The Pains of Guilt

Chapter 17

Two days later...

Takumi POV

"So, I'll be back in a few hours."

"Anything important I should know?"

"She loves wandering around and playing hide-and-seek unexpectedly so you might want to keep an extra eye on her. I packed enough bottles of pre-pumped milk. She does eat solid food; the milk is just for her to wash it down. You'll need to ask her if she wants it warm or cold. If she wants it warm, just leave the bottle in a bowl of hot water and it's the opposite for cold. It's how you make sure that it won't be too hot or cold for her and burp her when she's done otherwise she'll either have hiccups or burp uncontrollably for the rest of the day and she won't be able to sleep like that. Also, you'll want to wear clothes that you don't mind getting dirty when you feed her because 80% of the food usually never goes into her mouth. She has a tendency of sleeping after being fed and she goes out like a light when she does. That's if she has Frank with her; she really can't sleep without him. Other than that, she's pretty easy to distract and entertain. She pretty much has everything she'll need so I think you'll be fine."

"If you say so."

"Anyway, I should get going or I'll be late."

I was about to ask her where she was going but thought against. She'll most likely just snap at me.

"I'll see you later." She hugged Natsumi and kissed her forehead.

"Bye, Mama."

"So, what do you want to do?" I asked her.

She only shrugged in response.

"Papa, why Mama don't like you?"

"It's a long story." And a far too complicated one for her to understand.

"But me like stowies."

"You're too young for this one. How about I read you one instead? I'm sure that your mom packed a book or two."

"Yes yes yes."

Later...

"Again again."

I wouldn't have minded if it wasn't for the fact that I've read it six times. Or was it seven? Either way, I've read it enough times to even know it backwards.

"How about we do something else?"

"No. Papa wead again."

"Are you sure? There are a lot of other fun things we can do."

I thought that she'd be on board with that idea but instead, she looked just about ready to start crying.

"No no no, don't cry. I'll read it again, ok?"

"Yay!"

If I didn't know any better, I'd think that was emotional blackmail. Like a certain someone used to with puppy dog eyes. I read it one more time and I know for a fact that my sanity was too low to be able to read it again.

"How about I read you a different one?"

"Ok."

I went to get the other one and when I came back, she wasn't there anymore.

"Natsumi?"

No response told me two things. One, I lost my own kid and two, I'm a dead man if I don't find her.

Half an hour. That's how long I've looking for her. Believe me, I've searched everywhere but still no sign of her. Then it dawned on me that she could be outside. I'm don't know how that's possible because she can't reach the doorknob. But she's not in the house so that leaves outside. I was going out just as Toshiro was coming in.

"I think you're looking for this." Toshiro gave her to me.

"Thanks, you just saved my life."

"Saved your life? Weren't you guys playing hide-and-seek?"

"No."

"Well, that's what she told me when I asked her what she was doing outside. I'll get going."

"Found me, Papa."

"You scared me half to death. Don't ever run off like that without telling me."

"Sowwy, Papa."

"It's ok. What's important is that I found you and nothing bad happened to you."

"Hungry."

"Let's go check what your mom packed for you."

I put her in the high chair before checking what's on the menu.

"Looks like you're having mushed carrots."

Instead of eating it, she smeared some of it all over the high chair.

"I'm pretty sure that you're supposed to eat that."

"No. Cawwots yucky."

"Ok so they're not the most delicious food but they're also not the least delicious and they're good for you."

"No. Yucky."

I tried to feed her myself but she kept dodging and whenever I did manage to, she'd spit it out.

"I think you're the pickiest of picky eaters."

I wish that she had Twilight's appetite then this would be a whole lot easier. But looks like that trait was traded in for her stubbornness, the one I was hoping that she didn't get.

"Since you obviously won't eat mushed carrots and I'm not going let you starve, let me see what else was packed."

I think she packed the wrong container because what I found was one with what I think are chicken nuggets inside. I was about to put it back and try to think of something else to...

"Yummy!"

"Do you want them?"

"Yes yes. Favouwite"

I was deciding whether or not it'd be a good idea to let her eat just these. They don't have as much nutrition as the carrots but at least there's something that she will eat. And it did give me an idea.

"Let's make a deal. There are five. Every time you eat five spoons of the carrots, I'll give you one, ok?"

"Hmm." She thought about it for a while. "Ok."

"First, let's clean you and the mess you made."

Afterwards, she started eating right away, but she didn't hide her dislike for the carrots. Either way, that was easy.

"Do you want warm or cold milk?"

"Cold."

I went ahead and got it ready. I figured that it'd be ready by the time she finished eating. I also warmed up the nuggets while I was at it.

It took a while, but she finished eating.

"See, that wasn't so bad."

"Still yucky."

"But you also got to eat the nuggets so it wasn’t that bad."

I gave her her bottle and burped her when she was done.

"What should we do now?" I sat down on the couch.

When she didn't respond, I checked her only to find that she was already fast asleep. I was about to set her down but thought against it. It might wake her up and I didn't mind letting her sleep on me.

Earlier...

Alex POV

"So, what time are we supposed to be there?" She asked me.

"About that, there's been a change of plans. You and I are going on a date."