“After supper, can you play with me?” Ada asked her.

“I would love to. What did you want to play? We can’t play too late. I heard you have school in the morning.”

“I won’t. I can’t be tired for school. No one like’s a cranky potato.”

A laugh sprang out of both Charlie and I. “A potato?” I ask between laughs.

“Yeah Dad, I said what I said.” She huffed.

Charlie is wiping tears away from her eyes from laughing so hard.

“She is incredible. You’re a tremendous Dad you know that right.”

Do I? She spends a lot of time with Anna while I deal with business. I made some horrible decisions in her life so far. I’m trying to make up for them, yet I’m still failing miserably.

“Thanks baby, I’m trying.”

After supper, they both take off to Ada’s room to play. I’m at a loss of what to do, so I slowly creep to spy on them. The chatter coming from her room is music to my ears. Until I hear it clearly.

“Do you think I’m pretty?” Ada asked Charlie.

“Oh, baby, why would you ask that?”

“There’s this boy at school. He called me ugly, and that’s why my mommy died.”

The fuck. What five-year-old talks like this? Where the fuck are the teachers?

“Come here, you are not ugly. You are your own kind of beauty, and no one can take that away from you. Your mommy didn’t die because of that, okay?”

It’s silent so I can imagine Ada nodding her head.

“Did you know my mommy died too?”

“She did?”

“She did. I was around your age when she became sick—”

“Like a tummy bug? I get those all the time”

“Almost. This kind never went away, though. It stayed a very long time. I was ten when she died. I know you were really little and can’t remember your mommy, but she still loves you and I’m sure she will tell you the same thing. That I told you, your exquisite Adelaide. Remember that okay?”

“Okay.”

I peek around the door frame to see them both in a tight embrace. My eyes lock with Charlie’s hers are glossy with unshed tears. I walk to them kneeling, I hug them both.

Whispering in Charlie’s ear. “Thank you, that means a lot to me.” Kissing her on the neck, I pull away.

Her eyes are closed. She kisses Ada on the head, then pulls away.

“All right, miss, it’s bedtime and I should head home. I had a lot of fun playing with your dolls.”

She gives her a smile. “I did too. We can do it again, right?” She looks between us, and I give her a single nod.

I walk Charlie to the front door after helping Ada to bed. “She’s in love with you. You know that, right?”

“She’s easy to love, Lucca. I had a wonderful time this evening. Thank you for inviting me over.” She runs her hand up my chest. “We should do it again soon.”

Her hand wraps around my neck pulling me closer. I close the gap pulling her into my body.