Grace's POV
A sharp knock at the door echoes through the house. I've been expecting Chester to come, but my pupils still dilate in shock as I stare at my mom, who sits across from me at the table.
"Do you want me to get it?" She asks.
"No, I've got it." I say as I stand up and straighten a few creases in my top, before walking to the door and opening it.
Chester is outside, dressed in a plain t-shirt and jeans. It's one of his white t-shirts that I would always smell before throwing them in the washing machine, because they smelt of his cologne.
"Hey Grace." The corners of his mouth turn up into a smile, but the sadness in his eyes is unmistakeable.
"Hey. The girls have already had a bath and dinner. I think they're playing a game in Sophie's room, but it's about time for Charlotte to go to bed." I remind him, trying to sound nonchalant, but my body language exposes my anxiety.
"Thanks." He nods and smiles politely.
"I'll be in the kitchen." I scratch the back of my head nervously as I make my way back to the kitchen.
Chester's POV
As I stand at the door of Sophie's room, I spot Charlotte, who is seated at the dressing table, whilst Sophie does her hair.
"See? I told you it would look pretty." Sophie speaks proudly, admiring her work and touching the two braids she's done in Charlotte's light hair.
"Hello little ladies." I smile cheerfully and walk into the room.
Both of their heads turn sharply and look at me. The fear in their eyes is not the reaction I expected.
"What's the matter?" I frown and bend down near them.
"Are you still mad at us?" Charlotte tilts her head.
Suddenly, it clicks. The last time I've seen the girls was when I was upset over the man Grace had met in Disneyland. I've never been more ashamed of my actions before.
"Hey, I want you to know that I wasn't mad at you. I took my anger out on you, and that was very wrong. Dads shouldn't do that, and I'm sorry I did." I confess, watching their faces soften when they calm down. "Can I have a hug to show you how truly sorry I am?"
Charlotte practically leaps into my arms and Sophie runs into me. They both hold onto me and I kiss their heads, holding them as close as possible. Nothing can compare to the feeling of completeness they bring to my life.
"I love you, Daddy." Sophie pulls away from the hug and looks at me with a joyful expression.
"I love you way more." I take hold of her chin gently between my thumb and index finger and she giggles. "Right, I believe it's someone's bedtime."
"No." Charlotte lets out an elongated whine, and sticks out her lip. "It's not fair. I want to go to bed when Sophie does."
"You can do that when you're Sophie's age, but right now, I've gotta put you in bed." I pick up the tiny girl and her anger melts away, as she laughs whilst I tickle her.
Charlotte protests, by thrashing her little limbs about, but I spin her round and she calms down, giggling as I carry her to her room. I plonk her down on her toddler bed and pull the the covers up to her chin as she squirms.
"I'm not tired." She complains, but I see how heavy her eyelids are with sleep. I am even more amused when she yawns.
"Yes you are, you silly bean." I tap her nose, racking my brain for something to help keep the restless 4 year old in bed. "You know, I heard that there are tickle monsters who live under beds who come out and tickle little girls who stay up past their bedtime."
"Really?" Charlotte lets out a little gasp.
"Yep. So you'd better get to sleep as soon as possible, missy." I hold back my laughter.
"Okay." She sighs dramatically. "Night, Daddy."
"Night, princess monster. I love you." I kiss her forehead and she closes her eyes as I switch off the light and make my way out of the room.
I return to Sophie's room, where she has packed all her toys away in the time that I was gone, and sits on her bed, reading a book.
"Wow, thanks for being so tidy, big girl." I look around the room, before joining her on the bed. "What are you reading?"
"Charlotte's Web." She grins, sliding a bookmark in between the pages and closing the book. "I read it out loud to Charlotte sometimes. I think she only likes it because the spider has the same name as her."
"That's sweet of you to read to her. You're a really good big sister." I shift closer to her and she leans into me.
"I like being a big sister. It's a little bit like being a mini mommy." She smiles thoughtfully.
"You are a bit of a mini mom, huh?" I tease her. "But just because you're a mini mom, doesn't mean you don't have a bedtime."
"I'll go to bed on one condition." Sophie smirks.
"And what might the condition be?" I raise my eyebrow.
"You have to stay until I fall asleep." She folds her arms and glares at me with a smug look on her face.
"Alright, bossy boots." I laugh and lift the duvet on her bed so she can crawl in.
Once Sophie has shuffled into bed, I sit on the edge of her bed and look over at her, remembering the day we first met her at the orphanage. She's remained the sweet, polite child Grace and I first encountered, despite all the changes that have gone on in her life.
"I didn't mean sit on the bed. You have to lie down with me." She sits up as I sigh in a humoured fashion.
I move over and lie down next to Sophie, which is a bit of a squeeze on her single bed. She rests her head on my chest and within a few minutes, a soft little snore steals the silence in the room and I know she's sound asleep, safe in my arms.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, but I let it go to voicemail, because nothing could be more important than this moment.
أنت تقرأ
Consequences - Grester
قصص الهواة{Continuation of What If-Grester, my previous fanfiction} "With every extreme action, comes an extreme consequence." Grace and Chester's two young daughters, Sophie and Charlotte, are caught in a world of adult conflict, grief, troubles and relation...
