This Girl Is A Delinquent!, Vol. 3

Chapter 31: The Arms That Lift Us

Sunlight crept in from a window across a checkered floor while reflecting off the shiny gloss. Around the perimeter of the room were a stovetop and dishwashing machine connected by wooden countertops. Littering the otherwise clean kitchen were various baking ingredients and dishes; evidence that someone was hard at work. The person in question was a tall blonde man wearing a cream long sleeved dress shirt and dark brown slacks. Despite rolled up sleeves and an apron draped around his waist, the apparel was covered in minute stains.

Narrowing his youthful green eyes, he shrugged his shoulders as he took a break from his work. As he did so, a raven haired woman in a high waisted violet dress appeared from the doorway to the room. Her purple eyes surveyed the room and locked on to his as she spoke in a worried tone.

"Honey... Oh my, Richard, you are quite filthy! Nevermind that! I need to talk to you! It's about Sonya... I don't know where she could have gone."

"Hmm? Is that so?"

Richard smirked as he replied to his wife, Charlotte. He couldn't help but think that her embarrassed yet concerned expression was especially cute. Their daughter was only five years of age and their only child, so seeing her mother get flustered at Sonya's antics made his heart swell. Deciding not to leave Charlotte in dismay, Richard caught her eyes and nodded towards one of the cabinets near his ankles before knowingly addressing the room.

"I guess she won't be getting the special dessert I've been working on for her! I even made it sour!"

Almost immediately, the cabinet doors were forced open and a small child wearing a yellow sundress tumbled forward before catching herself and rising to her feet. Her flaxen pigtails bobbed as she frantically waved her arms and called out.

"Daddy! Daddy! I'm right here! I want a dessert!"

"Oh ho! There you are! Hup!"

Scooping her up into his arms, Richard flashed a beaming grin towards Charlotte while Sonya half heartedly scolded him with a giddy voice.

"Daddy! You knew I was there the whole time!"

"Maybe? Or maybe you're getting better at hiding?"

Watching them go back and forth, Charlotte let a smile slide across her face. Seeing her husband dote on Sonya made her want to as well, but there was still one matter to be discussed.

"You two... Sonya, you can't hide every time Mrs. Walsh makes you study. You're going to make her faint one of these days..."

As she tried to put on her most motherly face, Charlotte watched as Sonya's head drooped and a downtrodden voice spoke.

"Sorry, Mommy..."

The scene was almost enough to make her retract her words and was exacerbated by Richard and Sonya making pouting expressions towards her. Despite her husband's sarcasm, Charlotte sighed before relenting.

"You really are the cutest little girl..."

Triumphantly stiffening his gaze, Richard excitedly turned to Sonya.

"I think your mommy wants to hold you? What say you, fairest daughter of mine?"

"I say yes!"

"You heard her hun, I'll trade you one Sonya for one hug!"

Shifting Sonya to one arm, he extended the other as if to invite Charlotte in for a group hug. The request made her cheeks fill with pink hues and her eyes glanced away in surprise.

"I-I didn't hear her say that..."

Saying nothing, Richard and Sonya tilted their heads in puzzlement. Charlotte knew that Richard was trying to get a rise out of her, but the opportunity for such a sweetheart moment with her family proved too strong.