would kick in but she was still rolling with what she had. Since they had been together because yes they were indeed together any, who since they had been together and currently living under the same roof he had noticed that Kairi was much happier. Or maybe she was faking the funk just like he was. Then again kids didn't fake the funk for anyone so he knew that she was actually happier. Slowly easing her from up under him Dave slid out the bed and went straight to the bathroom. It wasn't the fact that he cared about waking her up but for the simple fact that he didn't feel like hearing her voice or faking the funk to make her happy at the moment. Now granted they did have happy moments but it wasn't what he had with you know who. This is when he had time to reflect on life. You know think about what he had and didn't have. Dave had everything but one thing and it tormented him dearly no matter how hard he tried to shake it.

It was a brand new year and he didn't picture his new year turning out the way it did. When thinking about the holidays in general he didn't see them shared with Millie at all. Once upon a time he did but that was before someone else showed him everything he was missing out on. He was missing out on real true love and happiness but he was rolling with the punches and the cards he was dealt no matter how shitty the hand was because let's face it, it was a shitty hand.

Dave took a piss, flushed behind his self, and went to wash his hands. He had thrown a New Years party at his place for his family and friends kids included. He drunk until he couldn't anymore and smoked until he felt content and still he woke up with no hangover no anything but feeling a serious void...a void in his heart. He had everything going for himself but he still felt incomplete and he knew why. Dave had a roof over his head, an abundance of money, the superficial shit like clothes and cars, and most importantly his family. Shit was good, life was grand, and yet no matter how much he smiled he wasn't happy. The woman in his bed was the one he didn't want. He didn't want any parts of her yet he dealt with her because he would do anything for his lil butt. He'd sacrifice it all for her.

This is not how he pictured bringing in the New Year. He didn't feel like being in his head. Yet here he was standing in front of the mirror thinking about all the what ifs. Why couldn't he wake up with a genuine smile on his face and the woman he loved in his arms? Yes love, because at this point it couldn't be anything but love because he thought about her when he woke up and thought about her before he went to sleep. She even invaded his dreams clouding them with pure love and happiness.

When he thought about bringing in the New Year he just knew April would be in his arms looking beautiful, glowing from happiness, and swaying her hips to whatever song was playing. When the ball dropped and the clock stroke 12 she would look up at him with that smile he loved as he smiled back picking her up and kissing her like his life depended on it. It didn't happen like that though. Millie was in his arms putting on a show trying to convince everybody that their love was this magical thing when in reality it wasn't. Millie knew just like Dave knew this was all for Kairi as well as the one that got away. Millie just couldn't compare. She couldn't even compete. Yet here she was living in his home and sleeping in his bed like all of this wasn't reserved for somebody else. Like somebody else didn't deserve this spot. Like somebody else didn't give all this up so she could have this spot and chance yet again.

To Dave this might've been a new year but he still had the same problems. This thing called life liked to throw curveballs and throw you for a loop and you just have to make the best of it. He knew that this was partly his fault because deep down he did want to work out his family life with Millie no matter what had spewed out of his mouth and said otherwise. He only wanted to do it when she was finally ready to give her all and she just so happened to be ready when Dave found happiness with someone else...go figure. Of course shit would happen when things were going good for him.

The day April came to his house after talking to Chris he was waiting for her but was hoping Millie would be out of his place by the time she arrived. Dave didn't fuck her. He barely even touched her unless he was subtly pushing her ass away trying not to make a scene at the club. Millie claimed she was so fucked up that she needed his assistance and Dave being Dave looked out for her. Thinking about it he should've just dropped her off home and wiped his hands clean with her but he didn't. He had even put her in one of his guest rooms but woke up to her in his bed and dressed comfortably in one of his tees as if this was the norm which it clearly wasn't. By the time he had noticed her someone was ringing his doorbell like a mad man which happened to be April. Shit had already gone left.

With Millie answering the door and dressed in his clothing and him coming to the door in just his sweats Dave knew he was fucked. The look on April's face said it all even if she did have a blank expression he could still read her loud and clear just by looking in her eyes. They always sold her out. He knew she needed him and was rushing home to get to him and the greeting that she received fucked her up more than what she was already feeling and that shit hurt him to the core. Dave knew she had a pretty rough weekend between the panic attacks, talking to Chris, her nervous breakdown, the posts from Millie, and now Millie answering his door like they fucked the night away had did it for her. He knew what she had been through with Chris and he knew she didn't deserve the shit he better yet Millie was adding to her plate so when she said they should just call their relationship a wrap before it got any further he couldn't blame her. Besides every point April had made had been correct so he let her go without putting up a fight even though he knew she was worth fighting for. Dave too like April figured this time apart would help them get themselves together for whenever they did cross paths again because he knew and felt it in his heart that they would meet back up and when they did it would be perfect. Well as perfect as it could be.

