"There's barely enough time to love in a lifetime, please don't give it all away to pain," his words were gentle, yet slightly pleading as his hand trailed down my cheek.
"But what if the pain has already consumed me?"
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𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞
NOVA Flashback
"Nova sweetheart, fetch that special bottle of wine from the fridge, why don't you? That's a good girl," Mark whispered gently across the table, his scarlet lips curling into a smile that always got him what he wanted.
"Go on Novs, do as he says," my auntie Laura encouraged, flashing a wink which meant go on, just this once.
"I'm so lucky to have two beautiful girls in my life. You both mean the absolute world to me; did you know that?" Mark asked, his gummy smile turning into a full-blown grin that made his eyes twinkle. I couldn't help but notice how he specifically targeted his question at me, so I just giggled and nodded as a response. I loved Mark, he was funny, he bought me loads of gifts and he made Laura happy - that was the most important thing.
It hadn't been long since he'd moved in, so I was still getting used to the way he did things. He had one fault that was inexplicably annoying, and that was drinking all the milk in the fridge, but that was something I could look past, wasn't it? In retrospect, this man was the greatest man on the planet.
That night as I was getting ready for bed, I heard a funny knock on the door. Not your average knock knock, it was more tuneful than that.
"Come in!" I squeaked, wondering if it was Laura coming to say goodnight, but it wasn't - Mark walked in instead.
"Hey sweetheart, I just came to say goodnight! Did you like my knock? I thought it would be helpful to differentiate who wants to come in!" He said it so cheerfully like he was some genius.
"Yes!" I giggled at his childish manner, folding my clothes and putting them in the dresser.
"Sit with me, Nova, I'd like to have a little chat with you if that's okay?" He asked, cocking his head to one side, like a chicken. He walked over and sat down on the side of my bed, smoothing out my ballerina print bedsheets and tapping twice - signalling for me to come and sit.
"Okay."
"Look Nova, I know this wasn't easy, a strange new man entering your life after it was just you and your aunt for such a long time. But there's no need to be nervous around me, I'd really like to be someone you can trust, someone you can come to when you're upset or scared," he spoke so softly, like his only goal in the entire world was to be the best parent to me. It was something I'd grow up to admire about him. The fact that he would put anything and everything into being a good father figure.
"I'm not nervous!" I protested, "I think you're really funny and silly!" I cooed, giggling at the silly faces he began to pull in response.
"I'm glad, darling. I would never want you to be afraid of me, I think we'll develop a really strong bond!" He said with a wink, rubbing my thigh up and down slowly, ruffling my nightdress. "I'll leave you to rest now." He kissed the top of my head before stomping out of the room, mimicking a dinosaur.
