Tear Down These Walls

by Sarah Kay Carter

  “K,” Kya says, taking it from her.

  Teagan goes on her toes and kisses Kellen. “Just relax, we will be great.”

  “Okay,” he says softly.

  “Want your mind on something else?” Teagan quips, putting some other stuff in the fridge.

  “Teagan!” Kellen playfully scolds.

  She glares at him and mouths, Jacuzzi later? He grins. “Now, I have something I’m supposed to talk to you about because two people we know are complete chicken shits.”

  “Naughty!” Kya yells.

  “She knows swear words because of her mother,” Kellen sighs. “I taught her to say that to bug her mom.”

  “So sweet of you.” Teagan laughs. “So, last night when Kyle came to help…….”

  Kellen interrupts, “What did he do?”

  “He didn’t do anything in particular,” Teagan mumbles, avoiding his intimidating stare. “But he and Victoria really hit it off, and they…..”

  “Oh, please tell me he went home last night,” Kellen groans.

  “Yes!” Teagan exclaims. “Oh my gosh! Yes! What do you really think of Victoria!?”

  Kellen quickly puts up his hands. “Sorry!”

  “They are going on a date tonight,” Teagan says slowly, watching his gaze as she says the words that have been sitting in her chest. “They were scared about you finding out.”

  With a humph, Kellen looks down. “See, that complicates things. He’s an employee, and she’s the best friend of my girlfriend. If things go south, it could make things really awkward.”

  “Victoria hasn’t been this interested in someone for a while,” Teagan explains. “They aren’t getting married. They are going on a date.”

  “I will talk to him,” Kellen sighs. “He needs to treat her respectfully and take things slow.”

  “I think Victoria would appreciate that,” Teagan says.

  “All right,” Kellen exhales. “I have to get going. I’m going to be on the job all day, but if it’s an emergency, call me.”

  Teagan nods. “Okay. We should be fine.”

  “Bye Dah-dah!” Kya yells, running over to him. He picks her up and gives her a kiss. “Wuv you, Dah-dah.”

  “Love you more, baby girl,” Kellen whispers, hugging her close. Teagan’s chest swells as she looks at them adoringly. “Okay, you be good for Teagan today.”

  “Chocowat cake!” Kya giggles.

  “Yes,” Kellen laughs. “Chocolate cake, are you going to save me some?”

  “Yeah!”

  “Sounds good,” Kellen replies. He walks over and kisses Teagan. “I will see you around four.”

  She smiles at him. “Sounds good.”

  Kellen walks past Kya and ruffles her hair. “Bye, Dah-dah!” When the front door closes, Kya turns to Teagan with big eyes. “Cake!”

  “Right away?” Teagan chuckles.

  “CAKE!” Kya yells.

  “Okay, let’s get everything ready.” Teagan gestures to the kitchen. For three hours, Teagan takes her time and bakes with Kya. There is some level of difficulty, but Teagan thinks she handles it like a pro. Finally, it’s lunchtime. Teagan puts her hands on her hips. “What would you like to eat?”

  “Omen oodle,” Kya squeals.

  Teagan stares at her blankly. “Say that again.”

  “Omen oodle!” Kya says again, with as much glee.

  “Okay, I am not understanding you, Honey,” Teagan says kindly.

  Kya stomps her foot. “Omen oodle!”

  “Can you show me?” Teagan suggests.

  “Dah-dah make omen oodle!” Kya yells.

  “Kya, listen to me sweetie,” Teagan says, getting down on her knees. “I’m not understanding you.”

  Tears start to build up in Kya’s eyes. “Omen oodle! Omen oodle!”

  Sighing, Teagan whispers, “Kya, calm down. I know you are frustrated. Can you show me?”

  “Omen oodle,” she cries.

  “Can we make something else?” Teagan suggests. “Grilled cheese?”

  Shaking her head, Kya enunciates, “OMEN OODLE.”

  Exhaling, Teagan says, “I don’t understand you.” That sends Kya into hysterics. “Oh boy, on that cue.” Teagan reaches up and grabs her cell phone. She quickly dials Kellen’s number.

  He answers right away. “Is everything okay?”

  “No,” Teagan sighs. Kya starts crying even harder. “Do you know what omen oodle is? I asked her what she wanted for lunch, and I have no idea what she’s talking about.”

  “Can you put me on speaker?” Kellen laughs.

  “Sure,” Teagan mumbles. “I don’t think this is funny, though.” She puts the call on speaker. “Kya, your dad is on the phone.”

