Little Wonder (Phan)

Chapter Eighteen.

"Papa!" With a wide grin, I opened my arms and held her close, I hadn't seen in her in over a week, and I felt beyond guilty at the fact that I'd just dumped her at Felix and Marzia's place without so much as an up front warning, or giving them time to prepare for her stay. "Uncle Felix and Auntie Marzia are so /cool/! Can I stay with them again in the future?" Looking up towards the two tired people standing in front of me, I gave them a sheepish, guilty, grin.

"Perhaps, sweet pea. But, let's give it a while, alright? Now, go wait in the car, I'll get your things." Pecking her forehead, I watched her get in the car, Phil had seemed to drop it off sometime last week, which I guess was a good move on his part, it made things easier for me and Winnie. "Look, I'm real sorry you guys. I had no intentions of having you keep her for so long, I know you weren't prepared take care for her, can you forgive me?" Marzia was around the same age as me, but Felix was older, so I wouldn't know how he'd feel about me asking.

"Hey, Daniel. It /did/ come as a surprise to us, the amount of time she stayed, but as long as you are feeling better, that is all that matters. Yes, we're a little tired, and worn out. But it's nothing a few naps, meals, and alone time together can't fix, alright?" With a small peck to my cheek, she prompted me towards my car, waving as she leaned against Felix, looking exhausted. "Now please, get home safe, alright? I want a phone call as soon as you arrive."

With a small smile, I got in the driver's seat, made sure Winnie was all buckled in, and then backed out of their driveway. I knew I had overworked them, expected to much, so I would leave them be for awhile, they deserved their alone time. "They had sweets, and movies, and the beds were so comfy, papa!" Her happiness was my happiness. "Papa, has daddy come home yet?" And now her sadness was my sadness.

"No, sweet pea. Not yet, I'm sorry." I pulled into the parking lot of our flat, and sighed as I parked the car, resting my forehead on the steering wheel. "I-I don't know when daddy's coming home, sweet pea. Maybe next week, maybe never. Why the hell are you always asking?" Snapping at her was the last thing I'd ever wanted to do, and I regretted it the second I did it. "I'm sorry, cub. I'm just a little tired, and - um, how about we go inside?" I got out, taking a deep breath, and going to get her out. "Cub?" She was awfully silent.

Her large eyes were looking downwards, and I knew she was about ready to cry. I held her close to me, whispering soothing words into her ear. "I'm sorry, cub. I really am. I never meant to snap at you, just know papa loves you, alright? And I will /always/ love you." Kissing her forehead, I walked up the flight of stairs towards our flat, but realised that the door was already open, and in panic, burst through it and held Winnie even closer. Someone was here.

"Papa?" Her voice was small, she knew something was wrong, she'd always been a smart girl. Shushing her, I pat her back to soothe her. I tiptoed throughout the flat, no one was anywhere, and there didn't seem to be anything missing, so I eventually set Winnie down in the living room and went to my room to change.

Humming softly, I came out to find Winnie gone, "Winnie!?" I started to panic a little, maybe there /had/ been someone in our flat, and I'd just managed to overlook them. "WINNIE!" Tears welled up in my eyes, and I fell to my knees, until I heard a response coming from her room, and I ran faster than I ever had before. "My - Winnie! Next time I call for you, you answer me, okay?" I sat next to her, she was on her bed, looking down at a note. "Where did you get that note, cub?" I smiled gently, but there were tears in her eyes. Happy tears.

"Daddy was here, papa. Daddy was home." And at that, I took the note out of her hands, my eyes scanning over every word on the damn page. It had been Phil, he had been the one that had gotten into the flat, and as usual, he'd forgotten to close the damn door.