Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 49961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
“Cartoon, Daddy!”
When she had chosen a show, he left her cuddled on the couch with the soft throw and Mischief cradled in her arms. In the kitchen, Marcus kept an eye on her as he chopped some veggies to hide in the eggs and beat the mixture to a fluffy consistency. With the pan heated, he noticed her squirming.
Marcus flipped the gas off on the stove and walked to her side. “Let’s show Mischief your nursery before breakfast.” He scooped her up and dangled her over one forearm with her weight on her tummy.
“Daddy, I have to use the bathroom,” she told him urgently.
“Okay.” He continued to carry her, dangling.
“Oh!” she gasped.
Marcus walked slowly to the changing table. Without commenting on her soaked diaper, he changed and cleaned her up. He dressed her in a cute outfit of leggings and a soft top so she wouldn’t catch a chill at the table. After pulling socks onto her feet, he stood her on the carpet.
“Go explore. Show Mischief your nursery.”
He busied himself tidying up as his Little girl and her new best friend toured the nursery. Watching her waddle slightly from the padding between her legs enchanted him. What an absolute cutie!
When he finished, he collected Carina and carried the now-bonded duo to the kitchen. “Do you have stuffies at your apartment?” he asked.
“No. Mine got thrown out.”
“Really? What happened?”
“I went to college and didn’t take my stuffies to the dorm. I was afraid my roommate and the others on my floor would make fun of me. Turns out, a lot of them brought a stuffed friend or several. When I went home to visit, I planned to bring them back but….”
When her voice faded away, Marcus prompted, “And what?”
“My mother made my room into her craft studio. She got rid of most of the stuff I’d left at home.”
In her tone, he could hear the sadness that still lingered inside his Little girl. He stopped in the hallway to say, “That was wrong of her.”
“It was. But there was nothing I could do.”
Marcus hugged her tighter and walked into the kitchen. What mother would hurt her child by doing something so thoughtless? Pushing the thoughts of violence toward the unpleasant woman from his mind, Marcus focused on his Little girl.
“What did Mischief think about the nursery?”
“He loved it. There’s a game in the chest he’d like to play after breakfast.”
“Is it something Daddy can play too?”
“We might let you join us,” Carina said with a smile.
“Hooray.” Marcus sat Carina in a chair at the table. “Stay here and I’ll grab you some juice and a snack to help the two of you survive until I get the eggs scrambled.”
He returned with a sippy cup of cranberry juice and a box of animal crackers. After scattering a half dozen crackers on the table, Marcus returned the box to the pantry. He didn’t want her to ruin her appetite by munching on too many. As he scrambled the eggs, Carina discussed with Mischief what each beast was. With that task completed, she galloped the different creatures across the table with the appropriate sound effects before popping them into her mouth.
He'd just flipped off the stove when Carina asked, “Do you like seafood, Daddy?”
“I do,” he answered and turned to see her stick a treat into her mouth.
“Look, Daddy, I’m eating a giraffe,” she mumbled before opening her mouth to show him the partially chewed cracker. “It’s seefood now. Get it?”
Carina laughed and inhaled some of the crumbs. To his horror, she coughed and choked. Marcus raced to her side and pried her mouth open to scoop what remained out. He tore the lid off her sippy cup and held the juice to her lips. “Drink, Carina.”
Shaking, she followed his directions and automatically swallowed the ruby liquid. To his relief, the juice washed the last of the crumbs down her throat. She slumped against the back of her chair. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Of course, Little girl. No talking with your mouth full,” he warned, trying not to show her how shaken up he was as well. Marcus forced himself to breathe slower. Years in combat with people who would have loved to shish kebab him and an animal cracker almost gave him a heart attack.
“We don’t like giraffes anymore.” Mischief nodded in Carina’s arms, agreeing with her completely.
“No more giraffes. Maybe we'll give them another chance on a different day. And we don’t tell jokes and eat at the same time.” he suggested casually as he snapped the lid on the juice and settled in the seat next to her.
“Take another sip for Daddy. Good girl,” he praised her as she drank deeply.
“How about a bite of eggs?” He placed a small amount on his fork and held it to her lips.
Tentatively, she opened her mouth. He guessed she was afraid of choking again. To his delight, her expression changed from one of fear to appreciation. When she started to comment, Marcus reminded her, “No talking with food in your mouth.”