  “Dah-dah!” she yells.

  “Kya, take deep breaths,” Kellen instructs.

  “Omen oodle!” Kya cries.

  Kellen laughs heartily. “Are you supposed to have those?”

  “Yeah….” She sniffles.

  “No….” Kellen chuckles back.

  “What is she asking for?” Teagan asks with a sigh.

  Still laughing, Kellen says, “My dear, sweet daughter is trying to con you into giving her ramen noodles.”

  “Oh!” Teagan exclaims. “Duh! Gosh, I’m a college student. I should have known that.”

  “I let her have those once in a blue moon,” Kellen declares. “She is totally trying to pull one over on you.”

  “I see,” Teagan sighs.

  “Do you need me to come home?” Kellen asks. “Is it too much?”

  “Can I just give her ramen noodles?”

  “Sure,” Kellen chuckles. “There’s a package up in the top cupboard behind the box of cereal. I hide them. Out of sight, out of mind.”

  Teagan stands up and goes to the cupboard. “God, sure, you can reach it. Hold on.” She sets the phone down and climbs on the counter.

  “Dah-dah! Eggen on counter!” Kya yells.

  “Aren’t you a tattletale,” Teagan laughs. She reaches into the back of the cupboard. “Got them.” She pulls out the ramen noodles. “Is this what you want?”

  Squealing, Kya stops crying and starts jumping up and down. “Omen oodle!”

  “Geesh, all this over ramen noodles,” Teagan huffs.

  “I feel bad,” Kellen groans. “Why don’t I come home? Someone can relieve me.”

  “No,” Teagan scoffs. “We’re fine. We made a chocolate cake and three dozen cookies.”

  He coughs and asks, “How many cookies?”

  “A lot,” Teagan laughs. “But I will take some for my friends.”

  “Okay, are you positive you don’t want me to come home?” Kellen reiterates.

  “Yes,” Teagan replies exasperated. “We’ll be fine.”

  “Are you going to be okay now, Kya?” Kellen asks.

  Kya comes up to the phone and looks at it. “Omen oodle, Dah-dah.”

  “You’re very lucky that I’m not home,” Kellen says sternly.

  A mischievous look passes over Kya’s face, and Teagan starts laughing. “You should see the look on your daughter’s face!”

  “I know that look,” Kellen states. “Oh, do I know that look.”

  “Well, we’re all right now. I will make these for her.”

  “She likes them like soup. Break them up into tiny pieces.”

  “Will do,” Teagan assures him, as she opens the door to get a pot.

  “I have to go, but call me if you need anything,” Kellen instructs seriously.

  Laughing, Teagan repeats, “We’re fine! I promise.”

  “Fine. Bye.”

  “Bye,” Teagan snorts, ending the call. She turns to Kya. “Ready for some ramen noodles?”

  “Cheese!” Kya exclaims.

  “Uh oh,” Teagan starts. “On the ramen noodles?”

  Kya makes a disgusted face, “No, cheese!” She goes over to the fridge and opens it up. “Cheese!” Teagan looks to where she is pointing.

  “Oh, string cheese,” Teagan s
ays.

  “Swing cheese,” Kya says, looking at her mouth.

  Teagan kneels down and enunciates, “S-t-r-i-n-g.”

  “S-h-w-i-n-g,” Kya repeats back.

  “Close enough,” Teagan laughs, bopping her on the nose.

  Lunch goes off without another hitch. Later, they are up in her playroom. “Doctor check you,” Kya giggles.

  “Uh oh,” Teagan replies. “Am I sick?”

  “Eggen have booboos,” Kya states seriously.

  “That’s not good,” Teagan says just as dramatically.

  Suddenly, Kya’s eyes widen. “Eggen wait ere.”

  “Where are you going?” Teagan asks speculatively.

  “Kya be back.” With that, Kya runs off. Shaking her head, Teagan gets up to follow her. When Teagan gets into the hallway, she doesn’t hear Kya.

  “’Uh oh,” Teagan breathes out. “Kya!?” There is no reply. “Kya! Where are you!?”

  “Eggen wait!” she hears from Kellen’s room.

  “Are you supposed to be in your dad’s room?” Teagan asks, walking in there. She doesn’t see her. “Where are you?”

  “Eggen have booboos,” she hears called from the bathroom.

  Teagan walks in there and goes, “Whoa!”

  Strewn across the floor are the contents of a first-aid kit. “Eggen have booboos, need and-aids!” Kya squeals.

