Rumor Has It

Part 34

"Daddy?"

The door clicked open and tiny steps shuffled inside. Bradley jerked fully awake, his heart was suddenly beating at triple speed and he prayed Stefani wasn't fast asleep yet. They had been talking, about his latest talks with Todd, about the lessons he has been taking, about his fear that he would not be able to sing live as much. He had barely drifted off, it could not be much later.

"Stefi?"

The warm body next to him stirred and Bradley heard the sharp intake of her breath. He could not risk saying a word and was praying she would grasp the situation quickly.

The light falling into the room was illuminating Stefani's face and his daughter squinted to adjust her eyes to the dark.

"Lea?" Stefani asked with confusion in her tone.

"I can't find my dad." The answer came in a small, shy voice. He could barely keep himself from jumping out of bed and bolting over there to assure her everything was fine and he was right here with no intention of being anywhere else.

"Are you okay?" Stefani poked at his side to make sure he was up and piled her blanket onto his body. "I'll go look for him with you. Maybe he's in the bathroom."

"I dreamt about that thing in the shower and then I went to his room and then he isn't there and..." Lea explained while Stefani gently led her out of the room. She mouthed something at him and if they were further away, it should give him space to slip out of the room.

He sneaked outside onto the brightly lit hallway, but either his steps were too loud or it was like Lea had a sixth sense for him. She rushed out of the bathroom and towards him, barreling into him.

"I thought you got lost."

He hugged his daughter back with a reassuring smile on his face. "I'm not, everything's good. Are you okay?"

"Do you sleep in there?" She pointed at Stefani's room behind him. "I looked for you in the other room."

If he lied by omission it wasn't a full lie, everyone did this all the time, even when they weren't consciously aware of it. "I was only getting some water."

"But the kitchen is downstairs."

Bradley scratched his head, exaggeratedly looking around like he wasn't sure where he was. "Yeah, you're right, maybe I did get lost."

"Do you want me to show you?"

He sighed thankfully when Lea took his hand and pulled him with her towards the stairs, the important task overwriting her bad dream. He tried to shrug apologetically at Stefani as Emily stumbled out of her bedroom, dragging a giant stuffed blobby animal after her. "Why is everyone up?"

"My dad got lost, I'm staying with him now." Lea explained matter-of-factly.

The outrage at this injustice was drawn all over Emily's face and she looked exactly like her mother when something was not happening how she liked it. "Mooom, then can I sleep with you? It's gonna be my birthday."

Stefani rubbed her temple and threw Bradley another glance before resting her hand on her daughter's back. "Come on then, only today. But...no, no, come back here," she commanded when Emily was already on her way, running towards the open door, "not in my bedroom, we're going to your room."

He couldn't read if she was annoyed or amused, maybe it was a bit of both.

*

There were advantages to being an early riser. Bradley wasn't too grumpy when Lea was waking him up every morning, but still relieved when she had started sleeping longer and longer. But that didn't help now. She had been restless for a while and he was trying to drag the morning out longer after so many interruptions during the night.