Tale of Two Lovebirds

Chapter 17

It wasn't easy to convince her but he did. She has never been able to resist his charm, much less his kisses. He almost always gets his way anyways and he did once again. She agreed and he gave her one more kiss before running to Ria's bedroom.

"Wake up, sleepy head..." He whispered and his daughter stirred in her bed. "Wakey, wakey, wakey..." he said with a funny voice, imitating her.

Ria opened her eyes and greeted him with a big smile. "Papa!" She exclaimed when she saw her dad kneeling on the floor by her bed and she stretched her arms towards him like babies do when they want to be held. He smiled and reached for her too, hugging her tight.

"I've missed you, Ri. I'm sorry I've been so busy..." He said holding her in his arms and kissing the top of her head. He felt really bad, like a part-time dad. He barely saw her during the week, his own child...

"You stay home today?" Ria asked with her innocent little voice and he sighed.

Well, not exactly... "No. I have work to do but I wanted to ask you something..." He made her sit on the bed so he could see her reaction.

Ria pouted, obviously disappointed that it's not his day off. She looked down to her feet, dangling off the edge of the bed. He said he has work and that's all she heard and it made her sad. She really wanted him to stay and play with her.

"Wait... Don't make that face, I haven't asked my question. Do you want to hang out with me today?"

She looked up at him, slightly confused.

"You can go to work with me today like when you go with mummy. Come on, it will be fun!" He looked like an excited three year old himself.

Ria's pout immediately turned into a wide grin. "Yes!!!" But of course, she loved going to work with her mum, she never had the chance to go with her papa before, with her beloved papa, of course she wants to go! "Yes, yes, yes! I wanna go!"

He hugged her again and picked her up in his arms. "Just promise me you'll behave and listen to me." Ria nodded, putting her arms around his neck and hugging him tight, happy that she will spend her day with him. "Let's go ask mummy to help you get ready while I also get ready, ok?"

~

Back in their bedroom, Deepika was still under the covers, trying to get a few more minutes of sleep. She knew she didn't have much time left to rest and that was confirmed when she heard her husband and daughter's voices outside their door.

"Good morning, my Queen. You have a very special visitor here in your chamber." So much enthusiasm so early in the morning. Deepika turned to look at them, both were sporting big smiles and tousled bed hair. Just adorable. Ria was still in his arms and paid close attention to what her papa was saying. She loved it when all three of them played like that. "I present you Princess Ria of... of... Bubblegumland! She is coming from the west to pay you a visit." From the west, as in ten steps from their bedroom door to the west... Maybe. He's just making it up.

The queen giggled and so did the princess, she liked that he said she comes from a land of bubble gum. She likes gum. (She tried it a couple of times after a lot of begging.) "Good morning, Princess. What a pleasure... Please come closer." Deepika patted the bed and Ranveer pretended he was going to throw Ria in the air and let her land on the bed. Ria laughed excitedly, swinging in his arms. They could tell her adventurous little self actually liked the idea.

But Deepika wasn't so amused, she sat up right away. "Nooo!" Her mummy brain could picture the million ways in which she could get injured by landing too hard on the bed or even worse, on the floor. She didn't find it fun at all.