dreaming // 5sos

10

Luke

I woke up to the sound of my daughter shouting, which although was not necessarily unusual, it was when it was about jam.

"Uncle Ashton I don't want cherry jam!... No! No jam!... Why don't you have strawberry jam? I don't want cherry jam!"

Groaning, I covered my head with my pillow, and let Ashton sort that one out. She would cope. Cal had climbed into the bed since she had left, so I nuzzled back under the duvet and shut my eyes, going back to sleep.
Ashton's house was the right temperature, the bed was the comfiest, the black out curtains actually did their job. I couldn't not fall asleep knowing Gabi was in someone else's hands for a bit.

Eventually, she came and got me up, but it was with a plate of toast, so I couldn't complain.

"Dad, can I go to school tomorrow?"

"If you feel okay in the morning. If not then grandma and grandad will look after you,"

"I miss Julian,"

"I know you do angel, Jeremiah and I both have an exam to study for so you might play at his house some nights and Julian will play at ours!"

"That would be good,"

"It would, wouldn't it?"

"I love you dad,"

"I love you too baby," I said, kissing her cheek, "Have you had a good time with your uncles this morning?"

"Yes! They are my favourite people in the world,"

"Mine too,"

"Can you eat your toast so we can go to the park?"

"I am not sure you are well enough for the park,"

"Uncle Michael said I need fresh air so we can go and get Duke and go to the park. He is a puppy he needs to run, and he said if Calum says no then he has keys to his house,"

"Okay, then I will eat up!"

She watched me, then took my empty plate downstairs so I could get dressed. Everyone else was down there when I walked in, and Ash went to get me a coffee.

"We thought we could go to the park with Duke for some fresh air?"

"Sounds good,"

"Uncle Michael, please can you get my shoes on?"

"I can," he said, starting to put them on his own foot which made her erupt in giggles.

"No! On my feet!"

"Ohhhh, I did think they were a bit small for me,"

"You are silly,"

She carried on giggling, then reached up at me, so I picked her up and carried her on my hip.

"Do any of you have princesses yet?"

"Gabi, don't ask about that," I laughed.

"Well do you?"

"None of us have princesses,"

"Other than you," Calum said, making her giggle.

"I don't either,"

"Your prince charming will come one day, good luck him getting past your dad,"

"Or a princess!" she shouted.

"Either way, your dad is mr protective,"

"Dad, I can have a princess or a prince can I?"

"You can,"

"You aren't allowed any princess because I am your princess,"

"Okay. One day I might find a queen though," I said, widening my eyes with a grin.

"No,"

"Alright,"

"If I am a princess and I have my own princess then theres too many princesses already,"

"I see,"

"Do you play princesses a lot at school?" Michael laughed.

"Yes. Julian is a prince and sometimes he is my prince but sometimes he had a prince and I have a princess and we have battles,"

"Oh wow, who wins?"

"The princesses,"

"Jolly good,"

"Jolly good?" she giggled, "Jolly good dad,"

"You are hyper this morning,"

"That's where a good dosing of ibuprofen gets her,"

"Then we had better get going while it is in your system,"

I drove us to the park, stopping off to get Duke on the way, then let Gabi and Duke run off. We sat on the benches and watched, then Cal ran round with them for a bit and pushed her on the swings which was fun to see. I had absolutely no energy for today, so it was nice for them to burn hers for me.

Watching my kid have fun was enough for me, I could sit here all day. Life wasn't all blues, she did smile and giggle a lot, it was just more noticeable after a shitty week. Obviously, she couldn't run around for that long, but she did get Michael and Ashton to push her on the swing some more since she had enjoyed it so much.

"Dad, I think I am too tired now,"

"Okay. Let's go back and get our things then we can go home and have some lunch,"

"I wanna stay at Uncle Ashton's forever,"

"Well we can't do that,"

"Okay,".

She sighed and let me put her back in her car seat. I always wondered whether she would grow to be tall like me or not, but right now she still very much needed that car seat.

When we got back, I packed our bags, then thanked the guys and we walked out the house, Gabi fell asleep on the way home, and I always wished I could afford the fuel to keep driving round so she slept longer, but I couldn't and she woke up as soon as we parked up. As a kid, I always used to pretend to be asleep to be carried in, but she hadn't seemed to think of that trick yet. I supposed most of the time I carried her anyway, like today.

"I had a lot of fun with my uncles,"

"I am glad to hear that munchkin,"

"I feel very lucky,"

"We definitely are," I said, kissing her cheek, "We are super duper lucky,"

"Daddy, I know I am not as clever as you yet but am I as good and nice and kind?"

"Absolutely, you are far kinder, and nicer,"

"No I am not! We are the same,"

"Alright. We are the same,"

"We are always the same dad, apart from you are more clever, but I will be a doctor one day so I will be just as clever,"

"You will. Perhaps even more,"