you'll always be my little girl
Who: Vivianna (Isabelle) and her parents (NPC) Where: Her family home When: Evening, when she was four What: A quiet evening at home
The sky outside was slowly darkening and the little strawberry-blonde girl grew more and more bouncy. Anne laughed as she caught glimpses of a head of curls and a flash of a blue dress pacing back and forth at the front door. She turned back to fixing dinner, knowing her daughter was always like this when she was waiting for him. Without looking, she knew the little girl was peeking out the window next to the door.
The door opened and the girl streaked towards it, leaping into the man’s arms before he’d stepped over the threshold. He pretended to stumble back as he caught her, the action not stopping his entrance. William laughed, a deep warm laugh that filled the home.
“Story, Daddy!”
Chuckling, he moved into the kitchen to kiss his wife. “Give him a moment to breathe, dear one,” Ann said, pausing in her preparations to look at her family. Her daughter always seemed to light up when William was home. It brought such joy into their lives.
Isabelle pouted and her parents smiled but didn’t laugh. Her head rested on his shoulder, her tiny arms around William’s neck. “Story.”
Ann gives her a stern look and the frustrated expression on the child’s face turned to a trembling lip and sad, teary eyes. Williams didn’t have to see her face to know what it looked like. He pressed a kiss to her soft curls. “How about I start a story, until Mommy is done with dinner? We can finish it after your bath.”
Isabelle perked right up. “Okay!”
He sat down at the kitchen table, holding his little girl close. “Once upon a time, there was a princess. She had beautiful golden hair.” Anne even slowed so that she could listen to her husband tell his tale.
“Like me?” she said, bouncing a little, causing his father to laugh.
“Just like you, angel. Just like you.” He gave her a little squeeze. “She was the most beautiful princess in all the land. And her parents were a beloved king and queen.” William started to weave a tale about a princess who had to save her kingdom from an evil queen. But just as he was getting to the good part, about her magical horse, Ann announced dinner was ready.
Isabelle pouted again, but relented to eat her dinner like a good girl. After all, the four-year-old liked pork chops and mashed potatoes. It was her favorite, except for peas. She always made faces if anything green passed her plate. But Ann was forever reminding her that she needed to eat a balanced meal and vegetables are an important part of that. So, not wanting to get her story taken away from her, she finished her plate and behaved herself in the bath.
Soon enough, William was tucking her into bed, kissing her forehead as Ann watched from the doorway. “The princess had been given a gift by her father, a magical horse.” He pulled a small toy horse from his pocket, much to the delighted squeals of his daughter and the laughter of his wife. He placed it on her nightstand. “The magic horse protected her when she went to kill the evil queen.” Shortly after that, Isabelle’s eyes began to droop. He kissed her forehead and tucked her in, turning to his wife.
“You spoil her rotten.”
William pulled his wife close. “You’re both my world. I’ll always spoil her rotten. And you too.” The last thing Isabelle saw as she drifted off was her parents kissing in her doorway. This was the way a family was supposed to be.