Falling By Chance

Chapter - 4

Continuing the day from the previous chapter...

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"Aunt Roxy? Can we make cookies?"

"Sure, sweety. But first let's freshen up."

We wash our hands and I change my clothes into more comfortable ones. I pull out some sweatpants and a loose tank top. Then I go to the kitchen and take out the baking supplies. I love baking but I rarely do it as I don't get the time to work on my baking skills. So I usually bake when Elle stays over. She loves cookies and now it has become a kind of tradition for us to bake cookies whenever we spend time in my apartment.

"Elle!!! Come on, we can start baking your cookies now." I yell from the kitchen so she can hear me as she is busy watching cartoons in the living room, perched on the couch.

"Yayyy!!! Cookiesssss..... ", Elle runs into the kitchen cheering excitedly.

We start baking chocolate chip cookies and one hour already passes by when the doorbell rings. We are both covered in flour. Apparently, Elle finds it fascinating if we play with flour and get it all on our clothes and hair. I roll my eyes at her antics and make my way over to open the door as she busies herself trying to put the icing on the cookies as perfectly as possible. Just as I open the door I face Matt standing at the threshold looking disheveled.

"Hey. What's up with you? You look like absolute shit!" I ask him.

"Yes I'm so fucking tired. I'm really sorry I couldn't come pick Elle up. I got so busy with work that I even forgot to inform you to take her with you. But thank you that you did and for informing me as well. She must be really angry with me right now. Isn't she?" he grimaces, looking at me with a regretful expression.

I sigh. "She isn't angry with you Matt, she is just upset. Maybe disappointed? But not angry. You have to take some time out for her. You're the only family she has. She misses you so much. She needs her father more than anything, Matt. Try to prioritise her. Come on in and talk to her. We've been baking cookies."

I roll my eyes at that. Matt knows how obsessed Elle is with cookies.

"Yeah more like she is trying to cook you. Why are you covered with flour from head to toe?" he chuckles.

"Your daughter seems to find it quite fascinating." I shake my head at that.

"Oh yes! Before I forget, I want to talk to you about something important. You just make up with her first. I have already prepared dinner. And after dinner we can talk about it."

"Okay." I let him in and we make our way towards her.

Elle pouts seeing Matt and her face suddenly turns solemn but she forgives her dad instantly when he gives her a big bar of chocolate and keeps saying sorry as he tickled her.  Kids... So innocent. So pure. And then the world happens!

After that, we all sit down and have our dinner. Matt tells me about how his company is having problems with a client. He is a businessman and is quite good at what he does. His business is sky-rocketing and he's becoming more busier. And now this problem with a client is what that is making him stressed out. He has been working late to sort out whatever the issue is. After dinner, I do the dishes and join them both in the living room. Elle is totally passed out on the couch while Matt is gently laying a blanket on her. My heart melts seeing that sweet father-daughter moment.

"Hey." I call out to Matt softly.

"Hi." He smiles at me and looks back down at Elle. "So what did you want to talk about?"