I peek my head around door frame to my four-year-old daughter, Ally's room while leaning against the wall as I watch her pour invisible tea for three of her stuffed animals. I smile fondly as she walks around the small table, engaging each of her guests in conversation. I watch her intently, trying to remember every second of this, because I know she won't be this young for long. My heart aches at the thought, but she's going to grow up whether I want her to or not.
She finishes pouring the 'tea' and takes her spot at the table. "Daddy!" she squeals when she notices my head at the door. "Tea time!"
Without giving it a second thought, I step into the overly pink room knowing that I won't be able to say no to her. I've been to far too many of these 'tea parties' than I'd like to admit, but any time I say no to her, she gives me these puppy eyes and I melt instantly. So I know there is no way she's letting me get out of this.
I walk over to the small table that barely comes up to my knees and sit down in the even smaller chair. I bend my lanky body into an awkward position to sit down, my knees tucked into my chest. Ally then proceeds to place a plastic crown on my head and ties a towel around my neck, dressing me up as the king like she always does.
"Say hi," she says, pointing to the rest of her 'guests' that are sat around the table.
"Oh, right. Hello," I say and give a small wave to her three oversized teddy bears. "It is a pleasure to join your lovely tea party."
I notice her smile as she pours me a cup of tea. I pinch the tiny handle of the cup between two of my large fingers and take a small sip, making sure I keep my pinkie stretched out the entire time. She grabs her cup with both hands and does the same, and I have to take another sip to hide the smile that's starting to form on my lips.
"This tea is delicious. May I have some more?" I say, and Ally smiles as she pours me more tea. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice (Y/N) peek her head into the room, just as I had moments ago. "Look, Ally! We have a special guest. The queen has come to join the party!"
I'm not sure, but I think (Y/N) shoots me the slightest of glares, but I choose to ignore it. She may not like these tea parties as much as I do, but it would only add to our little girl's happiness. We both know that Ally enjoys these tea parties more when we both play along.
To be honest, I don't even like these tea parties, but my love for my daughter overshadows my dislike for drinking invisible tea with three teddy bears.
"Yay!" she squeals as (Y/N) reluctantly takes a seat between me and one of the teddy bears. Ally walks over to (Y/N) and places a crown similar to mine on her head, wraps a towel around her neck and pours her a cup of tea.
"You look very pretty, your majesty," I say to (Y/N) with a smirk.
"Thank you, but there's another girl sitting at this table that I think is much prettier than me," (Y/N) says, and it brings a slight blush to Ally's cheeks.
"I say this calls for a toast," I say, raising my cup into the air. "To the two pretty ladies who I get the pleasure of having tea with."
"To the two people who I love most in his world," (Y/N) says while holding her cup in the air. "Anyone you'd like to toast, Ally?"
"Mommy and daddy for being the best mommy and daddy," she exclaims and raises her cup above her head. My heart swells at her words, trying to make more room for my love for her, but if my heart expanded anymore, it would surely burst.
I glance over at (Y/N) who's looking at me and Ally with a fond smile and love in her eyes. My eyes turn to Ally who is also smiling, showing the smallest hint of dimples, that she no doubt got from me. I can't help the smile that plays across my lips as I look around this small table at my family in my daughter's pink room.
My family.
I reach over and grab (Y/N)'s hand, and she holds it in both of hers, letting me know that she's thinking the same thing. I lean over to place a kiss to (Y/N)'s lips when I hear a voice stop my movements.
"No," Ally says as sternly as a four-year-old can. "Not before the wedding."
"The wedding?" (Y/N) and I ask in unison.
"The king and the queen's," Ally says, like it's the most obvious thing in the world.
"Of course!" I say as Ally leads me out of her room and into the living room, holding two of my fingers in one of her tiny hands.
Ally stands on the couch and I stand next to her while we start humming a steady rhythm of dum dum da dums. (Y/N) emerges from the hallway with a veil over her face and a makeshift bouquet in her hands. Just like on our actual wedding day, I'm left speechless. I don't know how it's possible, but she gets more and more beautiful with each passing day.
(Y/N) makes her way over to me and Ally and reaches her hand up to my chin to close my mouth that I didn't know was hanging open. Before I can say anything, (Y/N) turns to Ally as she begins to speak.
"Mommy, do you want to marry daddy?"
"I do," (Y/N) says to me with a smile.
"Daddy, do you want to marry mommy?"
"I already did," I say with a smirk and (Y/N) gives me a look from underneath her veil. "I mean, I do."
"Okay, now kiss," Ally says before covering her eyes with her hands.
I lift up (Y/N)'s veil to reveal her face before leaning forward to place a gentle peck to her lips, and I can't help but smile into the kiss when I see Ally peeking at us from between her fingers.
