26

26
Emilia’s POV
Francesca was still crying and hiccuping in my arms when Alaric stepped in, closing the door behind him so quietly that I wouldn’t have known that he was in already in here had I not been facing the door.
He looked torn, his whole demeanor downcast as he took a step forward and paused, as if contemplating turning around and going out. But he didn’t do that. Instead he took another step forward. And another, until he was standing in front of me, and then fell to his knees. He put his hand on Francesca’s arm, and she raised her head. On seeing that it was him, she brushed him away and buries her face in my chest.
“Francesca. Baby,” he called out in a broken voice but she shook her head.
“Go away,” she demanded. “I don’t want to see you here. Go away!”
“Baby. Baby I’m sorry,” he said gravely. “I’m so sorry, baby. Daddy is sorry, okay? Daddy didn’t mean to yell like that.”
“Go away!” She insisted, refusing to look at him.
“Francesca,” I intervened, looking away from Alaric and kissing her hair. “Talk to your daddy. He said he’s sorry.”
“He yelled at you,” she murmured, sniffing. “He shouted at you and he said he doesn’t want to talk to me.”
“Daddy didn’t mean that. Okay? Daddy didn’t mean that. Daddy would never do anything to hurt you.” I assured her. “You know that right?”
“But he said he didn’t want to talk to us and he yelled and he looked scary, like…like a monster!” She cried and my eyes snapped to Alaric’s, watching as his shoulders slumped.
“Daddy just had a very bad day at work, okay honey? He had a bad day and he was wrong to speak to Emilia like that,” he said, touching her arm again and this time she didn’t shrug him off. “I’m so sorry, my sweet little princess. This would never happen again. I promise.”
“Really?” She asked in a small voice, raising her head off my chest and looking at her father with red, teary eyes. “You won’t yell at Mommy anymore?”
He shook his head In reply. “I will not yell at her anymore,” he assured her.
“And and you will play with her like you play with me?” She asked, eyes slightly wide as she awaited his reply.
“I will,” he answered with a nod.
“And And who is that woman who was in your room this morning?” She asked.
“She’s…an acquaintance,” he answered hesitantly. “Her name is Serena.”
“And why was she in your room?” She asked, curiosity shining bright in her eyes. She wasn’t crying anymore and her red eyes were beginning to clear.
“She and I were working on something,” he explained. “And your uncle told me that you didn’t greet her. Why?”
“I don’t like her,” she answered with a frown.
“Francesca-”
“I don’t like her and I don’t know her. You told me to always stay away from strangers,” she interrupted.
“Come here sweetie,” Alaric said, carrying her from me and putting her on one lap. He didn’t press the issue. “I’m really sorry about today, okay? I was just exhausted and I had a really bad day at work.”
“It’s okay,” she replied and smiled at him.
“Really?” He asked.
“Yes,” she answered with an eager nod, her eyes bright. Alaric grinned at her and kisses her cheeks and then her forehead.
“That’s my girl,” he said with a softness I rarely ever saw in him. The only way he allowed himself to be soft around her.
I found myself smiling at the both of them as she began to babble. And he listened to her for a considerable amount of time before he got up, dropping her on the bed beside me and saying, “Daddy needs to freshen up okay? I’ll be back in about twenty minutes.”
“Okay,” she replied, nodding her head and grinning at him. His eyes met mine briefly before he headed out of the room.
Francesca turned to me instantly, curiosity in her eyes. “Can I have my friends over?” She asked with brows raised almost to her hairline.
I choked on my spit, my eyes going wide a bit. First of all I wasn’t in the mood to answer that, but “Friends? Francesca, honey, I’ve never seen you with any friends,” I answered, trying to be as careful as I could.
“That’s because they never come around. I’ve only met them once, when all of us sat around a big table and ate dinner, with their mommy and daddies too. That was three months ago, I think,” she explained.
Then she must be talking about the children of her father’s business associates, I guess. “Oh.”
“So can they come over?” She pressed on.
“Sweetie, that’s up to your daddy to decide,” I murmured.
“But but daddy never lets me go to them,” she answered with a pout. “He won’t agree.”
“If he doesn’t agree then it’s for good reason, baby,” I assured her.
“And they told me they were going to have a grand birthday party and I asked daddy if I could go but he said no,” she added again, pouting.
“I’m sure your daddy has a good reason for not agreeing,” I said again with a sigh. “It’s just for a little while. Have patience and you’ll soon start having friends over, and going to birthday parties.”
“Really?” She asked me with hopeul eyes and I smiled at her, nodding my head.
“Yes, sweetie,” I answered, kissing the top of her hair.
“Okay,” she replied, nodding, just as Alaric opened the door and came inside with shorts and a singlet.
“I’m going to bed now sweetie,” he announced as he closed the door.
“Can mommy and I come to sleep in your room?” She asked and my eyes snapped to his, my jaw dropping open. His eyes met mine and narrowed before focusing on her once again.
“Francesca, baby-”
“Please?” She asked with pouty eyes.
“Fine,” he answered gruffly. “She can.”