Silent Eyes

35, Sleepover Party

Andreas held up two DVD cases with a wide grin. "So, which movie would you like to watch?" Selene pondered for a moment, poking her lip while gazing at the two options. Suddenly sitting up, she excitedly pointed at "The Little Mermaid" cover, her eyes brimming with happiness. "That one!" Andreas smiled, though inwardly groaning. Every time she visited, they ended up watching "The Little Mermaid," and he was growing tired of it. "Sure, baby. We'll check the cookies first and then watch the movie, okay?"

The little girl sat up, beaming. "Okay!" Soon, they were holding hands and happily gliding into the kitchen. Andreas settled Selene at the table while he pulled out the cookies from the oven, but they were black and burned to a crisp. He cringed, meeting Selene's gaze, and she cringed too. "Daddy, we might need to call Mommy to help us..." she whispered. The mention of Monica tugged at him, and he forced out a chuckle. "What? No, how about Daddy just order us some pizza?" he said.

Upon hearing that, Selene gasped. "Yes! I want pepperoni!" Andreas placed the burnt cookies onto the stove and grabbed his phone to order pizza, making sure to include a side of cookies. Selene begged him for soda, and he couldn't forget that either. He had told Selene to keep her mouth shut about the soda since Monica didn't want her drinking sugary drinks, so it was their little secret.

Andreas really didn't want to watch the movie. He needed a distraction and noticed he still had some paint in his boxes. Since he had recently moved to the country, his house was still full of open spaces, scattered items, and unpacked boxes. Andreas retrieved the paint, along with some papers, and beamed. "How about we paint while we wait for the pizza?" he suggested. However, Selene pouted, sinking her shoulders. "I want to watch The Little Mermaid!" she whined.

He bit his lip, feeling a pang of guilt. Sighing, Andreas lowered himself to Selene's level. She looked so much like Monica with her soft eyes and round lips that it almost hurt to look at her. "Baby, we'll still watch the movie," he assured her. "Daddy just wants to make sure we hear the delivery man when he arrives." Finally, Selene seemed to understand, and she nodded, her little grin returning. "Oh, okay!" she giggled. "Then let's paint!"

Andreas placed some old towels on the floor since he didn't have a designated painting station. He was surprised to even have the painting supplies; he had never painted before and wondered where he had gotten them. But refocusing on his daughter, he prepared her station, and soon they were dipping paint brushes into pots of color, creating strokes on white sheets of paper. Andreas painted something random, like a flower, while stealing glances at Selene's work-a big blob of colors with a few added sparkles that she proudly pointed out.

Curious, he asked, "Um, what's that supposed to be?"

Selene sat up straight, pointing at her artwork. "That's you!" she smiled, indicating a peculiar blob. Then her finger slid over to another blob. "And that's Mommy." Finally, she landed on the tiniest blob. "And that's me! We're at the beach, having fun together!" The girl giggled.

He fell silent, a sad smile tugging at his lips. Selene remained blissfully unaware of the tension between him and her mother, and it pained him to hear her speak as if they were still a couple. To her, mommy and daddy had simply had a little argument and decided to give each other space, which was partly true. However, she didn't fully grasp that Monica had left because of the dangers surrounding Andreas' life, and that her mother was only trying to protect her from the savages that lurked in his world.

Monica still wanted him to be a part of Selene's life, so she agreed to visitations under one condition: Selene could never go to Greece, as it was deemed too dangerous. Andreas didn't particularly like that rule. As if he didn't have enemies in the United States as well. He had enemies everywhere! Nevertheless, Monica insisted that she would feel more comfortable if their little princess stayed close rather than far away. As a parent himself, Andreas knew he had to comply and listen to the mother's concerns.

The doorbell rang, and Selene quickly jumped up. But Andreas snapped his fingers and halted her in her tracks. She looked up at him, and his stern gaze met hers. "When someone's at the door, daddy answers it," he said. "Now, I want you to stay here while I go get the pizza." Selene pouted, stepping back as Andreas slipped past her. With his hand close to the grip of a gun, he cautiously moved through the house, ensuring everything was safe, as anyone could storm in and turn the place into a shooting gallery. However, upon cracking the door open, he saw that it was one of his men, Darian.

Darian held up the pizza box while the other guards carried the cookies and soda. "Your food has arrived," one of them announced. They proceeded through the house, placing the food on the dining table. Selene recognized them and beamed. "Hey!" Before the men could respond, they turned their attention to their boss, Andreas, who simply smiled and shrugged. Soon, they returned the greeting with wide grins and waves. "Hey, Ms. Selene!" they said.

Selene was a lively girl, capable of striking up a conversation with anyone. As she giggled and rambled on about her playground adventures, Andreas watched, taking in how much she resembled Monica. Like her mother, she was a sweetheart with a friendly voice and sparkling eyes. He was grateful that she hadn't inherited her mother's stubbornness, which always irked him whenever he laid down a rule for Monica to immediately challenge. Selene wasn't like that; she would listen and obediently comply.

Before long, everyone was enjoying their pizza. The men were about to leave to stand guard and ensure there were no suspicious individuals nearby. However, Selene pleaded with her father to let them stay, eat, and watch "The Little Mermaid" with them. So they squeezed onto a cramped couch, munching on cookies and shedding tears as Ariel sang about her longing to be a part of the human world. Andreas felt annoyed, pushing Darian aside to make space for himself. But as he glanced at Selene, he felt his tension melt away, captivated by her adorable dimples.

Later that night, Andreas and Selene lay comfortably in bed, enveloped in darkness. He held his little princess in a warm embrace as she clung to him. With her eyes closed and a weary voice, she whispered, "Daddy?" Andreas raised an eyebrow and responded with a gentle hum, "Hmm?" It was then that Selene shared something heart-wrenching. "I wish you and mommy could be together. I don't like Roy, he's a big meanie. If you're my daddy, why can't you be with mommy?" Her big eyes searched for answers as they looked up at Andreas. His jaw tightened as he struggled to smile, but he pulled her in for another hug and exhaled softly. "Oh, don't worry," he reassured her. "Daddy and mommy will be together again," he promised.

And he meant every word.

Andreas wasn't going to let Monica go so easily. His desire to reclaim her had intensified. He had given her space, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Now, in the eerie calmness that surrounded them, he was prepared to seize her, to possess her once again. His intentions were dark, his determination unwavering. "My little princess, you'll just have to wait," he whispered. Selene opened her mouth to say something, but Andreas silenced her with another hug. "Let's keep this our little secret, alright?" he whispered, reminding Selene of the importance of keeping their plan hidden. A radiant smile bloomed on her face, and in her tired state, she nodded. "Okay, Daddy."