Honey, Honey (Christian Bale x OC)

Chapter 9: A Preschool Boyfriend and Getting Ready for Christmas

(Christian's P.O.V)

A couple of months had gone by. It was Saturday, December 3rd, 1994. I was home with Josephine while Abby was filming a movie called Clueless. She's the lead and hates but also loves the fact that she is playing a popular girl. I thought it would be a good idea to start decorating the house for Christmas with the hopes of surprising Abby since she's had to work long hours for filming. I was currently eating breakfast with Josephine, who was telling me about her week at preschool.

"Oh, and Daddy, I got a boyfriend now," Josephine said.
"You do," I asked while pretending to sound shocked since I knew she couldn't possibly have a boyfriend due to being only three.
"Yeah," Josephine answered.
"What's his name," I asked.
"Dylan. Caroline said that he's my boyfriend because I always play with him at playtime," Josephine replied.
"Well, it seems like your friend Caroline has something mixed up, Jo," I said.
"What, Daddy," she asked.
"Having a boyfriend is very different than having a friend that is a boy," I answered.
"How," Josephine asked.
"Well, when a girl has a boyfriend, that means she loves him and he loves her," I replied.
"Like how you love Mommy," Josephine asked.
"Exactly. Now, having a friend that is a boy just means you have fun playing with a boy. It doesn't mean that you love him, Jo," I answered as she finished her cereal.
"Oh. Daddy, I finish my cereal," she said.
"Okay. Do you want to help me decorate the house with Christmas decorations so the house can look pretty for your mummy," I asked as I got up, took Josephine's bowl and spoon, and quickly washed them.
"Yeah," Josephine replied with a smile.
"It's a good thing your mummy and I put the Christmas tree together yesterday so that all we have to do is decorate it," I said as I picked Josephine up and carried her into the family room.

I put on some Christmas music and began decorating the Christmas tree with Josephine's help. I had just hung an ornament that immediately fell and broke.

"Shit! Abby's gonna kill me," I said quietly so Josephine wouldn't hear.

"Shit," Josephine said.
"No! Jo, we don't repeat that or say that ever. That's a bad word," I said as I carefully picked up the pieces of the broken ornament.
"Why," she asked.
"Because people shouldn't say things like that," I answered.
"But you said it, Daddy," Josephine said.
"Yes, I did, but I shouldn't have. Now, don't ever say that word again, especially around your mummy," I said.
"Okay, Daddy," Josephine said as I took a break from decorating the Christmas tree to put up other decorations.

(Time skip to Abby arriving home)

"Hi, darling," I said as Abby walked in and closed the door.
"Hi, babe. Wow! The house looks nice. I see you remembered how we decorated last year," Abby said.

"Mommy, I missed you," Josephine said while running to Abby, who had just walked in the door, as I continued decorating the tree.
"Hi, Jo. I missed you too today," Abby said as she hugged her.
"Daddy broke an ornament," she said.
"He did," Abby asked.
"Yeah," Josephine replied as she nodded.

"Jo, I thought we agreed that I would tell your mummy that," I said.
"Oh, yeah. Sorry, Daddy," she said.

"Chris, which one broke," Abby asked as she took off her jacket.
"The glass snowflake," I answered.
"Shit! That was one my grandmother gave me that my late grandfather bought when they got married after the Second World War," Abby said.
"I'm sorry, darling. I know it's irreplaceable. Look on the bright side. It leaves room for any new ornaments we might get in the future," I said.

"Daddy! Mommy said the word you said I can't say," Josephine said.

"Did something happen while I was gone," Abby asked.
"Um, Jo may or may not have repeated me when I accidentally said shit," I replied.
"Oh. She's only three and doesn't really know better. It's a good thing she hasn't repeated it since you said it," Abby said.
"It is," I said.

"Jo, do you want to put the star on top of the tree," Abby asked as she picked up the star and handed it to her.
"Yeah," she answered with a smile.

"Chris, why don't you help her," Abby suggested.
"Okay," I said before picking Josephine up and walking towards the tree when someone knocked on the door.
"I'll get it," Abby said as she opened the door.

"Hi, smiley," Henry said.
"Do you still have to call me that, Dad? I'm a married twenty year old woman, not a five year old," Abby said.
"You'll always be one of my little girls," Henry said.
"If you say so. Please come in," Abby said.

"Did I do good, Daddy," Josephine asked after putting the star on top of the tree.
"You did a perfect job, Jo," I replied as I kissed her forehead, walked over to one of the sofas, and sat her down.

"Hi, Harry. Hi, Cindy," I said before sitting down.
"Hi, Christian," Cynthia said as she sat down on the other sofa with Henry.

"Granny! Papaw," Josephine said with a smile while getting up and running to Henry and Cynthia.
"Hi, Jo," Henry said as he picked her up and put her in his lap.

"Abby, when are you and Christian giving me another grandchild," Cynthia asked.
"Whenever you both can take Jo for a weekend. Besides, you're getting another grandchild from David and Ami. Ami is due in July," she answered as she sat down next to me.
"We can take Jo the weekend of New Year's Eve," Cynthia said.
"That works perfectly since we're having an adult only party New Year's Eve," Abby said.

"Actually, Abby and I have been trying for another baby since our honeymoon, but we haven't been lucky," I said.
"It'll happen. Cindy and I tried for years before we found out about Natasha," Henry said.

"Speaking of Nat, why isn't she here," Abby asked.
"She's on a date with her new boyfriend and costar, Rider Strong. They won't last a month," Cynthia replied.

"Papaw, I helped Daddy decorate the tree," Josephine said.
"You did an amazing job, Jo," Henry said.
"Thank you," she said.

The rest of the evening was spent taking about what had been going on in our lives.