Daddy's Love

We are having a picnic at the park. Grey is splayed across the blanket, enjoying the sunshine. Carol is running after butterflies, trying to catch them and Ana, Ems and I are having a cupcake party. Zach comes running to us.

"Ana! Come let's swing!" He jumps, excited. Ana looks at him, slightly annoyed to be disturbed. She likes being by herself.

"Go, Ana. Take Carol along too. You can come back if you don't enjoy." I kiss her forehead and Grey looks at us. As the littles run along Zach's daddy Max, comes to us.

"Hey!"

"Hey Max!" Grey sits up.

"The kids are having fun, eh?"

"Looks like it! Zach gets so cranky these days. Ana and Carol have each other to play with. I don't know what to play with Zach sometimes. The park comes to the rescue then." "Hey, you can send over Zach for play dates mate!"

"I love him, but I'd be good to spend some time with myself." He smiles.

"You know you guys are great together? You should get married!" He starts out of nowhere.

Grey looks horrified. I smile.

We do meaningless chitchat for another couple of minutes and then he goes back and we pack up, ready to leave.

Grey is quiet.

"If you plan on acting up like when I asked you to move in with me, quit it. We are not getting married." I tell him and take both the girls with me to the car. Grey follows behind with all the things. Grey is thankfully back to normal by the time we reach home. Both the girls are hyper active today, not at all tired yet. They are trying to climb on every available surface and running around. "Get down from that table Carol! And Ana I see the glint in your eye. Don't even think about climbing the book shelf." I scold the littles.

Grey comes with bottles of beers.

"I didn't realise, we have practically moved in together." He tells me solemnly.

I want to burst out laughing but I hold back.

"Don't look at me like that!" He says and then "Niana, get down from the book shelf right now!" Ana gets down and both the girls run outside the living room, giggling. "Yes, we have. So?" I ask him.

"So, nothing! I just didn't realise that earlier!" He says.

The girls are up to something outside. I can hear them.

"If you want me to go...

"1

"No! I think we should get married!" I choke on my beer and start coughing.

Before I can say something, the girls come running back inside, drenched in cream and sauces, chocolates and cookies in their hands.

"Daddyyyy...." One jumps on me and the other one on Grey.

They were so happy together.

The four of them.

She didn't have to die.

Only if they did not go to the pool.

Only if he did not fall in love with her.

Only if she hadn't killed her.

Only if....

"Here you go baby..." I hand her the packed box.

She opens it and looks nonplussed.

"What's this daddy?" Her big brown eyes all curious.

"It's your swimming costume. You like it?"

"I do! It's all pretty with the princess, but next time can you get me one with an elephant on it?" She asks me and I chuckle.

Why is she so fond of elephants, I wonder...?

"Okay, yes. You want to go swimming now, baby?"

"With Carol?"

"Yes, yes. Of course, with Carol."

"Daddy? He won't go?"

"Christian is still at work. We'll take him along in the weekend?" Daddy kisses my cheek and picks me up.

"Carol... Switch off the TV. We are ready to leave honey." Daddy calls out for Carol.00000000