It Doesn't Remind Me of Anything, chapter 4

As soon as I reached the living room, Amanda looked at me with a giant smile on her face.

"Daddy!? Are we going on a trip? Just you and Mommy and me? Where are we going?!" I just looked at her with sympathy as I shook my head.
"No sweetie..." Amanda was no longer happy and excited. She was confused.
"Then... then why do you have so much bags?" I only stared at her, loving the way she spoke.

"I...I..." I sighed. I couldn't think of a way to tell her.
"I...uh." Just then, Shannon walked into the room silently crying. Amanda looked at her mother.
"Amanda..." Hearing her actual name, Amanda slowly walked over to me. I picked her up and tightly held her in my arms.
"I'm...I'm." My heart was racing. I was so scared to tell her. I took a deep breath.
"I'm going away, Sweetie..." Amanda, Shannon, and I were silent.
"Awe you going away to play music to all of the people who wove you and think you awe sexy again?" I chuckled as I thought about what I told Amanda what I was doing the last time I left.

"No...I'm n-not." Amanda tilted her head.
"Where awe you going, Daddy?" She looked up at me with those big, blue eyes that I love so, so much.
"I'm...uhm...I'm going to..." I didn't really want to tell her where I was going. If I did, she'd bug her mother to take her to me, or call me.
"I'm just...going away." I hope she accepts my answer.
"Oh." That was all Amanda said. I could see her starting to get upset.
"Awe you coming back, Daddy?" I just stood there, not saying a single word.
"Uh..." I shook my head. "No...no I'm not..." I put Amanda down and grabbed my bags. But as soon as I picked up my bags, she held on to my leg, like she always does.

"Daddy! Don't leave Mommy and me alone..." She started crying. I could also hear Shannon cry too. I didn't say anything, I just headed for the door.
"Daddy! No! Daddy! Don't leave." I put my bags down, and picked up Amanda, and hugged her the tightest I've ever hugged her. Then I put her down, and opened the door.

Before I walked out of the house, I looked at Shannon and mouthed a "good-bye" to her.
"Bye..." She whispered.
"Daddy!" I looked down and there Amanda was, holding her puppy, Mikey in her hand.
"Take Mikey. I don't want her," she said angrily.
"But, Pandie. Mikey is your puppy."
"I...I don't care. Take her." I shook my head.
"No, Pandie, you're keeping Mikey. She loves you." Amanda put her puppy down and started screaming and crying. Shannon ran over, picked Amanda up and walked up the stairs. They were in Amanda's room and I could still hear her screaming.

"I don't want Daddy to leave! I don't want him to leave us!" I never thought Amanda could ever get so angry at her age. I looked down and saw Mikey looking up at me with big, innocent eyes.
"What?" I say to the puppy.

I turned to look outside, and sighed. I stepped out of the doorway and shut the door behind me. I walked over to my car and looked at the house. I looked up at a second floor window, and I saw Shannon and Amanda looking down at me. I slowly waved good-bye, but they just stared at me.

I got into my car, started it up, and headed to Mike's house. As I drove to Mike's house, I cried. I cried for Shannon, I cried for Amanda, and I cried wondering if I was ever going to see my poor, little baby girl again...