AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I already am, bug. You can’t get rid of me.” Mel smiled down at Sarah, squeezing her tightly. “Let’s brush this mop.”
“Ohh! Braids, please?”
“One set of sleep curls coming right up.”
Wes walked into Sarah’s bedroom just as Mel was standing up from the bed.
“I’m squeaky clean, Papa.” Sarah beamed, jumping in her cartoon rainbow slippers.
“Good, I was worried you might look like a little ghost forever.” He chuckled.
“Papa! Don’t be a goose! Bubbles clean everything!” Mel smiled at the sweet girl.
“Oh how silly of me.” Wes leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms. “In that case why don’t we order pizza tonight instead? I’ll get my favorite girl cinnamon sticks.”
“Movie?” Sarah looked up at Melody hopefully.
“Just one before I go.”
Tomorrow was her preplanned day with Julia. She felt like a neglectful friend and promised she’d spend the day together.
“Alright, Peanut. Go pick a movie, we’re right behind you.” Wes pulled his phone out and scrolled his contacts. “Cheese and meatball as always?”
“Yes, please.”
Wes walked Melody to the door half way through the movie Sarah chose. She was currently drooling on her stuffed octopus fast asleep from the day’s adventures.
After stealing a kiss, he returned to the living room and carried the sleeping toddler. The moment he set her down on the bed, her eyes popped open and she’d become his animated peanut.
How she talked him into coloring before bed would be a mystery. But the time spent was what he’d remember most.
Wes sat cross legged on the floor, Sarah crouched next to him, and they each worked on the penguin movie coloring page in front of them.
“So tell me, what have we learned about penguins?”
“Um. They use their arms to swim, not fly.”
“Really? That’s good to know. Can you tell me something else?”
“They have mates…but what’s a mate?”
“Well, it’s when you pick someone to be yours forever.”
“Oh, I gets it.”
Sarah went back to coloring, turning the mountains in the background of her photo purple. “You know you get a penguin, too.”
Wes paused his coloring and looked over to his daughter. She was still coloring but he couldn’t get over what she had said. He smiled as he looked back down at their page and continued to color.
A few beats passed before either of them spoke again.
“I like Melly, I think you do too. She cooks and loves us and…”
“And what, peanut?”
“She’s not gonna leave.”
“Sarah…” She looked up at him with nothing but love in her eyes.
