Mr. Mom

41

"Honey?" FP starts as he tucks Ellie in. "Do you want to talk about what happened to Allie?"

She nods and crawls onto his lap. "It scared me, daddy! Allie was crying because the big tall man hurted her!"

"Alice told me you didn't want to leave her today."

"Because I didn't want her to be sad. If I'm with her I can give her lots and lots of hugs and kisses and make her happy!"

"You're the best, Ellie. You made Allie feel so much better."

"I did?" Her eyes gleam.

"Yeah, you did. Allie told me so."

"So she's not sad anymore?"

"No, she's not sad anymore, baby girl." He presses a kiss to her head. "I love you, El."

"I love you too, daddy." She puckers her lips and gives him a kiss before crawling back under her blankets. "Can you tell Allie to come in so I can give her another goodnight hug?"

"Sure honey. I'll see you in the morning."

"Night daddy!"

FP smiles at her and walks out to Alice. "Hey, Al? Ellie has requested another hug from you."

She smiles and walks into Ellie's room where the little girl is patiently waiting for her. "Hey cutie."

"Hi Allie!" Ellie stands up and wraps her arms around Alice, the woman hugs her back just a snuggly. "I just wanted to give you another hug before bed."

"You're so sweet." She presses a kiss to her head and tucks her into bed. "Goodnight, honey. I'll see you in the morning."

"Nighty night Allie!" Ellie yawns as she rolls over, clutching her teddy bear tightly. Alice smiles and shuts off the light before walking out into the living room.

She wraps her arms around FP as he's looking through the shelf of movies. "You have the absolute sweetest child in the whole entire world."

"She's an angel." He turns around to wraps his arms around her. "Do you want to watch a movie?"

"Yeah that sounds nice."

They decide on a movie and he lays down on the couch, Alice joining him immediately and snuggling up to him, laying her head on his chest.

He runs his fingers through her hair as they watch the movie and something about the motion is so calming to her that she falls asleep without realizing it.

___

It's Ellie who wakes them up in the morning, she comes barrelling into the living room and crawls up onto the couch with them, plopping herself on Alice's back and poking her daddy awake.

Both adults groggily open their eyes, seeing Ellie smiling back at them. "Good morning, pretty girl."

"Morning daddy!" She smiles. "Morning Allie!"

"Morning, honey."

"Can you make toast? And eggs!" She thinks for a moment. "And bacon and pancakes!"

"Someone's hungry this morning." Alice chuckles.

"She's a Jones, babe. We're always hungry." Alice feels her cheeks heat up at his use of the nickname.

"I can definitely make all that." Alice promises.

"Yay!" She hops off the couch and runs off to the bathroom.

Alice looks at FP and smiles. "What are you smiling about missy?" He teases.

"Oh nothing," she kisses him softly. "Nothing at all."

The two of them walk into the dining room and he groans as he rubs at his neck, stiff from resting his head on the arm of the couch all night.

"Does your neck hurt, honey?" He nods, or tries to. She sets a pan on the stove so it can heat up and then walks over to FP. She rubs her hands over his shoulders and neck, massaging the stiffness out.

"You're a dream girl, you know that right?" He sighs pleasantly as she continues to gives him a mini massage. "Luckiest man in the world, I swear."