The Under Boss's Ballerina [18+]

Epilogue (extended)

"One...Two...Three...Four...Eight... Ten...Five...no- no. No." I hear the little soul mumble, seated on my thigh, an array of colorful numbering blocks in front of her as she struggles to arrange them accordingly.

According to her that is.

Glancing at the last stack of papers, I pull them toward me with my free hand that is not engaged in keeping the little person protected in her posture.

"One...Two...Five..." She humphs for the nth time.

The small sigh will be in almost a second followed out by a tiny sniffle.

Any moment now.

"Three, sweetheart." I correct my daughter before her little sigh becomes a little sob.

"Three...Four...Five?" She stares up at me, doe like eyes blinking for my approval.

"Yes, darling." I say placing a kiss on her head before signing my name at the bottom of the paper, ending the paperwork for the day.

"Seven..."

"Six and Seven, honey." I say.

"Otaay. Six...Seven...Eight... Nine and Ten!" She squeals.

"That's brilliant, love." I say placing a kiss on top of her head making her cuddle back to me, filled with tremendous pamper and delight.

"You did splendid, bunny rabbit." I say offering her another kiss.

"Grazie, papá." She smiled rearranging those blocks again to put them in order. Her tiny hands working profusely on the blocks that was too big to fit into her little hand.

"How about-" I suggest. "We take a tiny break and eat first, huh?"

Annalisa huffed. "Alweady?"

"Yes, sweetheart." I say pulling the plates of jam filled bread toward us, that were prepared for her breakfast. "We have to eat, don't we?"

My little darling gave out a whine leaning her head back against my chest. A pout resting on her face.

The jam filled breads were cut in bear head and cat shapes with chocolate decorations.

"Here you go, love." I offered her a cat bread.

"I'that mango, papá?" She asks scrunching her nose and pulling her head back.

"I have no idea, bunny." I say. "You have to take a bite to find out."

"Take a bite." She turns on my lap pushing the bread toward me. "Peweeese!"

"Sweetheart-"

"Fo mweee?" She pouts. "Pewese?"

Fine. Fine! The things I have to do.

"Alright." I say. "Alright."

Taking a bite I reassure the little mad creature that it was indeed mango jam and the rest assured assured, she ate two of the four breads easily before asking for her sippy.

Years prior I thought, the kids only wanted to eat and sleep. Recently, I realized that the hardest thing to do is feed a baby.

Correction, it was the hardest job to feed a fussy Annalisa who had just woken up demanding for food herself.

"Here." I hand her the bright yellow water pot that has a silicon straw adjusted and watch her take a generous sip of the drink.

"Eek!" She makes a face. "It not water, papá." Anna whines.

"It's juice, honey." I assure. "Juice is good, darling."

Goodness me.

"No like, papá." She pushes the bottle away. "Just wan water."