The Golden Sunshine✓ Tony Stark [Book 2]

20: BARF

Granny is playing the piano softly. Toys littered all over the floor. I sit on the floor, abandoning the toys playing with the white ball on daddy's Christmas cap instead.

"Try to remember the kind of September. When grass was green . . ." She sings softly and I tug on the cap making it fall off daddy's head. I gasp as he turned his head to me, peaking an eye open. He raised his hand to my face, pushing me gently.

"Go away." He groans as he grabs the cap and put it back on, he then grabs my red fluffy blanket, covering his face with it, making me giggle.

Granny stops playing for a few seconds before she continues again and footsteps had me looking up.

"Wake up, dear, and say goodbye to your father." Granny says as she hums.

Grandpa ruffles my hair as he reaches me before asking.
"Who's the homeless person on the couch?"

I giggle as daddy turns.
"What are you saying? It's daddy."

Daddy stands up adjusting his cap as he faces grandpa, chuckling.
"This is why I love coming home for Christmas . . . right before you leave town." He says before grabbing me making me squeal.

"Be nice, dear, he's been studying abroad." Granny says as daddy balanced me in his arms making me the same height as him.

"Really, which broad? What's her name?" Grandpa asks as he plucks the cap off daddy's head.

"Candice." Daddy responds as grandpa puts the cap on my head. I take daddy's hair in my hand trying to braid it but it keeps falling out of my grasp.

"Do me a favor? Try not to burn the house down before Monday." Grandpa asks and I frown. Why would daddy burn the house down?

"Okay, so it's Monday. That is good to know. I will plan my toga party accordingly. Where you going?" Daddy replies and I huff when he shakes his head, making the few strand I'd gathered fall from my grasp.

"Your father's flying us to the Bahamas for a little getaway." Granny replies as I wiggle in daddy's grasp, making him put me down.

I run over to the piano, sitting beside granny, watching as she pressed the keys softly. I put my hand on the white keys, trying to copy what I'd seen her do but it gives a different sound.

She simply smiles down at me as we both continued to stroke the keys.
"We might have to make a quick stop." Grandpa says.

"At the Pentagon. Right? Don't worry, you're gonna love the holiday menu at the commissary." Daddy says as he goes to stand at the other side of the room.

"You know, they say sarcasm is a metric for potential. If that's true, you'll be a great man some day. I'll get the bags." Grandpa says as he walks back inside.

"Are you sure you don't want to come, honey?" Granny asks as she stops playing the piano and I shake my head as I continued to move my fingers along the keys.

"He does miss you when you are not here. And frankly, you're going to miss us. Because this is the last time we're all going to be together. You know what's about to happen. Say something. If you don't, you'll regret it." Granny says as she walks to dad.

"I love you, Dad. And I know you did the best you could." Daddy says and Granny kisses his cheek.

Dad enters the illusion after I gave him a thumbs up.

Granny comes to me placing a kiss on my head.
"See you on Monday, sweetheart. Take care of yourself and your father okay." She says, winking, making me giggle, peeking at dad who rolls his eyes.