007: A Daughter-Doting Father
1180 Words
CANDICE looked for Winston and found him talking with his right hand man Sam, Nat’s father.
Samuel Gordon. He is Winston’s childhood friend and one of the founders of the Black Heart Rebel. His tall demeanor is thanks to his two long lower limbs and his good posture. He looked so regal with his slicked back blonde hair and upperclassmen suit. Despite of his almighty look, he only works as Winston’s command executioner. Everything he does in the organization is within his friend’s command. Although he has no real power, he is still recognized as one of the important leaders of the organization and earned a lot of respect from the younger generation --- especially on Candice’s age group.
Unlike the elders, Candice’s age group believes that the Black Heart Rebels won’t expand this widely without Sam’s convincing power. Sam is unexpectedly good with people. He can capture one’s heart in a minute and he knows what the people want. And this trait of his is quite hereditary… Because Nat’s unrivaled skill on seducing women came from this behavior.
But of course, only Candice is immune to both of their skills. She’s as strong-headed and as prideful and competitive as her adoptive father.
“Hello, Uncle,” Candice greeted.
The two men stopped from discussing business and broke into a smile.
“Oh my! I didn’t recognize you! You are all grownup!” Sam patted her head and looked at how much she has grown. The last time she saw her was five years ago and Candice was only just a thirteen-year-old troublemaker back then.
“You still prefer jeans over dresses, huh,” Sam noticed Candice’s riding attire.
Candice giggled. “Uncle, this is more practical! If I’m wearing those puffy and heavy dresses, how would I be able to slit the Black Conqueror’s throat?” she said half jokingly.
“You will be able to do it. I wouldn’t be putting you in the front lines in the first place if I didn’t think you can,” Winston said.
Sam laughed. “That’s a daughter-doting-father for you! Candice, your father is too biased! He thinks you’re a superhuman who could do anything!”
Candice smiled and stood beside her father. “There’s nothing wrong with that, Uncle. I am his daughter so it’s only natural for me to be perfect. A perfect mentor produces a perfect student.”
Sam shook his head in defeat. He cannot argue back anymore. This father-and-daughter is too much for me. They are both brimming and overflowing with confidence!
“You two should both learn how to be humble,” Sam joked. “Since I have nothing more to say, I am now going to pickup my good-for-nothing son. I’ll leave the two of you.”
Winston nodded. “I’ll talk to you again in two days time,” he said and Sam understood his words: there’s more to the plan.
Candice looked at the back of the man walking away from them. He does look like Nat from his back, she thought.
“Are you ready to go?” Winston said to his daughter.
“Where are we going?”
“I reserved a table for us at a family restaurant. It’s been a while since we last ate dinner together.”
Candice’s eyes shone and her smile grew wider. She linked her arms with her father’s.
“You should have made a reservation in a fancy restaurant instead! You rarely rewarded me for my good work, father,” she teased.
Winston laughed and tapped her hand clinging onto his arm. Together, the father-and-daughter happily left Bear-Hugging Restobar.
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“FATHER… What are we doing here?”
Candice looked puzzled staring at the front door of a tailoring shop. It has fancy-dressed mannequins at its display windows: each wears a matching suit and dress.
Winston has a smile on his face all this time. The stern-looking leader of the Black Heart Rebels simply vanished as they left the restobar, and only his daughter-doting personality remained.
“We are a family, so we should do this once in our lifetime. Just go inside!”
With heavy feet, Candice sighed as she let her father push her inside the fancy shop. She was never fond of these types of shops. She prefers wearing pants over frilly dresses because of so many reasons --- and the number one reason why she doesn’t like it is because it is such a hassle to wear one.
“Welcome, Lord Montgomener. We’ve been expecting you. Please follow me,” the attendant said as she spotted the two came in the shop.
Winston and Candice entered a room with two huge walk-in closets. Candice’s eyes were glued at the dress and suit hanged at the wall of the room.
“I have ordered them to make us a matching pair. I want us to look even more like a father-and-daughter,” Winston whispered.
The attendant handed them their clothes.
Winston’s suit is a coordination of a red vest and a black long sleeve shirt, bottomed with red pants. Both the vest and pants are made in rich red on black tapestry fabric with black satin lining and back [1]. This vest has a satin belting and front with six metal buttons.
On the other hand, Candice’s is an off-shoulder laced dress with a black ribbon at the middle of her chest. It has a cotton fabric that easily flutters whenever the wearer turns around. It also has black laces with intricate embroidery at the end of its sleeves. And its built-in corset highlights the wearers beautiful figure.
Candice laughed. “Rather than a father-and-daughter, we looked like a couple with this!”
Winston held his chin and nodded. “You’ve got a point. I forgot my daughter is such a fine lady now. But it is fine. At least, I could enjoy being envied for having a beautiful date.” Winston winked and Candice laughed again.
It is not everyday that the almighty leader will joke around her.
He is in a good mood now. Thank goodness, Candice said to herself when she thought of her father’s reaction at the meeting.
Even though she doesn’t like dresses, she loves the clothes that her father gives her --- especially those that are personally tailored for her, and the one she’s holding right now became her favorite.
Who wouldn’t love it? It is definitely not her… because…
She is a father-doting-daughter after all!
[1] https://shrinestore.com/product/victorian-aristocrat-vest-redblack-tapestry/
- Writer
