Not My Brute (Angels of War Series #2)

Chapter Twenty-six

"You came! You came! You came!" Emilia squeals, running up to me.

I bend down and collect her in my arms, squeezing extra hard. "I promised you that I would."

Now out of her costume, she's wearing her favourite Star Wars tracksuit. "Daddy came to see my play last night!"

I smile. "That's lovely, sweetheart. I bet he was super proud of you."

"Uh-huh," she responds, not letting me go. "Did you like it?"

I kiss her little blonde head, not able to stop smiling. Emmy will do that to you. She has the purest nature. "Er, only every bit of it. You stole the show, my little superstar."

Emilia wriggled out of my embrace, laughing so loud it echoed around the large hall. "I did, didn't I? The teachers were all saying so!"

Hayley lets out a few quiet giggles, my lips straining to do the same until I pull them under control. "My favourite part is when you sang."

Emilia wraps her arms around Hayley's legs and looks up. "Thanks, mummy. I did it just like we practiced."

While we were waiting for the play to start, Hayley told me all about their nightly practices with Emilia performing in front of them in the living room. They had to score her performance out of ten and let her know where she could improve. I giggled at that bit.

Hayley pulls out a packet from her pocket and hands it down to Emilia, stroking back the hair in the little girls face. "Eat this before swimming. The teachers said you didn't eat your lunch today."

Emilia scrunches up her nose. "It was beef stew."

"You love beef stew. Promise me you'll eat your school dinners, please. You're a growing girl," Hayley responds, starting to lead us towards the front of the hall where Timmy emerges with some of his friends.

Emilia rips into the bag of sliced apple and red grapes, starting to munch away. "Timmy was funny in his play," she giggles.

I stroke her head. "He was."

The missing tooth Emilia flashes me when she smiles shocks me having not noticed before now. I gasp. "Your tooth is gone?"

Light pours into her excited gaze. "Yes, it did the other day."

I widen my eyes. "Have you been kissing the boys?"

"Ew," she turns sour, shaking her head on a loop. "No! I don't kiss boys!"

"You must have if your tooth fell out."

Emilia looks genuinely upset and I feel a tinge of guilt. "Not true. Boys are gross. Yuck!"

At that, a cute little kid who I remember was in her class strolls by with his parents, stopping when he reaches us. "Bye, Emilia."

Emilia beams, "Bye, Hamish."

Hamish's cheeks turn pink at her smile. "See you tomorrow," he says back."

"Remember to bring your Pokemon cards," she responds, blushing a bit herself.

I share a smile with the women I assume is Hamish's mum, watching her gather her son to her side before they leave the room. Emilia watches after him, turning around when she hears her brothers voice.

"Meme, come quick! Mum said we can have pizza for dinner if we get our backpacks now."

"Pizza," she smiles, dashing over to him on her skinny legs.

I follow after them at more of a leisurely pace, catching up with Hayley who's making her way to the coat peg room. There's several children in here, most of them playing around while the parents try their best to herd them together, making Hayley's pizza bribe clear.