Chapter 308
+25 BONUS
My alarm was screaming at me, and I rolled over with a groan. “Please goddess. Let me sleep.” I cracked open my eyes. Then, like clockwork, everyone else groaned. I heard a distant ‘please goddess no‘ and that made me laugh. There was a soft knock, and I called out. “Yeah?” Thinking it was Toya, I stood and stretched. I turned to the door to find a small face staring up at me and I hurried over. “Hey Carly.” I pulled the door wide and crouched down.” Good morning.”
She stared at me for a few minutes and I could see tears gathering in her eyes. “Can…” she trailed off and rubbed her nose on her sleeve.
I reached for her. “What’s wrong?”
She worried at her lip for a minute. “Can you help me pick out my clothes?”
I smiled softly. “Of course I can.” I didn’t realize she needed help with this still. I was out of my depth. Almost as if she read my mind, she sniffled again. “I normally pick my clothes, but.” She stopped and wiped her eyes.
“But what, baby?” I pulled her closer to me. She resisted for a minute before she relaxed against me.
“I wanna look my best to say goodbye to daddy.” She wiped her eyes again. “So, can you help me?”
The words hit me like little slaps. “Of course I can. After we get dressed, we can have breakfast before we go down to see him, okay?” I looked down at the small girl in my arms. Her tiny princess pajamas were a stark contrast to her sad little face.
“Okay.” She pulled away and grabbed my hand and pulled me to her room. We just reached her door when Toya stepped out of her room.
“Good morning.” Toya patted Carly’s head. “How about pancakes for breakfast?”
Carly thought for a minute, and then she nodded. “Can we have chocolate chips in them?”
Toya smiled softly. “Of course we can.” She looked at me. “‘ll get breakfast ready. Come down when you’re ready.” I gave her a thankful smile, and we went to pick out her clothes.
We walked into her closet and I could tell she had been in here before coming to get me. Little clothes were thrown around in piles. “Okay.” I got to my knees and started picking through the clothes, refolding them or hanging them back on to their hangers. “Let’s see what you chose so far.”
Carly grabbed the smallest pile of clothes. “These are the nicest dresses I have.” She handed me the dresses, pretty pink and white little fluffy things. “But these aren’t right.”
I nodded. “These are beautiful, but you are right. Not for today.” I got to my feet and started to hang everything up as she pulled drawers out.
“Maybe I have nice pants.” She searched through another drawer, and I smiled.
I spotted the box as I hung up the last dress, and I grabbed it down. Carly was still digging in her drawer and I let her be for a minute. I opened the box to find a frilly black dress with tiny ribbons for her hair and black shoes. A letter was left on top of the dress, and I swallowed.
“I have nothing good enough.” She looked up at me with tears trailing down her face and her lip quivering.
“It’s okay.” I sat down with the box. “Daddy took care of it for you.” Now come on over and shut your eyes. She came over to me and she scrunched her face up, closing her eyes, making me laugh. I pulled off her top and pulled
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+25 BONUS
Chapter 308
the dress over her head before tugging down her pants off from under it. I grabbed the small black dress socks and slid them on to her feet, then her shoes. “Wait here and don’t open your eyes yet, okay?”
I waited for her to answer. “Okay.” I grabbed her hairbrush and two elastics from her bathroom and rushed back to fix her hair. I pulled her hair into two pigtails and wrapped the black ribbons around them. There, she was done.
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“You are perfect.” I patted her head and stood her in front of her mirror. “Open your eyes.” Carly looked at herself and her little lip poked out. She twirled, and I could tell she felt pretty, but she couldn’t be happy right this minute. I pulled the letter and opened it. “My darling baby girl.” I started, and her little eyes snapped to mine. “If Amy is reading this to you, then I’m gone.” A tear fell as she came over to me. “I need you to know, baby girl, that I am right here with you today, and every day for the rest of your life.” I looked at her and opened my arms. She dove against me. “You look beautiful in your dress, baby. It’s okay to think you’re pretty even when you’re coming to say goodbye. Love you always, Daddy.”