All Dave wanted to do was hold her in his arms and listen to how her weekend went and how she felt so he could make it better but he only made it worse. He helped add on to her hurt and pain. He was so busy trying to make sure she squared everything away with Chris when he should've been doing the same thing with Millie. When April left him she was wearing that faux smile she wore when he first met her that's when he knew he had royally fucked up. Dave never wanted the smile he loved to disappear and yet it did as if he never knew she could genuinely smile so brightly. Honestly he hadn't done anything too bad but he knew he was letting Millie wedge in between them because he should've put his foot down the day April and Millie met. He dropped the ball on this one. He felt like it was one of those damned if you do and damned if you don't situations.

After April left all Dave wanted to do was chase after her, call her up, and just make shit right. He wanted to tell her that he liked her beyond just liking. It was love. It didn't matter how long they had been talking he knew it was more than just liking. What could he do? She looked like she couldn't be persuaded by anything he would say and the way Millie was coming at her didn't make shit any better. She didn't deserve to fight his baby mama for a spot in his life. She didn't deserve to fight for anyone's love and affection period.

Dave did notice that April did take his advice and seemed to be happy and enjoying her life. She posted more online sharing selfies that always seemed to mesmerize him, pictures of her and her girls out and about enjoying themselves, and group pictures with her crew Chris included. She even had pictures of her and Chris, her Chris and his daughter, her and just Chris's daughter, and they all looked happy. Dave wondered if they were giving it another go but they had both posted that they were just friends and better off as friends than anything else. Dave had known that Alaina had moved and April was now living by herself and all he wanted to do was be there for her so she wouldn't be lonely because he knew without a doubt that she would be lonely. That was the point of him going puppy shopping with her. That never happened either so he knew her house was dead silent and she was probably going to drown herself in work again. Dave knew that wouldn't be healthy for her yet there was nothing he could do about it.

Like April had promised Dave she still supported him and made it known and every time she rode out for him his heart fluttered to a beat only she knew. Every once in a while he would receive a blue heart emoji text from her and he would smile at it never leaving her on delivered. It was always on read but he never attempted to send anything back. Dave knew she didn't need a response she was just letting him know that she was thinking or thought about him. Most of the time he received the text he was thinking about her at the same time. God knows he wanted to text back and call her but he knew he had to respect his relationship even if he wasn't happy in it. He was never one to creep around and cheat no matter the circumstance.

At first he was just done with Millie and didn't want no parts of her until she successfully convinced him that she was really about her words and ready to give it one last go because this was it for him. She had to prove herself. Prove that she truly loved him and wanted their family to work out. Millie at this point was doing everything she needed but Dave was waiting for the ball to drop because it was Millie for crying out loud. She was never consistent and always about self. Sure she cooked, they communicated, had family day every Sunday, and the sex was ok but he knew that it was something and somebody out there better suited for him and it wasn't her.

"Good morning papi and Happy New Year" Millie said as she wrapped her arms around him from the back and kissed his bare back. Hearing papi come out of her mouth didn't have the same effect as it did when April said it. It just didn't sound right or feel right when Millie said it. It sounded foreign and didn't roll off her tongue right.

"Good morning and Happy New Year Mills" he threw her a smile through the mirror. When it came to Millie he couldn't bear to call her ma, baby, or bae it was strictly Mills or Millie. Someone else had the rights to ma, baby, and bae and Millie wasn't the one.

"I'm a freshen up before I head down and get breakfast started" she let go of his waist and went to the toilet.

"No need I'm pretty sure it's some leftovers"

"Ya moms helped cook yesterday. You know them fools took home plates"

"True" and with that Dave walked out the bathroom closing the door behind him. Going straight to his draw he grabbed a pair of sweats, placed them on, and then a pair of socks before sliding into his slides. He made his way out the bedroom closing the door behind him and went straight to his daughter's bedroom to check on her. Opening up her bedroom door he leaned against the door frame watching her. She was already woke and sitting in the middle of her floor playing with the toys she had gotten for Christmas. These are the times when Dave's real smile shown big and bright.

"Good morning lil butt Happy New Year" he fully entered her room and sat down beside her.

"Good morning daddy Happy New Year" she said in her cute little voice as she jumped in his lap smiling looking just like him.

"You ready to eat"

Kairi nodded her head yes.

"Use ya words lil butt"

"Yes"

Getting up from the floor with her in his arms he walked out of her room and downstairs to the kitchen taking note of the sight in front of him. They had some cleaning to do today. It wasn't as bad as he thought but it still needed to be cleaned. Dave placed Kairi in her highchair, walked to the fridge, opened it up, and grabbed a small bottle of water making sure to open it for her before giving it to her.

"Thank you"

"You're welcome lil butt" he smiled and returned to the fridge. Millie was right there was no food left. They had been wiped clean.

"Good morning MaMa's baby" his mother said as she entered the kitchen and kissed Kairi's forehead.

"Good morning MaMa" Kairi smiled.

"Good morning ma Happy New Year" Dave kissed her forehead.