  “Oh, no, we shouldn’t play with those,” Teagan states, bending down to pick stuff up.

  Kya looks up at Teagan and says, “And-aids for Eggen.”

  “We don’t need to use real Band-Aids,” Teagan replies. “We can play pretend.”

  Tears start to build in Kya’s eyes, and her lips starts quivering. “Eggen have booboos.”

  “Okay, okay, okay,” Teagan sighs, sitting down. “I will buy your dad a new box of Band-Aids.”

  Gleefully, Kya scoots over to Teagan. “Booboos.”

  “And how many booboos do I have?” Teagan inquires humorously.

  “Lot o booboos,” Kya replies. She unpeels one and sticks it on Teagan’s forearm. “Ouchies.”

  “Oh no, are you a good doctor? Can you help me?” Teagan asks.

  Kya giggles. “Eggen funny.” She unwraps another Band-Aid and puts it on Teagan’s other arm. After a few minutes, Teagan is covered in Band-Aid’s, from her neck to her fingers. “Am I all better?”

  “Eggen Band-Aids!” Kya yells excitedly.

  Suddenly, the door downstairs slams and they hear, “Where are my two favorite girls?”

  “DAH-DAH!” Kya screams, getting up to leave the room.

  Shaking her head, Teagan starts to clean up the mess on the floor.

  A few seconds later, Kellen calls out, “Teagan?”

  “Be right down!” She shouts. After she is done cleaning, Teagan makes her way downstairs.

  When she gets there, Kellen turns around. His eyes bulge out, and he bursts out laughing. “What in the hell happened to you!?”

  “The good doctor here thought I got into it with a wood chipper,” Teagan smirks.

  “Do I have any Band-Aids left?” Kellen chuckles.

  “N-O-P-E,” Teagan enunciates. “I will pick you up some more.”

  Smiling, Kellen states, “Wow, she played you today.”

  “Figured as much,” Teagan sighs. “We had a good day.”

  “Dah-dah, chocowat cake!” Kya exclaims, grabbing his hand. “Come.”

  She starts to drag him to the kitchen. When he sees the cake, he laughs, “She obviously frosted it?”

  Teagan smiles, “Uh yeah, of course.”

  “You did a wonderful job,” Kellen states enthusiastically to Kya. Kya gives him a big grin. Letting out a breath, Kellen looks up at Teagan. “I have some bad news.”

  “What’s that?” Teagan asks, hesitantly.

  “Kya’s mom bailed tonight. She’s staying here,” Kellen exhales.

  “Oh, no worries,” Teagan scoffs. She leans down and asks Kya, “What should we make for dinner?” Kya shrugs her shoulders. “We can make anything you want.”

  Kya looks up and thinks about it. “Acos!” she finally exclaims.

  “Sounds good,” Teagan replies.

  “We will go out to eat,” Kellen interjects. “You deserve a break.”

  “Silliness,” Teagan replies. “I love to cook.”

  Kellen shakes his head, “No, we’ll go out. She loves these kid burritos from the restaurant on Pennsylvania.”

  “Okay,” Teagan says. “I really can cook.”

  “What did you say? Silliness?” Kellen nudges her with his elbow. Teagan smiles and leans forward to kiss him. He gives her a deep kiss back.

  “Kya kiss!” Kya yells from next to them.

  Squatting down, Kellen says, “Of course.”

  “No, Dah-dah!” Kya exclaims. “Eggen kiss!”

  “Oh,” Teagan exclaims, a bit surprised. She looks at Kellen. “Is that appropriate?”

  “Sure,” Kellen laughs.

  Teagan bends over. “How about a kiss on the cheek?”

  Kya jumps and down. “Kiss!” Teagan leans in and kisses her. Kya turns and gives her a huge, wet kiss on her cheek. “Kiss!”

  “I think she likes you,” Kellen chuckles, standing back up.

  “Ora!” Kya exclaims.

  “Okay, go upstairs. I will turn it on,” Kellen states. Kya turns around and runs out of the kitchen. “Come on,” Kellen whispers, sticking out his hand. Teagan takes it, and he leads her out of the room. When they get upstairs, Kellen says, “One disc and then we are going out to dinner.”

  “K, Dah-dah,” Kya chimes, sitting down in her chair.

  Kellen starts the Dora DVD and then nudges his head to Teagan. “Let’s get all that off of you.”

  Teagan laughs, “Yeah, I think it’s going to suck a little bit.”

