"So, how's daycare this time, sweet angel?" Astro broke the silence in the car and took a quick glance at Little Ace, who was still busy with her playdough, then focused on the road.
Little Ace was trying to make a bunny since that was her favorite animal, and she wanted it to look exactly like "Bubbles," her pet. She stopped for a while, looked at him, and answered, "It was okay, Daddy. Oh, where's Mommy?" After answering and asking her father, Little Ace continued making the bunny.
Astro chuckled, "How come you miss Mommy while you're with me? Well, Mommy is still at work, and we are about to pick her up."
Astro and his daughter arrived at the dental clinic where Candice works. They entered the lobby and waited. "MOOOMMMMMY!!!" little Ace squealed as she saw her mom get out of her office door. Candace rushed over to her daughter and held her. "Hi there, princess! Oh, I missed youuu!!!" she exclaimed.
"Well, I hope you miss me too," Astro interrupted and kissed his wife on the cheek. "Oh, are you sulking now? Of course, I miss you too, Daddy," Candace replied as she winked at her husband, and suddenly a rumbling sound came from their daughter. "Ooops," Little Ace said, then shyly buried her face in her mother's neck. "I guess our baby is hungry," Candace told Astro, and they headed out.
Astro reached for the car's rear door to place Little Ace in her car seat, while Candace opened her daughter's lunch box, only to find everything in place, unbothered, and was surprised to see two unopened string cheeses and one packet of yogurt.
She already knew that her daughter had spent her break time reading again but wondered where the extra snacks came from. She was about to ask her daughter when she asked, "Can we please go to Dairy Queen? I want their red velvet blizzard," with her hands together and pouting her lips, begging her parents. "How can we say no if you're doing that? So yeah!!! DQ, here we go!!!" Candace replied with her fist up in the air, which made Astro laugh and start to drive.
After getting a sweet treat and finishing her red velvet blizzard, Little Ace dozed off. "She must be tired, Honey," Astro said, checking his daughter in the rearview mirror. Candace did the same and nodded. "Well, she surely is. Our kid didn't finish nor touch her lunchbox again. I checked it, and everything that I put inside was still there, and oh! I also found two string cheeses and a packet of yogurt, which is weird because I didn't put any of those in there, and we didn't buy those when we did our grocery shopping," Candice said in a concerned voice.
"What if the people at the daycare think that we don't feed her?" as she placed her palms on her face. "Hey, Baby, stop overthinking. It must have been given by someone in her class. Everyone is pretty aware that Ace loves to read, and they know what kind of parents we are to our daughter, so stop worrying, okay?" Astro said in a very calm and assuring voice to make his wife stop panicking and overthinking.
He held her hand and kissed it. "I love you," whatever Astro did was very effective. Candice took a deep breath and stared at their daughter, then looked back at her husband, who was focused on the road. "I love you more."
They finally arrived home. Astro didn't bother to wake his daughter up and placed her in her room, then helped his wife prepare the table and cook. While the couple was busy, little Ace woke up.
[Little Ace's POV]
"Aww, that hurts," I said, holding my forehead and rubbing it. I guess I fell out of the bed again. I wonder where Mom and Dad are… but it smells good. *sniff sniff * Woahhhh, I know that smell! "MAC N CHEESE!!!" I yelled. I love mac n cheese, and I only eat it when Mommy or Daddy makes it. "Guess our princess is awake," Mommy said while still cooking. She looks amazing, like Belle! Daddy pulled out a chair, picked me up, and made me sit on it.
How I wish I were tall enough already, but Mommy said I'm not yet done growing, so I can't wait! "Mommy, this is scrumptious! Thank you, and thank you too, Daddy!" I continued eating my food. "Oh, what a word!" Daddy said, shocked. "Well, what do you expect? We have a very smart daughter," and Mommy kissed my forehead. I read a lot and learn from what I read. But not everyone likes reading. I barely find a kid my age stuck in a book or reading it, which I find weird because reading is amazing! I just don't get why they choose to play and do other stuff instead of reading a book.
