WHAT IF?

Daddy's Little Girl

Take a look at Larry's ups and downs in raising his daughter as a single father.

Larry's POV:

I parked in front of Lincoln High School waiting for my daughter, Paris. As the dismissal bells ringed, kids ran out the double doors. When I saw her, I honked my horn. Paris waved to her friends as she ran to the car. On the ride home, we talked,

"Hey, how's daddy's little girl?" Larry asked.
"I'm good. School was good." Paris replied.
"What happened at school?" I curiously asked.
"I did good in my math class. I gotta B plus on my pop quiz." Paris happily said.
"That's great. You're just like me. I've always been excellent at math. Now your uncle Laurent. Not so much. But he's was great in health." I explained.

When I mentioned Laurent, I remembered he invited us over his house for dinner.

"Darling, we're going to Laurent's house for dinner tonight." I mentioned to Paris.

Paris nodded her head and hopped out the car. I followed her inside the house. Paris went upstairs to her room. Our smokey colored pit bull met me at the door,

"Hey, Carter!" I said as I kneeled to the floor.

Carter ran in my arms and licked my cheek. It was cute to be greeted this way when I twenty-four. But now, ten years later I'm grossed out by it. I went to the bathroom and washed my face. As I dried my face with a towel, I heard Paris laughing. I thought it was kind of strange that she would be laughing if she's supposed to be doing her homework. I went upstairs to check on Paris. She was laying in bed while talking on the phone.

"Paris." I called out to her.

Paris quickly hung up the phone and said,

"Daddy?"
"Why aren't you doing your homework?" I questioned.
"I'm sorry. Kim told me earlier that she had something very important to tell me." Paris explained.
"I understand that. But the most important thing to me is you get your homework done. Get busy." I said.
"Yes, daddy." Paris said in a saddened tone.

I hugged and kissed Paris on the head. Three hours later, we went to Laurent's house.

"I hope you guys stomach is on "e" (empty) because I'm serving surf and turf." Laurent happily mentioned.

Laurent cooked steak, stir fried shrimp, broccoli, mashed potatoes and biscuits.

"Uncle Lau, my steak isn't done." Paris complained.
"Yes, it is." Laurent replied.
"The meat is still pink." Paris complained,
"Paris, it's called medium rare." I said and sipped my cranberry juice.
"Oh...okay." Paris said and separated the steak on her plate.
"How's school going?" Laurent asked.
"It's going good." Paris replied.
"Any favorite subjects?" Laurent asked.
"Um...I like math." Paris replied.
"Just like you're dad." Laurent said with a smile.
"Dad told me you were good in health class." Paris mentioned.
"That's right. That's why I'm a doctor." Laurent replied.

After dinner was over, I thanked Laurent for the delicious meal and went home. The next day, as I waited to pick up Paris, I noticed a boy talking to her. I repeatedly blew my horn when I realized he was flirting with her. Paris waved to the boy and hopped in the car. On the way home, I asked,

"So...who was that boy you was talking too?"
"He's just a friend." Paris replied.
"You like him?" I asked.
"He's nice. But I don't like him like that." Paris said.
"Well that's good to know. You know how I feel about you and boys." I firmly replied.
"Daddy, I know. No boys allowed." Paris quoted me.