Coming Home (#Wattys 2017)

1; Mommy and Daddy

{February 2011}

"You look so much like your mom."

"No I don't daddy."

Harrison smiled. "Yes you do. You have her hair, her eyes, and you have mommy's smile."

Billie giggled. "See? There it is."

When she giggled, Harrison tickled her sides until she couldn't laugh any harder. "Daddy! Daddy that tickles!"

He let her catch her breath. "Daddy?"

"Yeah B?"

"Where's mommy?"

Billie who was sitting on Harrison's chest, slid back into his arms as he sat up. "Mommy's in bed sweetheart."

"Can we go to mommy?"

"I'll tell you what, it's almost your bedtime. We can get your ready for bed now and you can lay with mommy and I for a few minutes. How's that sound?"

She was on her feet as soon as Harrison explained the proposal. "Let's go daddy!"

He followed her down the hallway and into her bedroom, where she changed into a pair of pajamas Carrie left out before she went to bed.

Then Harrison followed her into the bathroom. Little Billie immediately reached under the counter, finding her little stool. Stepping up on it, she opened the drawer nearest to the sink. She grabbed the toothpaste before grabbing her toothbrush. Then she grabbed her daddy's toothbrush and handed it to him.

"Thanks B."

"You're welcome daddy."

Harrison finished brushing before his daughter. "Daddy that wasn't the full two minutes!" Billie complained.

He set his toothbrush down. "When you're as old as me, you can cheat the two minutes a little bit."

"Daddy you're not old."

"I'm old."

Billie tilted her head to the side. "But you're only 28. Right daddy?"

Harrison nodded, running a finger through his hair. "But when you're a solider like mommy and I, you feel a lot older."

"Why's that daddy?"

He leaned against the counter behind her. "When mommy and I go overseas, we see a lot of things, some good, some bad."

"But you're not going there anymore?"

"No sweetheart."

"Good daddy."

From the drawer to her left, Billie found her brush and brushed out her hair. Harrison shaved while she brushed her hair.

"Daddy why do you shave?"

"Because daddy doesn't like having a beard. It makes me feel like a grizzly bear."

She laughed. "Daddy, I want to see you look like a grizzly bear."

He laughed. "No you don't."