For Fiona

14. Alone Time

Tim felt kicks to his sides, and then he opened his eyes.

"Daddy! Daddy! You're awake!" Fiona said.

"Sure am, kiddo," he replied, his throat dry, but he was happy. She called him "daddy". He was still getting used to it. He checked his watch and noted, "It's early. Why don't we go back to sleep?"

"Can we walk Kojo?"

"Aren't you tired?"

"No! Come on, Daddy!"

"Okay, shh, let your mommy sleep." Tim saw Lucy was fast asleep, so he brushed a kiss to her forehead and shimmied away. He looped his arms around Fiona and got out of bed holding her. Once they were out of Lucy's bedroom, he suggested, "Let's walk Kojo in our pajamas. How does that sound?"

"Yay!" Fiona cheered and clung to him and her stuffed bear as they descended the stairs.

He helped her put on moccasins then wore his own sneakers before securing the leash to Kojo's collar.

"Where are we going on our walk?"

"A few blocks around the neighborhood, and then we'll go back home to change."

"Do we sing to Kojo?"

"Uh, you can if you want."

"Can we go to the zoo again?"

"Not today."

"Please!"

He wanted to give in. He wanted to do anything she asked, because she called him "Daddy" with an adorable smile. "I wish, but your mommy and I have to go to work today. You'll get to spend the day with Nell."

"I like when we're together more."

"Me, too, but we'll be home by dinner."

"Can we have hugs after?"

"About that," he watched Kojo stop and circle a fire hydrant. Because they had a few seconds, Tim bent down to look at Fiona and say, "sometimes, your mommy and I hug...alone."

"Why?"

"Because she's...she's my princess, and princes and princesses spend time together just the two of them."

"Oh, does that mean we can't have hugs tonight?"

Her disappointment made him change his mind. "Yes, we can have hugs tonight if you want."

"Yay!" She cheered. Fiona found that walking with Kojo was not very special, but she did sing to him as they made their way through the neighborhood, and that was fun, plus, she held her dad's hand, and he told her she had a pretty singing voice. When they returned home, she could not wait to share the events of her morning with her mom, so she bounded up the stairs and bursted into her parents' bedroom. "Mommy! Guess what!"

Lucy woke up to the sound of Fiona's voice, but her brain was still foggy as her daughter retold the events of her walk. "That's great, sweetie. I'm glad you had fun with your daddy. Let's go to your bathroom." She let Fiona leave her room first, and she stayed behind to take Tim's hand. "I missed you this morning."

"I'm sorry. Fi woke up with a lot of energy, and she asked to walk Kojo. I figured at least if she came with, you could sleep a little longer."

"The whole reason I like staying in bed is to be with you, but thank you for doing that anyways."

"Next time," he guaranteed and lifted their joined hands to kiss the back of hers. He rushed through his morning routine then made breakfast just in time for his girls to join him in the kitchen.