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Daisy was predictably hyper that evening, wound up on candy and Halloween festivities. Clyde had called at ten on the dot, which Ophelia found absolutely adorable, but she was positive that he could hear the little girl shouting ‘butts and guts! BUTTS an’ GUTS!’ Not the best of impressions, but it wasn’t like he hadn’t known she had a kid.
“Daisy Christina Wills, get in bed or I’m throwing out all your candy!”
”Ain’t never tellin’ you my full name,” Clyde observed dryly, rather certain that if Ophelia called out his name like that it would be his undoing. She called out her daughter’s name like his own Ma did and it produced much the same reaction - Clyde could hear Daisy’s little feet scrambling towards her bedroom.
“Don’t make me have to tell you when to go to bed then,” Ophelia teased with exasperation in her voice as she watched her daughter close the bedroom door. This was probably the best day that mother and daughter had enjoyed in a long time. Daisy had laughed and run about, playing games with Sadie and the other children. She had never been particularly religious but was glad that she’d listened to Moody about the church trunk or treat - Daisy had made a few new friends and now she was talking to Clyde Logan.
”Ain’t never been good ‘bout gettin’ to bed at what folk’s call a decent hour. Usually don’t get everyone outta the Duck till about 3AM, an’ don’t get home till ‘bouts 4 or so.” Which was one of the many reasons why this couldn’t actually be a thing. Clyde and Ophelia would talk for a bit tonight, they might spend some time together, but it wasn’t like they were gonna be anything together. Bartender hours ain’t exactly conducive to parenting!
”Don’t tell Daisy that, she loves staying up as late as possible.” There was laughter in Ophelia’s voice as she went through their apartment, turning off lights and getting ready for bed herself. Clyde could hear her moving from room to room although he didn’t actually know anything about where she was living. But, based off how her voice got quiet after the closing of a door, he was guessing that she’d gone into her own bedroom. “Pretty sure she’d got a hidden flashlight in there for reading.”
”Little bookworm?”
”Like you wouldn’t believe. She’s above her grade level and devouring books I wouldn’t have attempted at her age,” distinct pride in her voice as Ophelia began shedding her garments slowly. Despite the distance between them, there was a little blush on her face as she thought about the fact that she was wiggling out of her jeans while talking to Clyde. Ophelia was a mother, a veteran of DC politics and yet the man really did have her feeling like a high schooler! Maybe it was the new area, this new life away from the back-stabbing corruption and lies of the capital. Or maybe it was just Clyde Logan.
“Naw, I believe it. I got some books at the trailer she can paw though, if’n she likes history an’ stuff.” Clyde let himself smile a bit as he laid in the dark of his bedroom. He hadn’t planned on it, but it was awful nice to hear her voice while he was laying on the bed. If he closed his eyes, Clyde could almost pretend that Ophelia was right there beside him.
”She’ll appreciate it. You a big reader, Clyde?”
”Bit. Got into readin’ as a kid. Did a lot in the Army.” It had passed the time while he was in juvie (thanks again, Jimmy) and then during off duty overseas. Reading, much as his school librarian had promised, taken his mind away from the problems of the moment and transported him somewhere else. Reading Rainbow and Sesame Street would be proud.
“How long have you been out? If you don’t mind me asking,” Ophelia asked though she was still listening for sounds of her daughter getting up to trouble.
“Little while. Got hit on my way out, honorable discharge an’ all that.” The money for his hand had set Clyde up with the Duck but it also ruined any chance of a military career. Granted, with how things had gone and everything he’d learned, that was for the best but he still would have preferred keeping all his limbs. “Don’t mind talkin’ about it long as nobody starts thankin’ me too much. Gets weird.”
”I’ll keep the appreciation to giving Daisy rubber ducks then,” she smiled and Clyde could hear the expression in her voice. That was… unexpectedly nice. The Logans were a loving bunch but in their own understated way. Ophelia seemed to radiate her emotions and well… Clyde liked that. He shouldn’t, likin’ things leads to trouble but he did.
