He pushed away from the counter and set down the bottle in his hand when he heard her voice. A gentle smile had found its way to his lips as it always seemed to do when she was around. It was difficult to be anything less than happy when she was there to spend time with him. He still saw her frequently, but it wasn't the same as having her around all the time. She'd grown up so fast. Sometimes he wished he could turn back the clock just a few years, have her there just a little while longer.
"Yes. I was just letting the stir-fry cool," he announced as she rounded the corner into the kitchen. He walked over to meet her with a smile, pulling her into a hug and kissing the top of her head as he always did. He gave her an extra-tight squeeze before letting her go just to look at her for a moment, "I hope you're hungry."