Desire

(13) Ice Cream

"Of course, Daddy." Kimberly grinned at her father. The two were shopping once again, but this time for groceries. Dale had to be back at work in just over an hour so they were rushing slightly.

"See, I don't think you need ice cream." Dale shook his head in amusement. "You're always hyper enough as is."

She glared at her father. "So how come you get whisky but I don't get ice cream?"

Dale turned to look at his daughter with raised brows. "Touché." She sent a wink his way with a giggle. "Okay fine, you can get ice cream and then we'll check out."

She nodded and skipped along the isles to where she remembered the ice cream to be kept. She eyes each of the tubs up and pulled out a tub of strawberry — or was her favourite.

She carried the tub, not wanting to add to the weight of the cart her Father was pushing. "Do you have any plans for while I'm at work later, Poppet?"

The girl thought for a moment. "Just in my room as usual. Can I eat the ice cream in my room?"

Dale wasn't one of those parents who never allowed their children to eat in their room, he just didn't want her having things that could make a huge mess and ruin the carpet. I've cream being one of those things. "Since you'll be on your own, yes you can."

"Thank you." She smiled happily. They reached the register and Kimberly helped to place the items in the counter as her father made small talk with the man scanning their items. She lifted the two bottles of whiskey onto the conveyor belt with squinted brows. "Daddy?"

"Yes, sweetheart?" Dale hummed in response.

"Why do you need two bottles?" She didn't like the idea of her father damaging himself so much. She pushed him to look after himself.

Dale watched as the last items got scanned through the register and paid. "Oh, did I forget to tell you? Mr. Mitchell invited me over for a drink Saturday, you're more than welcome to join if you'd like." Dale knew he didn't need two bottles — really he didn't need any, the Mitchell's owned quite enough, but he thought it would be better to come with too much than not enough. Especially since they had offered to be such a help to him after finding out the story of his wife.

Kimberly shot the man a weird look. "What was the café about then?"

Dale chuckled. "Just be being silly, angel. It's all sorted now."

"I'd like to go, please." She grabbed the lightest bag out of the bunch as her father grabbed the rest — he wouldn't allow her to carry anything heavy. The two headed out to the car, ready to head home.

"And Caiden will be checking in on you tonight if that's still okay with you?" Kimberly's eyes lit up at her Father's words. She nodded her head energetically with a large smile spread across her face, her cheeks turning a rosey pink colour.
—
"Thank you for your help, dear." Mr. Thompson gave the girl a hug. Not too long after her father had left for work there was a knock on the door. She took a look through the little peephole to see it was Mrs. Thompson asking if the young girl was able to help her and her husband with something they had just bought for their living room.

She happily agreed and walked just next door to see Mr. Thompson looking as if his head was going to explode with confusion. A smart tv sat on their television stand in the living room. They had bought that as well as a few other things for their home as their grandchildren said their home needed modernising but wouldn't actually help when it came to setting it all up.

Kimberly didn't mind though, it took up a large chunk of the time she'd have spend alone otherwise. She sat with Mr. Thompson, teaching him how to use everything she had set up for him which also included an Alexa. She felt bad for the two, it was clear that they didn't need nor want any do this stuff yet they felt they had to have it for their grandkids who spent no more than two nights there a week.