Breaking barriers

27- A Bad Day, pt 2

Luke hasn't been in touch since, and now it's about lunch time, and Delilah is getting whiny.

"It's okay princess, you're okay. Please don't start crying again." Calum mumbles as he picks up the little girl, who had been coloring and whining nonsense. "Are you hungry? You want.... hmmm... you want Mac n cheese?"

"Mac n tees. Nu-nuggets?" Delilah asks with wide eyes.

"Sure, baby. You wanna watch tv while I make it?"

"Tv." Delilah pouts and nods. Calum tries to set Hebron the couch, but she shrieks, clinging to him as she begins crying.

"Daddy! Daddy!"

"You're okay, baby. Daddy's still busy. Let me make you some food, yeah?"

"Wan Daddy!"

Calum sighs as he carries the girl to the back door, going out and getting her the bunny to cuddle while he makes lunch.

"Daddy go home." Delilah whines when Calum brings her to the table for lunch, taking cookie back outside.

"Daddy wants to come home, baby. He can't right now."

The day continues the same, Delilah being fine for a few minutes before she starts whining for her daddy again, and soon, it's dinner time.

"Alright little one, I know." Calum sighs as he tries to calm the sobbing little girl. He lets her sob into his shoulder, rubs her back, attempts to give her cookie or a binki, but she just cries.

"Are you hungry, little girl?"

"Daddy!"

"I know sweetheart. Let see if we can call him, yeah?" Calum sighs as he shifts Delilah onto his hip. He pulls out his phone and dials his friend, but receives no answer.

Calum sighs when Delilah starts crying harder, seeming to realize that Luke didn't answer.

"Okay little one, okay, it's fine." He sighs as he panickedly tries to comfort the little girl. He honestly has no idea what he's doing and what he tries doesn't seem to work to calm the poor girl.

He heats up some soup while holding the small girl on his hip and then sits her on his lap and tries to feed her, but she refuses. He attempts to cheer her up with silly faces and tickling but nothing works. The soup gets cold, and he gives up, cuddling with the girl on the couch as she cries.

"I know, I know." Calum pouts sympathetically, taking his phone out and dialing Luke again.

"Hey cal." Delilah's head perks up at her daddy's voice on the phone, butt she doesn't speak yet. Luke sounds tired, his voice is heavy and raspy and he heaved a sigh after the greeting.

"Hey lu, how you doin? You don't sound great. Is jack gonna be okay?"

"Uh, I-I don't know. I'm- I'm not great. How's uh- how's babygirl?"

"Daddy." Delilah rasps in a whimper.

"Hi sweetheart, are you being good for uncle Cali?"

"Wan Daddy!" Delilah sobs, an luke coos.

"I know baby, daddy misses you too. Is she doing okay?"

"She's been crying for a while. I tried to get her to eat but..." Calum says.

"Yeah, I get it. Look, they uh, they think jack'll make it, but they don't know, and he needs surgery, but he can't get it till like, four am, so..."

"I can keep her for the night if you need?"

"Yeah, that'd be a big help. I'm sorry. She'll probably be hard to put to bed but if you give her milk with some sugar he should fall asleep eventually, just wrap her up in a blanket and don't let her move while you give it to her and after, play with her hair and stuff. That usually works... I don't know, she's never stayed with anyone else." Luke sounds incredibly unsure and stressed.