Chapter Six

~ROSE~

I guess her excitement shocked her father because he didn't react to her hug. The bag he was holding even fell out of his hand. He didn't react or blink. He just kept looking at the little girl who was happily hugging his legs.

The hug lasted for some minutes and Christopher still didn't move or say a thing. I guess Princess noticed his lack of response because she pulled out of the hug and moved back to look into her father's eyes.

"Daddy?" She called him. It was like her voice brought him out of whatever shock he was feeling because he blinked and bent down.

He looked at her and pulled her into a very tight hug. After pulling away, he said, "I have been thinking of how to introduce myself to you and here you are and I can't even say a thing to you."

I watched as Princess looked at him closely and said, "what is there to think about? Just say you are daddy and that's all."

He smiled at her and said, "you look so cute. Am sorry I have been away for so long. I promise to make it up to you."

"Am so happy that you have come to see me. Now, I can take you to show to my friends. They all call me fatherless and here you are! Am so happy." I could see the happiness in her eyes as she talked to her father and I knew that's how it's meant to be. "Mummy said you traveled and that's why you haven't come to see me. Is that true?" She asked him.

He looked at me inquisitively and said to her, "am sorry daddy had to make you go through all that. I am here now and that's all that matters. I will never leave you and mummy again. Do you forgive Daddy?"

"Yes, yes, I forgive daddy because daddy is so handsome. Let's go inside. Mummy cooked my favorite and mummy is the best cook in the whole world!" She said and pulled him inside the house.

In their hurry to get inside, he forgot the bag he came with. I picked it up and entered the house behind them.

"Sit here daddy. Mummy will seat there." I saw her as she pulled her father to sit beside her.

We eat our dinner with father and daughter chatting nonstop while I just watched them. I didn't want to spoil their reunion so, after eating, I went to do the dishes without disturbing them. When I came back, Princess was already asleep in her father's arms. I went to take her from him but he didn't allow me to touch her.

"Show me her room. I'd like to put her to bed for the very first time. She is so beautiful." He said and stood up.

"Follow me," I said and led the way to her room.

He tucked her into bed and we left. This is the moment I have been dreading. The moment where we have no one to distract us from discussing important issues.

We got back into the sitting room and I took a seat. He sat down also and brought out a document from the bag he brought along with him. I didn't know what the document is about but, I just hope it's not something that will destroy me.

"You raised her beautifully, she is such a cute child. Do you have some pictures of when she was smaller?" He asked.

"Yes, I do. I have pictures of the day she was born till now and, I have to agree with you. She is a very cute child. She lights up this house and that's why I want to plead with you not to take her away from me. I know you want to take her to punish me but please, don't do that to me." I said in one breath.

He looked at me for a moment before saying, "I am not taking her away from you, that is if you do what is right this time around."

"Wh... Wha... What do you mean by doing the right thing?" I asked him.

"I want to take my child with me but, I don't want to be the one to separate a mother from her child. I have thought about it and decided what's best for all of us!" He said and stretched the document to me.

I was scared to open it so, I just held and. "Go ahead and open it!" He urged me and I did.

It was a marriage certificate. What is he intending to do? I wondered as I looked at the marriage certificate in my hand. "Is this what is think it is?"

"Yes. It is what you think it is. I don't want to be away from my child's life and I know you don't want to be away from her either. Sign the marriage certificate and we get to stay together. Me, you, and our daughter. We will give her a complete family. What do you say?" He asked.

My brain stopped working at that moment. Did he just ask me to marry him? This wasn't what I was expecting but, how will it work? Am sure he doesn't love me or anything. There should be another way out of this mess. We could come up with a visiting calendar. "We can't just get married like that. We... I mean, there should be another way."

"Why can't we get married?" He asked.

"The most important reason is that we don't love each other. How are we supposed to give our child a happy home when we the parents are not happy with each other?" I don't want to keep my worries in my mind so, I told him what's on my mind.

"Can I ask you a question?" Christopher said after a while.

"Sure," I said.

"Did you ask yourself why I never stopped looking for you?" He asked me.

"I stole something from you and you want your money back that's why you searched for me," I said without thinking.