You Stayed With Us

The Fluffiest Addition

Lisa's POV

The school gate was already crowded when I pulled up, but it didn't take me long to spot her.

Ella stood near the entrance, her pink backpack slung over one shoulder, her braid slightly messy from a long day, and her eyes scanning the sidewalk like she was searching for something specific or someone. The second her gaze landed on me, her whole face lit up.

"Dada!" she yelled, bolting straight toward me.

I crouched just in time to catch her flying hug. She crashed into my chest with the full weight of a little girl's affection, nearly knocking the wind out of me.

"I missed you so much!" she cried into my neck, wrapping her arms tightly around me.

"I missed you too, baby," I said, holding her close and pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "How was school?"

She pulled back just enough to look at me with wide eyes. "It was okay. I got a star in math. But where's Mommy?"

I chuckled. "Mommy's having a spa day with Auntie Irene. So I figured... maybe you and I could have a date today. Just us."

Her eyes widened like I just told her she was getting a unicorn for Christmas.

"Really? Just me and you?!"

I nodded. "If you want to."

She didn't even answer. She screamed. A full-on, high-pitched, I-might-regret-this-later kind of scream.

"YES! I miss my Dada dates! Let's goooo!"

I laughed, slinging her backpack over my shoulder and taking her hand as we walked to the car.

Her favorite dim sum place was about twenty minutes away, and she talked the whole ride there. Something about her classmate losing a tooth, a new art project involving glitter glue, and how she's already planning her next birthday party even though it's months away.

We ordered enough food to feed a small village—her usual shrimp dumplings, pork buns, those custard tarts she always eats in one bite—and settled into the corner booth.

She munched happily, her feet dangling above the floor as she swung them back and forth.

"Hey, Ella?" I said as I poured her some warm tea. "Since it's still early, you wanna walk by the Han River after this?"

Her mouth was full but she nodded enthusiastically.

The sky was soft and golden by the time we strolled hand in hand near the riverbank. The sun reflected on the water, and the breeze ruffled Ella's hair.

"Dada?" she said suddenly.

"Yeah, baby?"

"Are we still gonna do this? Like... when the babies come?"

I stopped walking.

She wasn't looking at me—she was watching her sneakers kick tiny pebbles down the sidewalk. Her voice was small and unsure.

"Will we still have dates?" she asked, then added in a whisper, "Even if you're busy with them?"

I knelt down in front of her, brushing a piece of hair out of her eyes.

"Oh, Ella," I said, feeling my throat tighten. "Of course we will."

Her eyes shimmered, and she leaned in to hug me again.

"I just miss you sometimes, Dada."

I wrapped my arms around her and let the tears fall silently down my cheeks.