Will Smith publicly loved many things in life; home alone, hockey, “people watching”. But off screen, he loved more. It wasn’t like he was planning on keeping his family a secret, he just had no reason to expose his children to the limelight—not that you cared. Plus, it’s not like the fans didn’t know of your existence. For years you were a blurry face in the background, a head leaned on his sister’s shoulder in her tiktoks, the woman everyone assumed was one of his cousins because you “had the same last name.” But then a fan invaded your privacy, and suddenly the whole world realized they never really knew Will Smith.
pairing dad!will smith x fem!reader Mrs Smith masterlist
a/n: This has to be my favorite chapter i've ever written
warnings: none
Y/N POV
I wake up before him. Which isn’t unusual anymore. What is unusual? The quiet, no cartoons in the background, no tiny footsteps yet. Just him next to me, one arm wrapped around my waist like he fell asleep holding me and never let go.
I don’t move right away. Just look at him. Because this still doesn’t feel real sometimes. That this is my life. That he’s in it, every day, every night, constantly. And then it hits me.
Today he leaves.
“Stop staring,” he mumbles, eyes still closed.
I smile. “You’re awake.”
“Barely.”
“You’re still leaving today,” I remind him.
His eyes open immediately. And the look on his face?
Pure disappointment.
“I don’t like that,” he mutters, pulling me closer.
I laugh softly. “It’s two days.”
“48 hours.”
“Same thing.”
“Not the same thing.”
I roll my eyes, resting my head against his chest. “I see you every day. I think I can handle 48 hours. I think.”
“I can’t,” he says immediately.
I laugh. “You’re being dramatic.”
“I’m being serious,” he corrects. “I’m calling you every time I get a break.”
“You do not have that many breaks.”
“I’ll make them.”
“Will-”
“I mean it.”
I shake my head, smiling. “Okay, fine.”
“Mama?”
We both look toward the door. And there she is, hair messy, bunny in hand, sleep still in her eyes.
“Hi, baby,” I say softly.
She walks in slowly then immediately climbs onto the bed. Right between us, like that’s her spot. Will doesn’t even hesitate. He lifts the blanket, pulling her in closer.
“Hey, Tess,” he murmurs.
She curls into him instantly. And I swear it’s like this is just normal now.
“I have to leave for a little,” he explains softly. “Go play hockey. Win a game.”
Her face changes immediately. Tears start to fill her eyes
“No.”
He smiles slightly. “Just for a little bit.”
“No,” she repeats, louder now.
“It’s only two days-”
“Daddy no leave me.”
Everything stops. Completely. My breath catches. His does too. We both just stare at her. Because, did she just-
“Tess-” I start.
But he cuts me off. Not harsh. Just quick.
“Hey,” he says softly, turning her toward him. “Who am I?”
She looks at him. Like it’s obvious.
“Daddy.”
And he loses it. In the best way.
“Oh my God,” he laughs, sitting up immediately and pulling her with him. “That’s right!”
He lifts her up, spinning her around as she squeals.
“That’s right, I’m daddy!” he grins, completely gone.
I just sit there. Frozen. Watching it happen. Because this wasn’t something we talked about. This wasn’t planned. But the way she said it? The way he reacted?
It didn’t feel wrong. It felt right.
“Again,” he says, setting her down slightly.
“Daddy,” she repeats.
He laughs, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Yeah, that’s me.”
And I swear I’ve never seen him happier.
Breakfast is quieter. Not awkward. Just full. Like everyone is thinking about it. Even her. She’s sitting in his lap, playing with his fingers like nothing changed. But everything did.
“I’m sorry,” I say finally.
He looks up immediately. “For what?”
“That,” I nod toward Tessa. “I didn’t-I didn’t tell her to say that or-”
“Hey,” he cuts in gently. “Don’t.”
“I just don’t want you to feel like-”
“I want that,” he says.
I blink.
“What?”
“I want to be in her life,” he continues. “Like that.”
My heart stutters.
“I don’t want to just be some guy who comes around or her mother’s boyfriend,” he adds. “I want to be there. For real.”
