How I Raised Her

Leniency

Thane lied in bed with his eyes closed. He was tired, but for some reason, could not sleep. He looked over to Jamie sleeping soundly, then throws the blanket off his body. Thane stands up, wondering how to make himself doze off. He decided the best way was to take some medicine from the garage and begun stepping down the stairs.

Everything was a little dark. The kitchen was lit up, but everything else was just a fading black. No noises but the static silence in Thane's ear as he made it to the base of the steps. He looked around, trying to tell which way was which... If he had to guess, it was probably after midnight. Thane was skimming the area, making sure he was going the right way, when he saw a small, blue light far off to the right. Thane squinted curiously, backed up into the garage door, and opened it. He flipped the switches inside, grabbing his heavy flashlight and slipped on his slippers. He was going out into the snow.

Thane reached the window he saw the blue light out of. Sure enough, it was still there. Something in him decided it was his duty to retrieve the blue orb and bring it inside, out of the cold...

So Thane reached for his back door, took hold of it's nob, turned it and slowly opened the door. In comparison to the warmth in his house, outside was a blizzard. Thane marched into the cold after flinching from the ferocity of the wind, clicked on his flashlight and pointed it toward the light. Standing perfectly still in the snow was Kim staring out into the nearby forest. "Kim, hun," Thane shouted, "what are you doing out here?" Kim didn't move, she didn't flinch, because her gaze was just so fixated on the trees waving in the wind, inviting her over. Thane stepped off his porch steps and onto the snow, inching toward her. "Honey? Are you okay...?"

As Thane approached Kim, he looked down at her. He then knelt into the snow with the crunching sound it makes, wiped his face with the sleeve of his robe, and spoke softly... "Kimmy?"

She slowly turned her head to look at his, pointing to the trees, "What's out there, dad? I wanna' know what's out there..." Thane took a few moments shivering in the snowy wind to reply, but said, "Out in the forest? Trees and critters, twigs and leaves... not very much in that forest, there."

Kimmy smiled her glowing-blue smile, looked up into her creator's eyes and said, "Can we go there someday? Please!!!" Thane grinned slightly, picking her up into his numb hands. "Sure, hun'. We'll go someday." As soon as his words were out of his mouth, Kim shouted, "Tomorrow!?" Thane pondered on the question, but saw no harm in it as he carried her back to the house. He opened the door, shivering cold, stepped inside and set her down. "Maybe... keep it down, your mother is asleep. But for now, go to sleep dear. I'm tired."

She followed Thane as they went up the stairs, the sound of clanking and pitter patter on his heels. Thane found it extremely adorable though oddly familiar. He dared not give the trail of thoughts attention, fearing what could be another breakdown, as he reached the top of the stairs. Instead of immediately going to his room, he went to the room adjacent to his... his daughter's room. He opened the door and turned on the light as Kim walked in between his legs and to her little Kimmy-sized bed. Thane watched her snuggle up into it, smiling, his hand on the light switch.

"Goodnight, baby girl. I love you," Thane turned off the light, backing away slowly. "See you in the mor-". Thane was interrupted mid-sentence by Kimmy yelling, "Wait!" Immediately, Thane shushed her and turned on the light, stepping back into the room. He waltzed over to her bedside and knelt, trying to get to her level. Kim was standing by now, and as soon as Thane got to her level she jumped onto his chest, sending him into the ground. He wasn't expecting the weight of a bowling ball jumping onto him... either way, he held her and stood up, embracing his daughter.

"I love you, too, daddy..." She spoke into his neck, covered in the fabric of a robe. He was genuinely surprised. This wasn't something he expected... come to think of it, neither did he program her to go outside after midnight. Thane just held her, remembering late nights in the past that went a little like this... and he went along with it.