L O L L Y I C E
• LORENZO •
• MANY YEARS EARLIER •
I'm in my office when the door is pushed open. Amalia's small head pops over the top of it, and my lips tick up at the corners. She runs over to me, her little unicorn slippers padding on the wooden floor. She holds up a lolly ice, which is still in the wrapper.
"Open." She says.
I smile. My wife appears in the doorway just as I go to take it from her small hand.
"Amalia." She says. "I already told you you can't have that. Dinner is almost ready."
She frowns. "Open." She says to me again.
"How about you have it after dinner, sweetheart?" I suggest gently.
Her face crumples. She lets out a small sob. "Daddy please."
My heart softens. I quickly open the lolly ice and pass it to her. My wife sighs as her watery eyes clear and she takes it from me, tongue darting out to lick the top. I smile.
"See? That's why she always comes to you. You can't say no to her." Heidi says, leaning on the doorway. Her platinum blonde hair spills over her shoulder as she tilts her head, a small smile grazing her lips as she watches Amalia lick her lolly ice.
"Thanks daddy." She mumbles, plopping herself down by my feet. I reach down to set her onto my lap, and she leans back on my chest, licking her lolly ice again. My smile widens as I ruffle her short brown hair.
Heidi rolls her eyes, her soft smile lingering. "You're the one making her eat all her dinner this time."
"She'll eat it. Won't you, princess?" I ask.
She shakes her head and giggles.