I just stare at him. Because the way he’s saying it, it’s not light, it’s not casual, it’s serious.
“I’ll be more of a dad than her actual father ever was,” he says without thinking.
Silence. His eyes widen slightly.
“-I mean, if that’s okay,” he adds quickly. “I’m not trying to overstep or-”
“No.”
He stops.
“No?” he repeats.
“That’s perfect,” I say softly.
And I mean it. Every word. I’ve spent so long being careful, protective, scared. And now here he is, choosing it, choosing us, without hesitation.
WILL POV
I don’t want to leave. At all. But I have to. And she’s making it very difficult.
“No go,” Tessa says, clinging to my leg.
“I have to,” I tell her gently.
“No.”
“I’ll be back before you know it.”
She shakes her head.
“No.”
I crouch down, holding her hands.
“Hey,” I say softly. “We’re going to call all the time, okay?”
She sniffles.
“And you can watch my game,” I add.
“TV?”
“Yeah, on TV.”
She thinks about it. Just for a second.
“…okay.”
“Okay,” I smile.
“And I need something,” I add.
“What?”
“My good luck kiss.”
Her face lights up slightly. She grabs my face and kisses my cheek again.
“Good luck, Daddy,” she says.
My face immediately turns pink
Y/N POV
I walk him to the door. Trying not to make it a big deal. Even though it is.
“Call me when you land,” I say.
“I will.”
“And before the game.”
“I will.”
“And after.”
“I will,” he smiles.
I laugh softly, shaking my head.
“Okay.”
There’s a pause. Then he steps closer. Just slightly.
“I did something,” he says.
“What?”
“I booked us dinner,” he adds. “For when I get back.”
I blink. “Dinner?”
“Fancy,” he nods. “Just us.”
My stomach flips.
“Will…”
“You deserve it,” he says simply.
I smile.
“Okay.”
He leans in, kissing me softly, not rushed, not distracted..
“I’ll be back before you know it,” he murmurs.
“I know.”
And this time I actually believe it. Because for the first time in a long time waiting doesn’t feel scary. It just feels like something worth doing.
What ensures when the world finds out you’re not Miss Smith, but Mrs Smith after your private instagram gets leaked? Obsessive fans, protective public interactions, an influx of baby brand sponsorships, and everything else you’d expect after such a catastrophic breach.
pairing dad!will smith x fem!reader tropes childhood lovers, first and only love, romance, secret family & relationship contains smut will be marked by 18+
⮕ social media
Miss Yn Smith is actually Mrs Smith?
a fan leaks the secret Will’s been keeping from the public + the public’s reaction.
After leaving RedBull for Porsche, you never expected it to follow you disguised as your brother’s teammate. (aka another ex-RedBull athlete.)
pairing: will smith x fem!misa!f1driver!reader
note: i haven’t written a smau in a long time 💆♀️
fc: luvstruck on instagram OPERATION: SHARK ATTACK! masterlist
luvmisa77 instagram
liked by _willsmith2, haileybieber, michaelmisa_, kimi.antonelli, _connorbedard, and 23,826,628 more
luvmisa77 Is it too late to be a Porsche girl in Miami?
michaelmisa_ Now that i’m the poorer sibling can you buy me a porsche?
luvmisa77 You’ve always been the poorer sibling
user1 imagine how luke feels
user2 trading in a mustang for a porsche, are we?
luvmisa77 What can i say? Porsche’s go faster 🤷♀️
user3 imagine being redbull rn 💀
user4 how they managed to lose both Yn Misa and Will Smith Hockey in the same year is beyond me
❤️ by author and _willsmith2
_connorbedard 🔥
❤️ by author
luke_misa Can I come to the miami gp?
luvmisa77 You weren’t already going to come?
luke_misa @luvmisa77 No I was, I just wanted you to interact with me for clout
user5 Why are there so many nhl players in Misa’s likes?
