Daddy's Precious Little Girl

Picnic Fun

Ashlynn's POV

Making mac and cheese and chicken tenders for so many people had been a lot of work, and my arms were still sore from shredding all that cheese. But it had been worth it—everyone said the food was delicious. After we ate, I joined my friends on the playground. Markie, Bryan, Anna, and I had turned the play structure into a pirate ship, with Markie as the captain and Bryan as the first mate. Marcy was the lookout, and Anna and I were in charge of steering. We were laughing and shouting about treasure maps and sea monsters when I spotted Daddy walking toward us.

I stopped mid-laugh, noticing someone walking beside him. My heart jumped with excitement when I saw who it was—Grandpa! Dropping the imaginary wheel, I scrambled down from the play structure. "Grandpa's here!" I shouted, running to meet him.

Mr. Alex's face lit up as he crouched down, arms open to catch me. "Hello again, Ashlynn!" he said warmly, his voice as comforting as a hug. "Having fun?"

"The best!" I said, grinning up at him. "Are you going to play with us?"

"Maybe," he said with a chuckle, glancing at Daddy. "Depends on what's next."

Daddy grinned. "I'd stick around if I were you. It's Littles versus Caregivers, and things are about to get competitive."

"Littles are gonna win!" I declared.

"Big words for someone with little legs," Daddy teased, ruffling my hair.

Before I could answer, a whistle blew, and someone called out, "It's time for the Littles versus Caregivers games! Everyone to the field!"

Markie, Bryan, Anna, Marcy, and I all ran to the field, our excitement bubbling over. Each of our caregivers joined us, with Daddy walking beside me. "You ready, sweet girl?" he asked.

"Totally ready," I said with a grin.

The first game was a sack race. We Littles lined up on one side of the lawn, with our caregivers on the other. Markie, Bryan, Anna, Marcy, and I were all determined to win. Across the way, Daddy, Franklin, Lana, Breana, and Nickoli stood confidently, smirking at us.

"You think you can beat us?" Nickoli called out playfully, his arms crossed.

"Uh-huh!" Bryan shouted back, his eyes narrowing with determination.

"Alright, let's see it," Lana said with a laugh.

"Ready, set... go!" the whistle blew, and we were off.

Jumping in the sack wasn't easy. Every time I tried to go fast, I stumbled, but I kept at it, laughing as Markie pulled ahead. Bryan was close behind him, his face scrunched up in concentration, and Anna and Marcy weren't far behind.

Daddy was hopping along too, his grin wide. "Come on, Ashlynn! You can do it!"

With one last jump, I crossed the finish line, landing in a heap with Markie and Bryan. "We won!" Markie shouted, throwing his hands in the air.

"Good job, Littles!" the head mistress said, clapping as the Littles cheered and the caregivers groaned.

Next up was tug-of-war. Bryan grabbed the rope first, his hands gripping tightly, and the rest of us followed. The caregivers lined up on the opposite side, looking smug.

"Pull!" Markie shouted, and we all heaved backward together. The rope didn't budge.

"You're gonna have to try harder than that," Franklin said, grinning as he planted his feet firmly.

"Come on, Littles!" Grandpa cheered from the sidelines. "Show them what you've got!"

We pulled as hard as we could, the rope inching in our direction for a moment before the caregivers yanked it back with a laugh. With one final pull, they dragged us across the line.

"We'll get you next time!" I called out, sticking my tongue out at Daddy.

He laughed. "We'll see about that, sweet girl."

The games continued with a beanbag toss, a water balloon fight, and even a three-legged race. For the three-legged race, we Littles were paired up with each other, and the caregivers teamed up as well. Markie and I were partners, our legs tied together with a soft ribbon. Bryan and Anna were ahead of us, laughing so hard they could barely stay upright. Marcy was paired with Lily, a quiet Little I didn't know very well, and they were taking careful steps, their giggles blending with the excitement around us.

On the caregivers' side, Daddy was paired with Franklin, their faces serious as they strategized. Lana and Breana were also partners, while Nickoli and another caregiver I didn't know well brought up the rear. The caregivers looked confident—maybe too confident.

"Alright, Ashlynn, steady now," Markie said, his tone determined. "Let's take it slow and stay in rhythm."

We started off well enough, our steps mostly matching, but Bryan and Anna were pulling ahead. I glanced over at Marcy and Lily, who were wobbling dangerously but still making progress.

"Come on, Ashlynn!" Daddy called from the other side, his grin wide as he and Franklin moved in perfect sync.

I groaned as Markie and I stumbled, nearly falling before we regained our balance. "They're too fast!" I huffed.

"They're cheating," Markie joked, his grin infectious.

Ahead of us, Daddy and Franklin crossed the finish line first, their hands shooting up in victory. "Yes!" Franklin shouted, and Daddy laughed, clapping him on the back.

The Littles groaned as the rest of the caregivers followed, Lana and Breana nearly tripping but still finishing ahead of us. Markie and I finally crossed the line, giggling despite our loss.

"You Littles gave it a good shot," Daddy said, winking at me as I caught my breath. "But this one's ours."

Next came the water balloon fight. Littles were once again paired up, and Markie and I found a good hiding spot behind a picnic table. Across the way, Bryan and Anna were pelting Lana and Breana with balloons, their laughter echoing across the field. Marcy and Lily were behind a bench, whispering their plan of attack.

"Ready, Ashlynn?" Markie asked, holding a balloon in each hand.

"Ready!" I said, giggling.

We peeked out from behind the table and threw our balloons, one of them hitting Franklin square in the chest. He froze, looking down at the wet spot before narrowing his eyes at us. "Oh, you're in trouble now," he said, grabbing a balloon of his own.

"Run!" Markie shouted, and we darted out from behind the table, laughing as Franklin's balloon sailed past us.

Daddy wasn't so lucky. He was hit twice—once by Anna and then by Bryan—and the look of mock betrayal on his face made me laugh so hard I nearly got hit myself. "I thought we were friends!" he called, ducking behind a tree for cover.

Marcy and Lily managed to sneak up on Lana and Breana, hitting them both at the same time. "Gotcha!" Marcy said, her voice full of excitement as they ran off laughing.

By the end of the fight, we were all soaking wet and laughing so hard our sides hurt. Markie and I collapsed on the grass, completely out of breath but grinning from ear to ear.

As the final whistle blew, we all gathered back at the picnic tables to tally up the scores. The caregivers had won more games, but none of us Littles cared. We were too busy recounting all the fun moments, from Franklin slipping in the mud during the tug-of-war to Lana tripping over her own feet in the sack race.

Daddy handed me a towel, crouching down to help me dry off. "You did amazing out there, sweet girl," he said, his eyes full of pride.

"Thanks, Daddy," I said, beaming. "Did you see us win the sack race?"

"I did," he said, ruffling my hair. "You were incredible."

Grandpa joined us, his hands on his hips as he surveyed the group. "I have to admit, you Littles put up a good fight," he said with a wink.

"Next time, we're gonna win everything," I said confidently.

Grandpa chuckled. "I don't doubt it."

As the games wound down, the Littles and caregivers started making their way back to the tables for snacks and drinks. I looked around at my friends, all of us tired but happy, and smiled. This was the best picnic ever.