"Good morning baby boy Happy New Year to you too" she hugged him tight and kissed his forehead. Dave had told his mother all that had went down between him and April so she knew he wasn't happy in his relationship and it hurt her to see him this way. Shit he would've been better off and happy by his self the way she saw it. Guess he and April had broken each other's hearts. They were miserable without each other. Whenever Mama Faye would bring up his happiness he would always mention Kairi and leave it at that.

"I know you came down here to cook breakfast but don't worry bout it. Millie's gonna cook" he looked at her and smirked knowing his mother had something to say but wasn't going to say it out loud. She was trying to be respectful even if she didn't like Millie.

"Ok, I'm a go wake up your father so we can get ready to go" and with that Mama Faye walked out the kitchen.

Dave knew his family and friends didn't fuck with Millie. They only tolerated her for his sake. They had all seen and witnessed all that he had been through when they first started dating. After Millie left him with the baby that was the last straw for everybody. Most of his people didn't even bother to talk to her and now to end up back with her and not be happy they just couldn't understand it. Yes his daughter deserved to be happy but she was still happy when they weren't together. They even mentioned just having a family day one day out of the week for all three of them to share that way Kairi still got to see her parents together but being so strong willed and stuck in his ways Dave wasn't hearing it. He was stubborn. Shooter and Bully had asked him about April and if he still had feelings for her and he admitted that he did but it was nothing he could do about it at the moment. They just let it go because it was no point in wasting their breath if Dave wasn't going to go out and get who he truly wanted and deserved to be with because he damn sure didn't deserve to be in a loveless relationship. Yea he might've had love for Millie because she was his child's mother but he wasn't in love with her and everybody including him knew it. His relationship with Millie seemed to be one of convenience, his child's happiness, and his soft spot for her, and that was just it nothing more and nothing less.

Any, who Dave made him a green smoothie like he did every morning and since Millie was taking her precious time he cut up some fruit for his lil butt to snack on until breakfast was made. At this point he was ready to ask his mother to cook but he didn't feel like going back and forth with Millie since she said she'd do it. So he sat beside Kairi and played with her while they had this time to themselves. A few minutes into playing with Kairi his parents had come down and hugged them both goodbye before leaving and Millie had still yet to come downstairs. This was definitely not the way he saw the morning going. Picking up Kairi they headed back upstairs to his bedroom to see what the holdup was up with Millie.

"Mills" he walked inside the bedroom to see her in the middle of the bed crying. She didn't even bother to look his way. "What's wrong" he asked.

"Nothing" she mumbled wiping her face. "Don't worry bout it. I'll be down in a second" she said above a whisper.

Dave turned back around and took Kairi back into her bedroom letting her know that he would be back for her and went back to his room. He couldn't understand why Millie was crying when she had woken up smiling like everything was all good.

"Millie what's going on" Dave sat beside her and rubbed her back trying to soothe her.

She took a deep breath and looked at him with tears still running down her face. "I try and I try and I try to make us work but it's like you don't see me. I know I have a lot of redeeming to do when it comes to you and Kairi but it seems like what I do is never enough. Your family doesn't like me. Your friends don't like me. I get it I fucked up but I'm trying to do better. David I know you aren't happy with me. You don't even smile the way you did when you were with that chick. It hurts to know that I have you but I'll never actually have you" she kept her eyes on him. "I love you I really do I just want us to work and not just for Kairi but for the both of us. Can you at least try to work with me and give it your all" she asked just hoping he would.

Dave sighed and wiped his hands over his face. He understood why she felt the way she did and he knew he wasn't making the situation any better. He wasn't putting his all into their relationship. He thought about it for a second maybe he should see where this could go so when it was all over he knew he really did put his all into it. At the end of the day who knew what the future held for them.

"Ok...I'll try" and he was going to. Dave didn't know what was in store but he was going to push April to the back burner, try to let her go, and truly work it out with Millie. He deserved happiness too and believe it or not he was tired of feeling sad. He just wanted to be happy. His girl had got away and gave him the chance to be a family with the family he had already started. April sacrificed him and what they had and he wasn't going to take it for granted. Dave knew what he had to do and knew he wasn't going to like it but in order for him and Millie to truly work he had to do it. It had to be done. He had to unfollow April on all of her social media platforms as well as block better yet delete her number from his phone. He had to officially let her go. She had to be erased. Dave just hoped she understood.

_________________________________________
-Happy Reading guys I hope you enjoy 😊
-😫Papi is not happy at all...I can't deal🥺
-I don't even know what to say...that's why I put out so many April and Dave boo loving chapters
-Agnes knows she fucked up so she's looking for something to happen...KARMA
-Dave and that 4 letter word..do you think he loves April🤔
-I was looking for some pics of Dave and it's so many with the fade😫 the braids are cute and all but that fade that damn fade lawd💦🌊
-Any, who sharing is caring so tell a friend to tell a friend😊don't forget to comment, vote, and add to your libraries.
-If you are reading and not commenting no worries just make sure to color the ⭐️ please and thank you 😊
-WE AT 6K‼️