user6 Her younger brother plays for the San Jose Sharks
alexandramalenaleclerc jolie fille 🤍 (pretty girl)
❤️ by author
_willsmith2 👍
❤️ by author
yourfriend ce mec omd (this guy omg)
yourfriend La caption? T’es touché or what? (The, You crazy)
luvmisa77 What? C’est vrais
user7 Wait if she’s Michael Misa’s sister then why does she speak french?
user8 she used to live in Monaco
user7 user8 used to?
user8 user7 Yep. She moved to the states when Porsche joined the grid this year
user8 first year without RedBull in Miami, kinda nervous. i hope she manages to win for the third consecutive year as a fuck you to Red Bull and their second seat curse.
Texts you + Michael
michaelmisa_ instagram stories
fan tweets X
deuxmoi instagram
liked by user4, user29, user28, and 1,726,826 more
deuxmoi Allegedly Yn Misa, Will Smith, And Kimi Antonelli. Tell us in the comments: did this submitter see an oasis, or is something brewing in Miami’s heat.
Remember, these emails are anonymous & not verified so, proceed with caution.
Deuxmoi and its affiliates do not claim to have composed any of the following emails; state the content of the emails to be factual; share the same standpoints, thoughts, or feelings reflected in these emails.
user9 NOOO NOT MY MISIMI SHIP 💔
user10 are we really believing that an NHL player and an F1 driver would ever interact with each other? What could they possibly have to talk about lol
user11 oh ok so yn moved to San Jose for more than just Porsche
user12 this is exactly why we never wanted a female driver
user13 right because Antonelli wasn’t the one who “allegedly” cheated on her
user14 @mackcelebrini come collect your bf
user15 Okay so who told them to bond over their RedBull trauma 😭
user16 WHICH MANIFESTING FANGIRL DID THIS??
user17 wasn’t expecting 2026 to bring a willmack throuple
user18 MAMA (tumblr) THEY HIT THE PENTAGON (willmack)
user19 what happened to not brining tumblr onto other platforms?
After a Duexmoi blind item goes viral hinting at brewing tension between two ex Red Bull athletes, fans make an X operation that they like to call “OPERATION: SHARK ATTACK!” OR in which Michael Misa makes it his life mission to get his love-stuck teammate and older sister together during his NHL summer break.
pairing will smith x fem!misa!porschef1driver!reader tropes forced proximity, love at first sight, he fell first and harder, golden retriever bf x golden retriever gf, found family, tba contains smut will be marked by 18+
⮕ social media
Shark Attack in Miami?
Someone seemingly can’t keep a secret and slips a not-so blind item to Duexmoi.
OPERATION: SHARK ATTACK!
Both your and Will’s fans familiarize themselves and come up with a joint operation to get you guys together.
a/n: this is one of my favorite chapter ever!! I posted this on Wattpad on Will's birthday so just pretend its his birthday again lol
warnings: drinking
Y/N POV
“Are we surprising Daddy?”
Tessa is bouncing in her seat again, her tiny jersey on, hair in two messy pigtails. Way too excited for someone who woke up at 5 AM.
“Yes,” I laugh. “But you have to be quiet when we get there, okay?”
She nods very seriously.
“Quiet.”
“Very quiet.”
“Very quiet,” she repeats.
She lasts exactly three minutes.
“Daddy!” she screams the second we get near the tunnel.
I wince.
“Well… so much for that.”
WILL POV
I hear her before I see her. Of course I do. That little voice? Impossible to miss.
“Daddy!”
I turn and there they are. Standing right there. And for a second everything else disappears.
“What are you doing here?” I grin, skating over.
“Surprise!” Y/N laughs.
“Surprise!” Tessa copies.
I lean over the boards slightly.
“Best surprise ever,” I say, reaching out.
Tessa grabs my hand immediately.
“Happy birthday, Daddy!”
My chest tightens.
“Thank you, munchkin.”
I look up at Y/N.
“You really did this?”
“Of course I did,” she smiles. “You thought I’d let you spend your 21st away from us?”
I shake my head, smiling like an idiot.
“I love you.”
