Chapter 1 All about ice-cream

“When I first met you, I had no idea how much you would end up meaning to me.”

-Unknown

Dexter POV

“Sweet pie, come on, the car is ready,” I called Andrea a few times after waiting for a while in the living room. Today was her day, which means I need to free myself of other things and make myself available solely to her.

“I'm here, dad." The sweet, little angelic voice came near me. She wore a floral knee-length dress with her curly blond hair attached to a ponytail.

“What's taken you so long, sweet pie?"

“I’m a girl, daddy. It takes time to choose the cloth." Can you imagine a four-year-old girl having a hard time choosing her clothes for the day? I shook my head at her words. I've spoiled her enough, but I'm never sorry for that.

“Ok, ok. No matter what you said.” I felt vanquished.

“Come on, dad, my ice cream is waiting." She took me by the hand and pulled me toward the car.

“Can’t wait, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I'm gonna order more ice cream today. Make sure you bring enough money, dad.” She grinned. I opened the door for her and made her sit in it and fastened the seatbelt for her.

I revved the engine to live and drove out from the mansion while my bodyguard followed with another car from behind. I need to be extra careful when I take my little angel with me. I will not allow anyone to take her from me, as they did to my family a year ago. The nightmare was painful, and it still bothers me.

We arrived at the “Snow Cafe”  after half an hour on the road. I ordered two of my bodyguards to wait in front of the cafe. It's going to get too much attention if they guard inside the café. All eyes will turn to us which does not bother me, but not to my little angel, Andrea.

“Pick what you want,” I said to her, who was now looking at the variety of ice creams with a big smile on her face. She adored the place. I will try to fit in my busy schedule for her once a week just to come to her favorite cafe. She chose a few flavors of ice cream and picked some for me as well.

“That's it?” I posed as I looked at her cheerful face.

“She shook her head and clapped her tiny hands which made me smile at her gesture. I made the payment and brought her to the table next to the window.

I hold the two large bowls of ice while Andrea walks ahead of me. She was all jumpy about the ice-cream and all of a sudden she bumped into a woman. I failed to get her attention until it happened. The woman's bowl dropped to the floor and the ice cream was everywhere. I quickly placed the two large ice cream bowls on the table in the vicinity.

“Hey, woman. Look where you're going,” I yelled at her.

Andrea fell on the floor. I ran up to check her condition.

“You all right, sweet pie? Are you hurt?” I was seized with the feeling of anguish. I won’t let her hurt even a small cut.

“I’m sorry. I didn't notice her." She said nervously.

“Sorry can't solve any of this. It's a good thing she wasn't injured. Otherwise, you won't even breathe now.” I spit in anger and ignored the eyes that continue to stare at us.

“Dad, no. I was at fault. I wasn't careful enough.” Andrea reached out to me and tried to stop me.

The lady lowered her body and knelt on the ground as she stared at Andrea.

“Hey, princess. I'm sorry, all right?” She said with an apology smile on her face. Andrea loosed my hand and came up to her. She put her hand upon her shoulder, in a friendly manner.

“It’s okay. You had nothing to do with it. It was mine. I'm sorry about the ice cream.” She stopped and took a peek at me. “And about my brutal dad as well," she murmured the last words which I still hear clearly. The woman laughs back.

A waiter came to clean the mess.

“Dad, we need to buy her new ice cream,” said Andrea while holding the hand of the woman who was now standing beside me.

“Ooh, no, you don't have to do that. I'll get it myself. “Everything's fine, princess.” She refused, with her hands on Andrea's cheek.

“No, dad.” She stepped on her feet and forced me to go along with her amendment request.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you want sweet pie,” I said in surrender mode. She was my weakness and I can't even turn her down. I’m not a mafia guy in front of this little girl.

“Let's go.” She pulled her hand forcefully and went to the counter to get ice cream for her. It was weird; Andrea wasn't a girl talking to someone she didn't know. I went behind them and dealt with the bill after the order was made.

“Are you alone?” Andrea asked to which the lady nodded.

“Oh, that sounds good. Come and sit with us.” She offered, which drew my attention and the lady gasped nervously. Yeah, who would want to sit with a person who just scolded her with little eyes as witnesses?

“Oh, no, no. It's going to be all right, I don't want to bother you and your daddy.” I could feel that she wasn't comfortable with me. Well, that was a good thing. I don't want her to join, either.

“Come on, please," Andrea begged with her puppy eyes and now I don't think she'll be able to say no.

“Hmm," she was running out of words, thinking of a polite way to say no to a girl.

“Dad,” now she looks at me, asking for my help to invite her. A sigh escaped my lips.

Without saying anything, I snatched the ice-cream bowl from her hand and put it on the table where our ice-cream was placed earlier.

“Come join us before the ice cream melts,” I said as I sat down in the chair without looking at them. I heard Andrea rejoiced as she pulled her new friend toward the table.

“What's your name?” Andrea asked while they were sitting at the table together. They were sitting beside one another and I was sitting in front of Andrea.

“Call me Elsie.” She said in a friendly way. A smile never left her face. “How about you, princess?”

“Andrea, but you can call me Princess Andrea too.” She joked, which made her chuckle and I hid my smile as I listened to their conversation. There's got to be something about that woman who made Andrea into a chatterbox. I've never seen her talkin' to anyone, especially a stranger. Not after the incident that happened to her parents. She was three years old there, but I guess she figured it out. From that day on, she began calling me dad, and I have no problem with that.

What spells did you cast? My inner voice asked while eyeing her.

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