Arthur woke up to a radio playing in the living room and breakfast smell reeking from the kitchen. It was Saturday and he had slept in a little late.
He got freshened up and made his way out of the bedroom.
"Dad!" screamed his little girl, dropping the puzzle pieces she was holding onto.
"Good morning, baby," he cooed and kissed her cheeks.
"Do you have to work today?" asked his wife, Emily, from the kitchen.
"No!" He replied while making curls in his daughter's hair.
Arthur Perry is the managing director of his father's construction company. He is soon to be CEO. He is smart, talented, handsome, and respectful. He has a beautiful wife, Emily Watt, and a lovely daughter, Amity Perry. He has the perfect family. Or that is what his father defined as perfect for him.
Arthur was a hard worker as an employee. He started working at his father's company from the base and worked hard all the way up.
The little girl turned to her father, after hearing him say he doesn't have to work today. That was something she always looked forward to. Don't get it wrong, Arthur did spend time with his family. But here and there, he would have to skip some weekends and bury himself in the office work.
Her eyes blinked rapidly and with excitement, she asked, "Will you be mine today?"
"I'm always yours, sweetie," he said.
"Liar," she mumbled.
Arthur knew Amity doesn't like it when her father had to work on the weekends. But he couldn't help it. He had to put in some extra efforts to work and also keep a healthy relationship with the board members. He was aiming to take over as the next CEO, after his father. Becoming the CEO of one of the biggest construction companies in the country comes with a price. He had a few competitors to overthrow and take the seat, which his father has been pressuring him since he was in the university.
"Amity, don't talk like that to your father," Emily said, settling the breakfast on the dining table
"That's okay, Emily. Let her tell me how she feels," he spoke to his wife.
"You spoil her too much, Arthur."
"She is our little princess and we can spoil her how much ever we want," he said, lightly pinching his daughter's cheeks. Amity is like a cute little teddy bear. Often Arthur cuddled to her saying my squishy, which she loved hearing from her Dad.
Emily is a stay at home mom. She used to work as an accountant prior to having Amity. She was happy and content to stay at home and take care of her daughter. When Arthur had brought it up to her when she was still in her first trimester, she had agreed without making any comeback.
Emily and Arthur share a wonderful relationship. Despite being in an arranged marriage, they were compatible and respected one another. Except for when he takes his daughter's side.
Emily sighed and called them for breakfast. She was tired of telling her husband not to spoil their daughter too much. It's not like she doesn't like her daughter. She loves Amity with her everything. But no one could beat Arthur's love for Amity. She is like his oxygen. And he cannot go a day without seeing his daughter.
"Mommy, are we still going to the aquarium today?" Amity asked, taking a bite of the bacon.
Emily looked up from her plate and turned to Arthur. He gave a nod which translated to I'm in.
"Yes, sweetheart. We are going to the aquarium in the evening. And we can have dinner outside too."
"Ice cream?" Amity demanded and looked at her parents expecting a yes. She knew her dad would never say no to her. He would get her favorite snacks behind Emily's back when the mother-daughter has their light fight how Amity doesn't go to bed early and she demands expensive things from her father.
"Yes, Amy," Arthur replied, avoiding his wife's eyes.
He loved these two women. He couldn't hurt either of them. So he tried to balance by making up to each of them, separately.
"Yay!!!" Amity squealed.
Emily shook her head in disbelief. She could never stop Arthur from spoiling their daughter.
After having breakfast, Arthur offered to help his wife by doing the dishes. She allowed him to do it and relaxed on the couch with some tea.
Amity walked to her father and asked, "Can I help you?"
"Oh! Will you?"
"Yeah! But…" she trailed off, smiling wickedly at her father.
"What but?" he asked, curiously.
"You will have to pay me for that," she said, folding her hands.
"How much would that be?"
"$5."
"That's a lot, Amy," he tried to reason. He had no idea where she had learned it from but was curious to know. It was definitely not Emily, because his wife would have informed him about this progress of their daughter.
"You don't get anything for free, Dad!"
"Who said that?" he asked. By now, he had forgotten about the dishes in his hand and only concentrated on his daughter.
"I saw in the TV. In one show, they said Nothing is free on this earth. We have to work for it and get money."
"Well, that is true. But not for our own house chores."
Amity looked at her father with a complex expression. She didn't understand what he said.
Arthur tried to explain it to her, "Now see sweetie, Mommy does all the work at home right?"
Amity nodded her head.
"She does so much work for you and me, like cleaning our rooms, washing our clothes and cooking for us. Right?"
Amity nodded her head, again.
"And do we pay to her?" he asked.
Amity shook her head.
"Do you know why she does that for us?"
Amity shook her head, again.
"Ask her yourself," he said.
Amity turned to her mother, who was already looking their way.
"Why Mommy?"
"Because I love you both, Sweetheart," Emily replied, smiling.
Amity turned to Arthur and blinked her eyes.
"You got it now?" he asked, unsure if she really understood. But his daughter said Yes.
"So, we don't take money to do chores for our loved ones. You get that?" he asked.
"Yes!" Amity said, smiling at him.
"You can get pocket money from us when you grow up a little more. You can get paid only when you do something out of the ordinary and that if you are asked by us. Okay?"
"Okay!" Amity got to help her father to wipe the dishes which he brushed and rinsed.
Emily watched them silently. She was just grateful to heavens for giving her a loving family. And Arthur as her husband and Amity as their little girl. She didn't want anything other than this even if she was offered better.