“I love you more.”
The game doesn’t even matter. Not really. Because they’re here and that’s enough.
NEXT DAY - Y/N POV
He walks through the front door and stops completely.
“What is all this?” he laughs.
The living room is full. Gifts, balloons, and a cake sitting on the table.
“Happy birthday,” I grin.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY,” Tessa adds proudly.
He shakes his head, dropping his bag.
“You guys are insane.”
“You love it.”
“I do.”
He starts opening things. Shoes, clothes, little random things I know he’d like, and then the last box.
He looks at me.
“You didn’t.”
“Open it.”
He does and his eyes widen slightly.
“No way.”
“Yeah way.”
It’s a watch. Nice. Like really nice.
“Y/N…” he exhales.
“Happy 21st.”
He stands up immediately, pulling me into him.
“You didn’t have to do this.”
“I wanted to.”
He kisses me softly.
“Thank you.”
LATER THAT NIGHT
“Liv’s here!” I call.
“Go,” Liv waves us off. “Be irresponsible.”
“I always am,” Will grins.
“Not like tonight,” she smirks.
WILL POV
She looks unreal. Again and I’m starting to think it’s not fair.
“Stop staring,” she says.
“Can’t.”
“You’re annoying.”
“You love me.”
She rolls her eyes.
“Let’s go before I change my mind.”
Y/N POV
The night is chaos in the best way. Music loud, lights flashing, drinks flowing, and for once I don’t feel like a mom or stressed or responsible. I just feel free.
“You’re 21,” I laugh, clinking my glass against his.
“Finally.”
“How does it feel?”
“Like I’m about to make bad decisions.”
“Good,” I grin. “Me too.”
We dance. We laugh. We don’t care who’s watching and it feels like being teenagers again. Like nothing else exists.
OUTSIDE THE CLUB
“Race you to the Uber,” I say suddenly.
“What?”
“Race you.”
“You’re on.”
We both take off running, laughing, tripping over ourselves.
“Cheater!” he yells.
“I’m winning!”
“No you’re not-”
Before I can even react he grabs me, lifting me off the ground and spinning me. I scream, laughing.
“Put me down!”
“Never!”
The Uber pulls up.
We pile in, still laughing, still breathless.
“Put the window down,” I say.
He does. And suddenly we’re both leaning out slightly, wind in our faces, laughing like idiots.
“WE’RE INSANE!” I yell.
“I KNOW!”
We stumbled into a gas station because I got hungry.
“Snacks,” I announce.
“Everything,” he agrees.
We grab way too much. Way too loudly.
“Hey. keep it down,” the cashier snaps.
We both freeze then burst out laughing.
“Sorry!”
I can’t tell you how because of how drunk I am but somehow we made it to in-n-out
We’re sitting on the curb. Food in our laps. Laughing over absolutely nothing.
“This is the best burger I’ve ever had,” he says.
“You say that every time.”
“Because it’s true every time.”
I look at him. Really look at him and he looks so happy. Like this night means something.
“God,” he says suddenly, shaking his head slightly. “I can’t wait to marry you.”
My heart stutters.
“What?”
“I’m serious,” he says, looking at me. “I can’t wait.”
I smile softly.
“Then do it.”
He blinks. “What?”
“I’m not saying now,” I laugh. “But I wouldn’t say no.”
He just looks at me smiling. Like he can’t believe I just said that.
And for a second everything slows. It’s just us, sitting on a curb, eating burgers, smiling at each other like idiots.
“Race you to the Uber,” he says again suddenly.
“You’re on.”
We’re trying so hard to be quiet. Failing miserably.
“Shhh!” I whisper-yell.
“You shhh!”
“You’re loud!”
“So are you!”
We both freeze listening, silence.
We peek into Tessa’s room. She’s out.
We exhale at the same time.
“Okay,” I whisper. “We’re safe.”
“Barely.”
We’re in bed. Finally still, finally quiet, wrapped up in each other.
I rest my head against his chest. Tracing random patterns on his skin.
I tilt my head up slightly.
