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It was sometime after one in the afternoon, the sun was shining bright and directly into Max's eyes through his truck windshield, which was parked in front of a library.
He squinted and irritated, roughly reached to pull the trucks sun visor down. It was a miracle he hadn't broken it as many times he had slammed it down in the past.
It was different this time, though. Max didn't know why, but after a few months of therapy (that he deemed useless, it felt like a waste of time.) He had truly felt like he had made a little bit of a difference.
It never felt like enough.
Truly, he never felt like enough.
The big man shook his head, muttering something under his breath to himself, he had to stay focused- he was here for a reason after all.
That reason, just happened to come running towards the truck at full speeds, almost too fast that Max didn't get the chance to get out of his truck in time.
"Dad!!" Maddison shrieked, out of pure excitement. It was his first day that he was finally allowed time alone with her. His wife- ex-wife, he supposed- finally agreed when she saw the progress he had been making.
"Hey, sweetpea." Max greeted with a grin, hopping out of his truck and snatching the young girl up in a tight hug, which she easily reciprocated and clung onto her dad.
Alice, his ex-wife, was stood there. And when she knew that her child was in safe hands she turned and left, not wanting to be around Max for longer than she had to be- the damage was done to her.
"Let's get you in the truck, then." He grinned, trying to mask the hurt for his little girl- he knew what was done couldn't be undone.
Max carried the girl to the other side of the truck and set her down, helping her down into her seat and making sure she was buckled and her stuff was settled before he shut the door.
He rested a hand on the handle and gave a deep sigh, knowing that truly he couldn't change the past- and that his relationship with Alice was finished. But his daughter deserved a father who tried, and he wanted to be that for her.
And with that, he got in the drivers side of the truck. Max was going to give his girl the best daddy-daughter day that he possibly could.