Charlotte knew that their dynamic was twenty-four seven. That’s what they had agreed on, and she loved it, but everybody needed their own space at some point.
She didn’t know how to convey that to her Daddy without hurting his feelings. That was the last thing she wanted to do.
She knew communication was important, and she was going to talk to him at some point about this. She just didn’t know when.
Should she do it right now, or should she wait? Charlotte worried that if she waited, it wouldn’t go well, but she also worried that if she said it now, it also wouldn’t go well.
"Have you told the cafe that you won't be working any more?" Daddy asked as he sat down next to her.
Charlotte crawled into his lap and placed her head on his chest. She loved times like this when they could just sit together and relax.
Today was Charlotte's day off from the bakery, and they hadn't done much, but that was okay with her. She loved spending time with him and couldn't wait to do it every day when she got home from work.
"I told them four days ago that I wouldn't be working there anymore. They told me it was okay," she whispered.
She hoped he couldn't tell that she was about to cry. He would worry and tell her that she could talk to him about anything, and she didn't know how to talk about it without hurting his feelings.
"Little cupcake, what's wrong?" he asked.
Charlotte buried her head into his chest and started to cry.
"Oh, cupcake. It's okay."
His hands wrapped around her and held her close to him.
"Let it all out. You're okay."
Charlotte continued to cry into his chest.
"Can you tell Daddy what's wrong?" he asked.
She shook her head. She didn't want to hurt his feelings.
"Can you listen to Daddy?"
"Yes," she whispered.
"I have a feeling I know why you're crying, and I want you to listen to everything I have to say."
Charlotte grabbed his shirt with her hand and relaxed into his embrace. Tears were still streaming down her face, but she was paying attention to him.
"I bet it's about me asking you to move in with me. I want you to know that whatever you decide, I'll support you. If you don't want to move in, then I won't force you to, and if you do, then I'll help you move in."
Charlotte sucked in a breath after a sob escaped past her mouth. How did he know what she was thinking about?
"I bet you've been on your own for a while and you're scared if you move in that you won't have your own space or it won't work out. I want you to know that if you do move in, you don't need to be afraid. You'll have your room for your little that you can go be in by yourself. You can tell Daddy when you need that alone time, and Daddy will leave you alone."
Charlotte let out a breath of air and relaxed more into his embrace. It was like he could read her mind.
She was glad at this moment that he could because she knew what he thought about it. He was reassuring her that it was okay.
“You can come to Daddy for anything. You can talk to me about anything. Your worries, what you’re scared of anything. Daddy also understands that you may not have wanted to come because you didn’t want to hurt my feelings. I want you to know that you can tell me anything, and you won’t hurt my feelings. I want you to be honest.”
Charlotte nodded her head against his chest. She knew now that she could come to him for anything to speak her mind.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“What are you sorry for?” Daddy asked.