“I hope you had the best birthday ever, my boy.”
He laughs softly.
“I did,” he whispers.
And as he pulls me closer I realize tonight wasn’t just fun. It was a reminder of who we are under everything. Just two people completely in love and completely free.
a/n: This chapter is so cute I hope you guys love it!!
warnings: none!
Y/N POV
“I feel like I’m going to embarrass myself.”
“You’re not going to embarrass yourself,” Will says for the third time, leaning against my kitchen counter like this is the most normal thing in the world.
“It’s your teammates,” I argue, pacing slightly. “Your professional hockey teammates. That’s intimidating.”
“They’re just people.”
“Yeah, people who play in the NHL.”
“They’re still people,” he repeats, smiling.
I narrow my eyes. “Easy for you to say. You are one.”
He laughs quietly. “You’ll be fine.”
“Tessa, baby, come here,” I call.
She comes running, already holding her bunny.
“Will’s fwends,” she says proudly, like she’s been preparing for this all day.
I blink. “Yeah… Will’s friends.”
“Fwends,” she nods again.
Will crouches down, holding his hand out to her. “You ready?”
She grabs it immediately.
“Ready.”
And just like that she’s calm and completely unbothered, as always. Meanwhile, I feel like I’m about to walk into a room where everyone’s going to know more about me than I know about them.
The house is huge. That’s my first thought. Lights glowing from inside, music playing softly, people already gathered.
“This is a lot,” I mutter.
“It’s chill,” Will says.
“This is not chill.”
He laughs. “You’ll see.”
The second we walk in-
“SMITTY!”
A voice calls out, and suddenly Will is being pulled into a quick handshake-hug situation.
“Hey,” he laughs.
“And this must be her,” someone else says.
I freeze.
“Oh my God,” a girl says, walking over with the biggest smile. “Hi! I’m Cat.”
She pulls me into a hug before I can even react.
“I’m Y/N,” I say, a little breathless.
“I know,” she grins. “I’ve heard about you.”
Of course she has.
“And this is Tessa?” she adds, crouching down slightly.
Tessa nods.
“Hi.”
Cat melts instantly. “Okay, I’m obsessed.”
“Hey, Smitty.”
We both turn. There he is. Macklin Celebrini, already smiling like he knows something.
“And this must be Tessa,” he says, crouching down without hesitation.
Tessa looks at him, then at Will, then back at him.
“Hi,” she says.
He grins. “Hi.”
And within seconds he’s sitting on the floor with her. Like that’s just what he does.
I blink.
“He loves kids,” Will says quietly next to me.
“I can tell.”
WILL POV
This is exactly what I was hoping for. It’s better. Y/N talking to Cat like they’ve known each other longer than five minutes. Tessa sitting between Macklin and Misa, completely entertained.
No nerves, no hesitation. Just fitting. Like it was always supposed to be this way.
Y/N POV
“So,” Cat says, handing me a drink. “Welcome.”
“Thank you,” I laugh softly. “This is… a lot.”
“It is at first,” she nods. “But you get used to it.”
“To what?” I ask.
She gestures around. “This. The team. The schedule. The attention.”
My stomach tightens slightly.
“Yeah… that part.”
She smiles knowingly. “It’s weird at first. But honestly? It becomes normal.”
“I don’t know if I’ll ever think this is normal.”
“You will,” she says. “Especially if you stick around.”
I blink.
“Stick around?”
She smirks slightly. “He really likes you.”
My cheeks warm immediately.
“And he’s not subtle about it,” she adds.
I laugh softly. “I’ve noticed.”
“So what’s it like?” I ask after a second.
“What?”
“Being… this,” I gesture vaguely. “Part of all of it.”
She tilts her head. “You mean being a WAG?”
I cringe slightly. “That sounds so weird.”
“It does,” she laughs. “But honestly? It’s not what people think.”
“Which is?”
“That we just… exist around them,” she shrugs. “But it’s more than that. It’s a whole life. A support system. Travel, games, friendships, chaos.”