"Eustace," Mom called me by my name. She's scary when she does this because it means I did something bad or something that upsets her. "Y-yes, Mommy?" I responded and smiled nervously, but oh no, I startled. Mommy took a deep breath and placed my lunchbox on the dinner table. "You forgot your lunchbox again," Mom said, and you could see sadness in her face. I ran to her and hugged her tight. "Mommy, I'm sorry. 'Beauty and The Beast' is such a good book; I couldn't put it down," and gave her my so-called "their weakness look." Mom sighed. "'Beauty and The Beast,' huh? Didn't you read that a hundred times already?" Daddy said with a grin on his face, typical Daddy. "Well, I do, but it is my favorite. I'm sorry, Mommy! I promise I will eat every food in my lunchbox from now on," I hugged Mom tightly. "You promise?" she asked, looking at me with her pinky finger out, so I did the same, and we did the pinky swear. "Promise!" and I smiled at Mommy. "Ahem," of course, I can't forget about Daddy, and gave him a glass of water. I know he's not sick or coughing, but I just want to tease him. "Here, Daddy," he accepted it, but then said, "Your Mommy said she found two string cheeses and a yogurt. Where did they come from, hmm?" Oh no, what should I tell them? They clearly told me not to accept anything from a stranger, which I did. "Ace?" Dad called. "Mind telling us?"
Well, here goes nothing. I took a deep breath and answered, "Xenon gave it to me?" Please don't be mad, please don't be mad. "Oh, Xenon? That boy with gray eyes?" Mommy asked while putting away the dishes. How did Mommy know him? "Y-yes, Mommy. Do you know him?" That boy who can't even say the right words!
"Well, yes, of course. I saw him looking at you before when I picked you up. He's a nice kid, so don't worry about him, Honey," Mom said and looked at Dad. "What? I'm not going to do anything, and he's just being nice to my Ace. Right, princess?" Daddy is scared of Mom, which is a little funny. "Of course, Dad." I wish they would talk about something else now; this is getting weird. "Did you say thank you?" Oh no. "I forgot? I'm sorry, Daddy, Mommy, but I was in a hurry. The bell rang, and I put the book back, and… and…" I'm not lying; I really did forget. "Well, tomorrow, make sure to thank him. Now go upstairs and take a bath. It's almost bedtime," Mommy said.
I checked the clock, and it really was almost bedtime. I ran upstairs and did what Mom told me, but I smelled cookies. I guess I'm having them tomorrow. I can't wait.
I finished taking a bath and was ready for bed when Mom came to my room. "Good night, my angel. I baked some cookies. Make sure to give some to Xenon as you thank him, okay? I love you; always remember that," she kissed me on the cheek, turned off the lights, and closed the door.
"I love you more, Mommy."
I woke up because of my alarm clock crying again. I have a weird clock given by Dad. Normal clocks ring, but that clock cries, which is funny and surely makes me get out of bed. I get dressed and head down for breakfast.
"Pancakes!!!" I can't help it; pancakes for breakfast are my fave!!! "Thank you, Daddy!" and I dig into my pancakes. "You're welcomeee," hmmm, I wonder what Dad is doing in the living room, but I don't mind; these pancakes are amazing. I finished my food and put it in the sink.
Dad put my winter coat on because it started snowing and it's cold outside. "Remember what your mom said? Give it to that boy, okay? And please eat your food, Ace," Dad said with seriousness in his voice.
"Yes, Daddy." Daddy brought me inside the car to prevent me from slipping, and we went to the daycare.
I wonder where Xenon is. His name is a little bit hard for me to say too! Oh, there he is! I walked towards him; he is nice, but why is he always alone? Mommy said to mind your business, so okay.
"Here, I hope you like chocolate chip and mint chocolate chip cookies. My Mommy made them. Thank you for yesterday." His face lit up, almost having that twinkle in his eyes. I guess he likes cookies as well.
He better like them because my Mommy made them! "What's your name?" oh yeah, I forgot to tell him my name. "My name is Ace, and you're Xenon, right?" He smiled at me and just nodded and ate the cookies right away. "Woah, so you do eat after all," what's with this guy?? "Of course I do!" No one can say no to my Mommy's cookies. "Why are you alone here?" I asked him.
"Because I like being alone," okay, he is really weird. "You're alone too; you do not have friends," this boy is really annoying. "I have friends," which I really do. "Fictional characters don't count," okay, that's it! I stood up and faced him. "I have friends, okay! They are just far away from me! You're mean! I hate you!" yeah, that's right, be alone then! "WAITTTT," he shouted, ran towards me, and got rid of the snow on my head.
"I'm sorry, please do not hate me. I'm alone because no one wants me to be their friend." I smiled at him.
"Okay, Zen." "Zen?" he asked. "Yes, Zen. Your name is hard for me to say, so I will call you Zen." I hope he doesn't mind.
"Zen… I like it, Ace." This boy sure does love cookies; his cookies are almost gone while mine is just halfway, and what he said made me happy. "Wanna be my friend?" So he wants me to be friends with him. I shook hands with him.
"Let's be friends then," and we ended up eating the rest of the cookies.