Oh, he was definitely in big-time trouble with her.“You come for me to read you a story?”he asked.“Or to watch a movie?”
“I—” Her frown deepened.“I wanted to play with you.”
“Okay.What do you want to play?”He was waiting for her to light into him.
“I—You want to play with me?”Poor confused baby.
“I do.What do you want to play?”he asked again.
“I wanna play you love me.”
Damn, that was so sweet.“How do we play that?”
“Okay.Well, you smile and say, ‘Hi, Tori.I like you.’And I say, ‘Hi, Dad.I like you too.’”
“Well, that’s easy, because it’s the truth.”He smiled.“Hi, Tori, I like you.”
She smiled, her lips quivering.“Hi, Dad.I like you too.My heart hurted when we couldn’t play.My heart hurted when you are mad.”
“Come here, Tori.”He held out his arms.“I’m sorry.I wasn’t feeling very well the last couple days.And I wasn’t mad, I promise.”
She went right to him.“I’m sorry you was sick.Do you feel better?”
He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight.“I do actually, thank you for asking.”
She snuggled in close.“Oh, I love playing this.My heart needs you, Dad, okay?”
His own heart squeezed tight inside his chest.“Okay, Tori.I’m here for your heart.”
“I am here for your heart too.You and Daddy and Petey.Do you want a dog?”
“Do I want a dog?”Was this a philosophical question?Did she mean a stuffed dog or a real one?What answer wouldn’t get him in trouble with Ian?
“Uh-huh.I like dogs.I want a fuzzy one with a long tail.”
“Fuzzy with a long tail, huh?What would you call it?”Did he want a dog?Not right now, it would be underfoot and trip him up all the time, he was sure.But maybe when he was feeling better?
“Sulley.”That was fast.Just immediate.
He wondered how long she’d been thinking about having a dog.“Have you talked to your Daddy about having a dog?”
“Uh-huh.Soon.Maybe I will ask Santa?”
He shook his head, because if she asked Santa and she didn’t get a dog?That was a whole can of worms he didn’t want to be responsible for.“I think it’s better to ask your Daddy.”
“Okay.Later.He’s got a headache.”
“That’s too bad.Did he take something for it?”If Ian was downstairs, maybe he could help.If Ian was upstairs, Ian was on his own.
She shook her head, obviously confused.“Daddy’s on the couch with brudder.”
So downstairs.He’d go see if he could help.He needed to get up and move anyway to avoid losing what fucking mobility he actually had.“Shall we go see if we can help him with his headache?”
Tori blinked at him.“You stay in here.”
“Sure most of the time, but I walk around the house to practice walking all the time.And if Daddy needs help, and he’s just in the other room, I can walk to there.”He pointed to the walker.“That’s what that is for – to help me.”
“Oh.I get it for you?”She bounced and beamed at him.“I help!”