“Sounds intense.”
“It is,” she nods. “But it’s also really fun.”
I glance across the room at Will laughing with his teammates. Then Tessa, still sitting next to Macklin, now showing him something very important about her bunny. And something in my chest settles.
“She’s so cute,” someone says near me.
I turn to see another girl smiling at Tessa.
“Thank you,” I say.
“And he’s amazing with her,” she adds, nodding toward Will.
I follow her gaze and she’s right. He is. Always has been.
WILL POV
“She’s perfect for you.”
I glance over at Macklin, who’s now standing next to me again.
“Yeah,” I say.
“And the kid” he adds.
I smile. “Yeah.”
He nods. “You’re different around them.”
“Good different?”
“Yeah,” he says. “Like… settled.”
That word hits. Because it’s true.
Y/N POV
By the time we’re getting ready to leave, Tessa is half asleep in my arms.
“I don’t want to go,” she mumbles.
I laugh softly. “You say that everywhere.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Will steps in, gently taking her from me. “We’ll come back, okay?”
“Okay”
She’s out before we even reach the car.
The drive home is quiet. Comfortable.
“See?” he says softly. “Not so bad.”
“Not bad at all,” I admit.
“They liked you.”
“I liked them.”
He smiles slightly.
“And you liked Cat,” he adds.
“I did,” I nod. “She’s really easy to talk to.”
“She’s the best.”
There’s a pause.
“Come to the game tomorrow,” he says.
I glance at him.
“What?”
“Opening game,” he shrugs. “It would mean a lot.”
I look back at Tessa. Asleep. Peaceful. Then back at him.
“I think…” I hesitate. “I think it’s better if we watch from home.”
His expression softens.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I nod. “I don’t want to bring her into that environment yet. Not until I know what it’s like.”
He studies me for a second. Then nods.
“Okay.”
“Is that okay?” I ask.
“Of course it is,” he says. “We’ll do it your way.”
My chest tightens slightly. Because that means everything.
And as we pull up to my apartment, I realize something I probably should’ve realized sooner. This isn’t just me stepping into his world anymore. He’s stepping into mine too. And somehow we’re meeting right in the middle.
It starts off normal. Which should’ve been my first warning. Tessa wakes up happy, too happy. Like bouncing on the bed, talking a mile a minute, already in a mood kind of happy.
“Mommy! Pancakes! Pink pancakes!”
“We don’t have pink pancakes,” I laugh, rubbing my eyes as I sit up.
“Yes we do!”
“No, we-”
“YES WE DO!”
Okay. Here we go.
By the time I get her downstairs, she’s already talking about ten different things at once.
“Daddy call?”
“Later, baby. He’s traveling.”
“Daddy miss me.”
“Yes he does.”
“I miss him.”
“I know.”
She sighs dramatically. Then immediately switches gears.
“Pancakes!”
“Okay, okay,” I say, pulling things out of the fridge.
The meltdown starts over syrup. Syrup.
“I want it on the side!” she yells.
“It is on the side,” I say, placing the plate down.
“No, this side!” she points aggressively.
I blink.
“…what?”
“THIS SIDE!” she shouts louder.
“Tess, it’s just-”
“NO!”
And suddenly she’s crying. Like full tears, screaming, throwing her fork onto the table. I freeze for a second. Because this is new.
“Okay,” I say slowly. “Let’s just calm down-”
“I DON’T WANT THIS!”
She pushes the plate. Syrup spills, pancakes slide. And just like that breakfast is over.
I take a deep breath.
“You know what?” I say, trying to stay calm. “We’re going to take a break.”
“No!”
“Yes.”
“I WANT PANCAKES!”
“You had pancakes!”
“NO I DIDN’T!”
I close my eyes for a second. Just one second. Because it’s 9 a.m. and I’m already exhausted.
“Okay,” I say, softer now. “Come here.”
“No!”
She runs away. Straight into the living room, throws herself on the floor, kicking, crying, screaming.
And I just stand there because I don’t know what to do.