  He shakes his head, and they walk out of the room. When they get into his room, Teagan sits down on the bed. She takes off the Band-Aid on her neck. “Here, let me help you,” Kellen suggests softly.

  “Just rip them off,” Teagan replies, grimacing.

  “All right,” he chuckles. He takes one on her arm and rips it off. Teagan gasps. “Ow, that took hair,” Kellen states. He bends over and kisses the spot. “Is that better?”

  “Should I lie and say yes?” Teagan asks with a grimace.

  Shaking his head, Kellen laughs, “No.”

  “I don’t mind you kissing me, though,” Teagan whispers.

  “Okay,” Kellen says. He rips off another one and immediately kisses her skin.

  She eyes him and declares, “You’re a good father.”

  “I try,” Kellen sighs as he looks up at her. “That’s the most anyone can do. I do my damnedest to give her the best life possible.”

  “I can see that.”

  They are quiet, except for Teagan’s gasps, as Kellen rips off the rest of the bandages. Finally, he says, “All done.”

  “I’m glad that Kya had fun,” Teagan snickers, rubbing her arms. “I have no hair left.”

  Kellen sits down on the bed next to her. He brushes her hair out of the way, and whispers, “Thank you for taking care of her.”

  “I didn’t mind at all,” Teagan replies. “We bonded, which is good.” Bending over, Kellen kisses her on the neck. Teagan hums and exposes her neck more. Kellen kisses her again and then all the way up to her ear. Gently, he bites her ear lobe. “Kellen,” Teagan breathes out. “Your daughter is two rooms away.”

  “Dora is on,” he murmurs against her skin. “She probably won’t move for an hour.” Teagan turns towards him, and Kellen looks up at her. “I have been thinking about you all day.”

  With a smirk, Teagan laughs, “I would say the same, but your daughter had me preoccupied.”

  “What about now?” Kellen asks. “Are you preoccupied now?” Teagan shakes her head. “Good.” He pulls her towards him and kisses her intensely. Teagan moans into his mouth and scoots closer to him to wrap her arms around his neck. Kellen l
ifts Teagan up and pulls her onto his lap. They get lost in each other as the minutes tick away. Finally, he pulls away. “I was looking forward to spending the night with you in bed.”

  “Presumptuous, aren’t you?” Teagan giggles.

  “Oh,” Kellen backs away, confusion in his eyes. “Did you have different plans?”

  “No,” Teagan breathes out, rolling her eyes back at him. “I was only teasing.”

  “Are you at least staying the night?” Kellen inquires breathlessly.

  “Is that a good idea with Kya? Is she going to get confused?”

  Pulling away from her, Kellen says, “I plan for you to play a very important role in my life. She needs to get used to you being around.”

  “But sleeping over? She just met me.”

  He brushes his lips against hers. “Daddy has to enjoy himself, too.”

  “There will be no sex,” Teagan asserts; her eyes narrow with determination.

  Kellen smirks, “Kya sleeps like a rock.”

  “Oh no, no, no,” Teagan reiterates. “None of that.”

  In a sarcastic tone, Kellen exhales, “Fine.”

  “I will stay over. I don’t have class until twelve,” Teagan declares.

  “I need to drop her off at her mom’s at nine,” Kellen sighs. “And then go to work.” Teagan playfully pouts. “But, because I had her all week, her mom is taking her for the weekend. So….we can lose ourselves in each other for three days.”

  “Mmmmm,” Teagan hums, pressing herself against him. “Whatever are we going to do?”

  He brushes his nose against hers. “I think we can come up with something.” Teagan leans in and kisses him. They stay that way for a while. Teagan’s stomach growls. Kellen pulls away, laughing, “Hungry?”

  “Just a little,” Teagan replies.

  “Then let’s go get something to eat,” Kellen says, patting her leg. “Kya should eat soon anyway.”

  “Okay,” Teagan whispers, kissing him again. “Let’s go.”

  * * * * *

  An abrupt, “Dah-dah!” wakes Teagan up. She groans and opens her eyes. Kellen stirs next to her. Kya crawls onto the bed and starts jumping up and down. “WAKE UP! WAKE UP!”

  Kellen rolls over and looks at the clock. “6:30, awesome.”

  “Bwakefest!” Kya squeals.

  “Okay, okay,” Kellen groans, running his fingers through his hair. “I’m up.” Teagan stretches and yawns. “Hey,” Kellen whispers. “Go back to sleep.”