Dog Days

37 ~ supper night

AUSTIN INVITED ME, SOPHIE, AND DAISY OVER ON FRIDAY NIGHT.

I wasn't sure if taking Daisy along was a good idea; since she was a bit too energetic around Max. On the other hand, Sophie loved the idea of playing with two dogs, so she didn't leave me any other choice but to bring Daisy with us.

It was a wonder how Sophie was growing into this little woman with a spark in her eyes. Her character was shaping; she was nothing like me. Sophie knew what she wanted, and she didn't stop until she got it. She was smart, cheerful, and extroverted. Witnessing her growth was magical; she was barely a seed when I had her, and she was now slowly but surely blossoming — transforming into a beautiful tree with colorful flowers.

Life is full of wonders. You can learn a lot from a three-year-old. Someday she would outgrow;  make fun of my mistakes. She would go to the university of her dreams, become the woman she wanted, and she would marry someone she loved. She wouldn't get bullied because she would be confident in herself and me. I would be there for her in every step, cheering up and patting her back whenever she needed it. She'd make mistakes, of course — in fact, she wouldn't be scared of making those like me. She'd know that she had more than one shot in this world. She would rise up after each fall, stronger each time.

This was how I aimed to bring my daughter up. Confident, human, and compassionate.

As I helped Austin prepare supper, Sophie mingled with Daisy and Max. Her laughter and their barks echoed in the hall as they ran back and forth in the corridor. "You made a great mistake inviting us as a package," I teased him, cutting an avocado for the salad.

Austin pretended to lean somewhere behind me—I bet it was just an act of sneaking closer—and hovered over me gently. "Love your package," he replied, giving me a peck on the lips before he withdrew with a spoon in his hand. "I'd subscribe to it if I could."

"I think you already have. It's a forever-long deal for free."

"Thank God," he replied with a wink. We worked in silence for a while, finishing the last bits. After taking the chicken out of the oven, Austin rested against the counter. "Have you thought about the trip?"

I actually did; however, I didn't know if we were moving too fast. With Austin, nothing felt rushed — it was like we were always meant to be, as cheesy as it sounded. He brought up the hopeful romantic side of me that I'd long forgotten.

I didn't tell him about my worries. "I have. I'm not sure about Sophie."

"She hasn't been anywhere but here, right? It will be good for her." Austin was right. I mulled over what to say next, but he seemed to read my mind. "You think it's too fast."

"A wee bit, maybe." I offered him a smile to warm up the situation.

Austin drew closer, cupped my face, and met my gaze. Resting his forehead against mine, he whispered, "It feels like riding on a rollercoaster, but we will never go down. Only up." I shut my eyes as our lips met. We kissed as if it were the first time: exploring, timid, and slow.

Suddenly Sophie entered the kitchen in laughter and hugged my leg. "Mummy, Max tickles me!" I shot a funny look at Austin as we pulled back and watched him laugh at Sophie's sweet panic.

"He's ticklish, too. Tickle him back," he said.

"He is on top of Daisy." That made me pause.

"Did you—"

"No," Austin replied without the need to complete that question. As I cuddled Sophie, Austin went to check upon them. This was one of the most challenging situations I'd ever been with Sophie, but she was clueless in the matter — and didn't seem to care. She already moved on to playing with my hair.

"Mummy."

"Yes, honey."

"I like Austin."

I looked at her. "This is great. He loves you, honey."

"Is he my dad? My friends have dads. They asked about my dad."

In my naive mind, I thought she wouldn't question where her father was until she was a bit older. Older than three. I didn't want to have this conversation right here with Austin. The worst was she thought Austin was her dad because she didn't know what a father was. She had no idea of the concept. It was all my fault, maybe. Did she feel lonely when her friends asked her about her father? What did she say?

I leveled down and made eye contact with her. Caressing her hair, I took a deep breath. What would I say? Where would I begin? Sophie's gaze suddenly drifted apart from mine, landing at a point behind me.

"Are you my dad, Austin?" Oh, shit.

Little Sophie is growing up 🥺💜  Damn, it makes me emo! What do you think about the chapter? It's a bit short, but full of events actually.

It feels like Max and Daisy >>> Aura 😂

We passed 75K??? Can we believe that? Thank you so much for reading and supporting these lil babies 💜 Your enthusiasm means a ton 🥰

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See you next,
Sev xx