Half a Man at Best (Sequel to VALERIE)

EPILOGUE [Part Two]

~UNEDITED~

Copyright © zylgnagnaba 2014

Harry’s POV

I stir in my sleep as I hear a muffle sound of a baby crying helplessly from across the room. Not only until Valerie pulls away from my lethargic grip do I realize that I am not the only one who hears the sound.

“Lucy…” I hear her grumble suggestively – I already know the routine – and my eyes squint to see her rolling to her side of the bed and bury her face on her pillow. Her tightly shut eyes are covered by the mess of her blonde hair and I can hear the light snores slipping pass her lips.

My mouth gapes to release a quiet yawn and I stretch my arms before slowly kicking myself off of the bed. Groaning, I rub the sleepiness away from my eyes with both my hands and start padding towards the door barefoot to attend to my daughter.

It has been ten months since Lucy was born that she would wake me up in the middle of the night with her non-stop crying unless I get her diaper changed. It’s not that I’m complaining, but the dark circles around my eyes explain a whole lot of how demanding being a father is. Nonetheless, I wouldn’t change a thing. Lucy is an angel and I love her so much.

The door creaks open as I cautiously open it, causing the sound to double as I proceed inside. My heart immediately drops once I witness my poor baby girl wailing as she sits on her crib. Her bottom lip is jutted out, bloodshot eyes, flushed and tear-stained face.

“Awe. Hey there, princess. Daddy’s here.” I coo and reach towards the crib to scoop her up as I wipe the snots falling from her nose down to her mouth. She hiccups and I bounce her up against me. “Ssshhh…” I whisper down to her as I continue swinging her from side to side in my attempt to stop her from crying.

Just a matter of few seconds later, I hear her sniffle followed by a small giggle and I feel her tiny hand reach out for my mouth, patting my lips like they are the most adorable thing in the world for her. The way her brown eyes glisten beneath the meek light in her room as she smiles up at me is just so priceless. I feel so accomplished each time she cries and I am the one who gets her to stop and make her cackle. The sound always gives me the chills. To me, it’s the sweetest music in the world – taking over the spot of her Mom’s piano playing (Haha!).

I pat her behind and check her diaper. Finding out it is full, I grimace at my daughter and I laugh because it seems like she knows what I am complaining about when she giggles at me, yet again. As early as now, I can already discern the mischief in her eyes and at the way her lip arch up into a coy grin. What a sadistic, naughty little girl.

“You’re a nasty princess.” I mutter under my breath and I shake my head disbelievingly when she continues cackling as I lay her down on the table. I unfasten the diaper tapes from around her and flip the whole thing open. I remember how I gagged at the sight of my daughter’s poop the first time and now that I think about it, I just smile because I am so used with the smell and feature of the disgusting stuff. “Yep. You’re definitely nasty, Princess Lucy.” A quiet giggle leaves my lips when she cackles at me while clapping her hands together. I don’t know if she’s happy about me calling her a princess or telling her that she’s nasty.

Either way, I have to lecture her that insults are different from compliments when she grows older.

I roll the used diaper before I throw it at the diaper bin and reach for the baby wipes. “You know, you’re lucky I love you.” I tell her through a yawn, squeezing my eyes shut momentarily while I continue cleaning her up. I continue talking to her although I know she’s not going to answer me. All she does actually is cackle at me, as if everything I say to her is always funny. See, this is why I love my daughter so much. She thinks I’m funny even if I don’t crack my well-known knock-knock jokes at her.