”She’s a great kid.”
”You have any?”
”Maybe someday,” he answered quietly and Ophelia's smile got warmer. Unlike Clyde, she had no reservation about enjoying this conversation. She liked the idea of Clyde Logan as a daddy and she liked the thought of him holding a baby.
“That’d be cute. Ever been married?” She couldn’t even keep the soft giggle out of her voice as she asked.
”Nah, ain’t never had much luck with datin’. You married to…” His voice trailed off, wincing in the darkness of his bedroom. She’d said it was just her and Daisy, Ophelia probably didn’t want to talk about whoever Daisy’s daddy was. Clyde could even hear her sigh and the pause in the conversation felt like scolding church auntie.
“… No. We… You ever do something because it just seems like what you’re supposed to want?” Ophelia spoke with careful quiet. She didn’t want Daisy to know that she and Hamlet hadn’t ever been in love, not really, at least not right now. Maybe not ever. Hamlet really wasn’t the best father and it was hard enough to manage co-parenting with someone who considers putting their child support on autopay as excellent involvement.
”… Yeah.”
“That about sums up our relationship. He’s not in the picture.” Clyde shouldn’t have been glad to hear that. He hated himself for it but damned if he wasn’t glad to hear that there wasn’t a messy divorce to sort out. To buy himself time to think of an answer, he tugged at the strap of his prosthesis and grunted.
”Sorry, getting the arm off. Shame ‘bout that, for the kid’s sake.”
”She deserves better but life’s more peaceful this way,” the redhead admitted as she wiggled out of her bra and began to tuck herself under the covers of her bed. “You leave it on most of the time?”
”Jus’ ‘bout. Take it off to sleep, shower, that kinda thing.” He paused for a moment, listening to the sounds of Ophelia moving around in what was probably her bed. He wanted to be there. It wasn’t even the desire for sex, though yes, he’d like to scratch at every itch they both had. Clyde wanted to bury his head in her hair, smell her shampoo and hold onto her. With those curves, their bed would be warm even in the winter. “Ya still wanna come out for a bonfire?”
”I really would, Clyde, I’d like that a lot.” She wound a bit of her red hair around her fingers, much as she had literal phone cords when Ophelia was a teenager. Back when home phones with cords were actually a thing - rare but still existent and Dad had liked the impressive and classic look of them. As a teenager, she’d sunk into his office to take phone calls while he was out of town. Nobody dared go into that room so it was perfect for the sort of giggling conversations of innocent puppy love. “Daisy got invited to a sleepover that Sadie is going to in a few days, if you’re free.”
”Jus’ tell me when.” He’d figure it out. He’d have Earl watch the bar, or Mellie. Jimmy, if it came to it. Jimmy owed Clyde. He probably should thought it over longer, probably shouldn’t have been so damn eager to just jump into it. But Clyde couldn’t stand the thought of Ophelia thinkin’ that he’d ever be too busy for her. And - if he was bein’ honest, which he wasn’t - he just plain ol’ liked the thought of getting her out his way an’ spending time alone with her! “I’ll pick ya up.”
”I can’t wait,” and she meant it, grinning broadly in the darkness. That wasn’t even the end of their conversation. Oh sure, Ophelia had to look up the details and she could hear Clyde getting out of bed to write them down, but they kept talking for some time after that. She was curious about how he happened to have tonight off along with the night that Ophelia was free - ‘ownin’ the bar has its perks’ - and about his life.
That they shared dreams and goals surprised Clyde a lot. He wasn’t verbose, he rarely was, but he’d told her about wantin’ a walk-in freezer for the Duck an’ about endin’ up in juvie for Jimmy’s sake. By the time they hung up, Ophelia Wills knew far more about Clyde Logan than most people who'd known him for years. In the dark of his bedroom, Clyde twisted the horseshoe ring on his hand for luck and hoped that this wasn’t gonna be another mess!