As the day goes on, it doesn’t get better, it gets worse.
I try to work. Laptop open, emails piling up, deadline getting closer.
And everytime I go to type-
“Mommy!”
“What?”
“I want juice!”
“You have juice.”
“I want DIFFERENT juice!”
“We don’t have different juice.”
“BUT I WANT IT!”
“Tessa-”
Cue meltdown number two. I press my fingers to my temples.
“Okay… okay…”
She’s crying again, louder this time, throwing a toy across the room. I flinch.
“Hey,” I say firmly, standing up. “We do not throw things.”
“I WANT DADDY!”
That hits.
“I know,” I say, softer now. “I want him too.”
“I WANT HIM NOW!”
“I know-”
“CALL HIM!”
“I can’t just call him whenever-”
“CALL HIM!” she screams.
And that’s it. That’s the moment I feel it. That overwhelming, suffocating feeling. The one I haven’t felt in a while.
Like I’m failing. Like I can’t do this. Like I’m alone again.
“I need a minute,” I whisper, mostly to myself.
But she doesn’t care. She’s still crying, still screaming, still not calming down.
I step into the kitchen just for a second. Gripping the counter. Trying to breathe.
“Get it together,” I whisper.
Because I don’t have a choice. I never have.
But then-
“Mommy…” she cries from the other room.
And it’s softer this time. Not angry. Just sad.
I walk back in and she’s still on the floor. Tears all over her face, hair messy, completely overwhelmed.
And suddenly I see it. She’s not being “bad.” She’s just little. Overstimulated. Missing him.
“Hey,” I say softly, kneeling down.
She doesn’t look at me.
“Hey,” I repeat gently.
“I want Daddy,” she whispers.
My heart breaks.
“I know, baby.”
I sit down next to her. Not forcing anything. Just being there.
“You wanna sit with me?” I ask quietly.
She hesitates. Then slowly crawls into my lap.
And just like that the storm starts to pass.
“I miss him too,” I whisper, brushing her hair back.
She sniffles.
“Daddy come back?”
“Soon.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
She clings to me tighter. And I just hold her, rocking slightly, like I used to when she was a baby.
After a minute, I grab my phone.
“Should we send Daddy a video?” I ask softly.
Her head lifts slightly.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
I hit record.
“Hey,” I say quietly. “We’re having a day.”
She sniffles next to me.
“I miss you,” she whispers.
I send it. Not expecting a response right away. He’s busy, he’s away, he has a game. But then my phone buzzes.
Will: call me
I blink. Immediately hitting the button.
WILL POV
I answer instantly.
“Hey.”
“Hi,” she says, her voice small.
“You okay?”
“No.”
That’s all it takes.
“I’ve got you,” I say immediately. “Both of you.”
Tessa perks up slightly.
“Daddy?”
“Hey, munchkin.”
“I miss you.”
“I miss you too.”
I listen as she talks, as Y/N fills me in, as the chaos of their morning spills out, and I don’t interrupt. I just stay.
“You’re doing great,” I tell her.
“I don’t feel like it,” she admits.
“I know,” I say. “But you are.”
Y/N POV
“I feel like I’m failing today,” I whisper.
“You’re not,” he says immediately.
“She just, won’t calm down and I have work and I just-”
“Hey,” he cuts in gently. “She’s having a hard day. That doesn’t mean you’re a bad mom.”
I close my eyes because I needed that more than I realized.
“I wish you were here,” I admit quietly.
“Me too,” he says.
There’s a pause.
“I’ll be home tomorrow,” he adds. “We’ll reset.”
I nod.
“Okay.”
“Daddy come home?” Tessa asks.
“Soon,” he promises.
After we hang up things aren’t magically perfect. She still has moments, still gets upset, till needs me constantly.
But it’s different now because I’m calmer, more grounded.
By the end of the day she’s curled up next to me on the couch, half asleep, finally peaceful. And I look down at her brushing her hair back.
And I realized something. Today wasn’t a failure. It was just one of those days.
And for the first time in a long time I didn’t go through it alone.
