Red_Roses_and_Black_Dahlias_-_Macy_T

“Valentina, food's ready!” I heard her light footsteps echo in the hall
before she finally appeared, wearing her favorite light blue pajamas, long
dark hair braided and little Ray resting comfortably in her arms.
“No cat at the dinner table, young lady.” I tried being stern but as soon as
she looked up and gave me puppy eyes, I knew I had lost that fight.
Dammit, what was it about the Raymond sisters that made me so weak?
“But she’s still new here! She’s scared of being alone. I’m like her
mommy and she needs to feel me around all the time, Mads! She needs to!”
Her arguments were quite valid if you asked me, but then I might be
slightly biased given the fact that I considered her the cutest human being on
Earth and would virtually give her anything she might want.
“Okay, but only if you put her on Sofia’s chair so that you can eat
properly.”
“Deal!” She outstretched her little hand and I shook it, a smile on my
face.
She did as I said (see who’s the boss in this house, now?) and we started
eating. She talked to me in giddy eagerness about the dance and it was simply
the best thing ever to see her eyes sparkle so much.
“Oh! What color tie are you going to wear? Are you even going to wear
one? I mean you don’t have to, you can wear a bowtie, or even nothing at all!
I mean not like, go naked,” She giggled adorably, “You’d have to wear
clothes but I mean no tie or bowtie, but I think it might be a good idea to
wear one because that way we can match! The color of your bow tie should
match my dress! That way people will know you’re here with me and that
you’re my dad— Maddy!” Her nonsense rambling had me chuckling as I
spooned some spinach into her plate.