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Little Girls & Their Toys

Summary:

She never thought Joel could break her heart twice but he did, in fact, he fucking obliterated it.

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There comes a time in every mothers life when they begin to worry about their daughters, especially when it comes to boys and with what Joel had put her through, she was even more aware of all the ways the opposite sex can destroy you. For example, one day she was married and then the next she wasn’t. One moment he’s there and the next he’s gone. 

Her papa, Abe Weissman, was always there for her and she actually couldn’t remember a time that he wasn’t, her papa was just…present, he was a very present papa one could say. Lenny reminded her of her father in that way, always there for her even when she didn't ask, because she never actually needed to ask either of them to be there, they were just there.

What Miriam didn’t plan on, was Lenny being there for her daughter. 

She got it, Joel was busy with the new baby, Joel clicked with Ethan a little better, Joel had Mei and her school stuff, Joel had that club. Joel had fucking things to do, she got it. She understood busy schedules better than anyone, hell the love of her life traveled as much if not more than she did but at the end of the day, we make time for the things we care about. At least that’s what Lenny told her. Smart man, that man of hers, was.

She never thought Joel could break her heart twice but he did, in fact, he fucking obliterated it. 

She was standing talking to Astrid at a typical family gathering at her house when out of the corner of her eye she caught the scene that would forever change the way she saw Joel as a father. 

With the new baby balanced in one arm, he helped Ethan move from the floor and into his lap and naturally Esther wanted to join her brothers, so Miriam watched as her daughter balanced herself and tugged at her fathers trousers to climb into his lap, only to be stopped. 

“No, no, sweetie, daddy’s arms are full.” Joel chided while shaking his head as Esther looked up at him in confusion.

Swallowing the lump that had unexpectedly formed in her throat, Miriam watched as her little girl tried to climb up once more only to be rejected again.

“Not now Esther.” 

With her fathers final words, the young mother watched her little Esther stumble to the floor and return to her toys. With unshed tears, Miriam downed the rest of her sherry before setting the glass down on the nearby mantle before going to collect her daughter but she halted at Esther's movements. Watching her pick up her small pink duck and struggle to her feet, her little girl observed the room until her eyes landed on Kitty Bruce, who was currently playing at her fathers feet and waddled her way over to join them. 

Her heart clenched at the scene, her little girl finding refuge with Lenny and his little girl. Oh, the irony. 

She was having a hard time looking away from the moment even more now, enjoying watching her two beautiful little girls play with each other at her boyfriend's feet. Esther shared her pink duck and Kitty shared her barbie dream girl and together, they laughed and played. 

The next 30 minutes passed by smoothly until Miriam glanced over to check on the girls playing once more only to see just in time that Kitty grew tired of playing with the toys and crawled into her fathers lap to rest and immediately, Miriam panicked. ‘ Oh God, please not again. Lenny, honey, look at me.”

Now sitting alone on the floor for the second time that night, she watched Esther look up to Kitty in confusion before also struggling to her feet as she observed Kitty sitting in her own fathers lap and her breath caught in her throat as she recognized the look on her daughter's face. She was shy. ‘ Oh, my sweet girl.’

Miriam looked on as the scene before her unfolded and suddenly, she felt like she was intruding on an intimate moment for her baby girl.  A papas love. 

Her chubby hands were shyly grasping at Lenny's pant leg as she tried to pull herself up when suddenly, two strong hands reached down to help her and before either mother or daughter knew it, Lenny had her baby girl safely nestled in his lap. Miriam felt a tear escape her as she observed through a watery gaze as her daughter shyly looked up at Lenny before resting her head on his chest, just like Kitty on the opposite side of her. 

The two girls giggled acrossed Lenny’s chest as if they had a secret only they were privy too before continuing to whisper while her boyfriend remained engrossed in a deep conversation with her father. Unknown to everyone else, Miriam released a breath of relief. 

Lenny reminded her of her father in that way, always there for her even when she didn't ask, because she never actually needed to ask, somehow he just knew and after tonight, Miriam knew she no longer had to worry for Esther.

Setting the remainder of her second drink down, she made her way into the kitchen to check on her brisket. 

Her baby girl was in good hands.