EUNICE AND DAD

Mark jolted up from his sleep, his eyes still heavy from waiting up late last night for his wife to return home.

“Hiss.” He winced as he gazed at the bright screen of his phone just to see what time it was, so he could help Eunice get ready for school.

“Six-thirty.” He used his hand to wipe his face, as if trying to push away the sleepiness in his eyes.

After checking what the time was, he went to Eunice's room, so he could wake her up and make sure she was prepared to go to school.

“Honey?” He called while knocking on the door.

“Come in dad!” She yelled, and he pushed the door open to see his daughter already up. Her room was neatly arranged and so was her bed.

“What time did you get up?” He gave her a surprise look, with his right brow raised to further show his confused face.

“Good morning daddy.” She greeted me with a smile instead of answering my question.

“Oh yeah, good morning. I totally forgot, I'm sorry, sweetie.” He went closer to her and gave her a kiss on her forehead.

“I set an alarm for 6am, I knew you might be tired, so I went big girl style.” She waved her hands in the air like a celebrity, and Mark couldn't help but chuckle loudly.

“Have you taken your bath?” He asked with a concerned look on his face. “Could you also mind telling me what you would like for breakfast, I could cook something up and get my bath before we leave together for school, and then I would be free to go to the office?”

“Are you serious, daddy? You're really going to drop me off at school today?” She had an excited gaze plastered on her face and Mark couldn't help but feel happy too.

Presently, his daughter was the only source of happiness he had to come back from the pain his wife was putting him through.

“No need daddy, I'll take cereal and can do it myself. Just go take your bath, so we can go.” She pulled her daddy's arm towards the door, so he could be snappy about everything.

“Oh, oh.” He moved out of her room and watched her shut the door from the inside.

“I want to take my bath now, and you should too.” She yelled from the other side of the door, and Mark just had a smile plastered on his face.

His little girl had grown up to be a very intelligent child. She didn't care about her mother's tantrums, and all she truly cared about was her father, who sincerely loved her from the bottom of his heart.

After hearing his daughter's words, he hurriedly went to his room that he shared with his wife. The moment he stepped into the room, his face turned dark, and he just felt like strangling her, not minding if she were someone he had once fallen in love with.

He was angry that his daughter was starting to pass through some stages of hardship because her mother who was being irresponsible and here she was

“Thinking of it, maybe the investigator was right, perhaps she is indeed cheating on me.” He spoke in thought after gazing at his wife with a thoughtful expression for over five minutes.

The only reason why he wasn't acting up was because he needed evidence. But as soon as he found it, he wasn't going to spear her, not even one bit.

He gazed at his wife for the last time before going into the bathroom to shower.

The cold shower turned hot the moment it touched his body. He just felt that life wasn't fair to him nor his little daughter.

Speaking of his daughter, she was already downstairs waiting for her dad, who was yet to come out of the bathroom.

Once he was done taking his shower, he put on his expensive looking suit and his reading glasses which were customized like some kind of dark shade glass and a pair of black shoes to match.

“Daddy! You wasted time.” The frown on her face caused a sting in Mark's heart as he descended the stairs.

“I'm sorry, honey, I was lost in thought.”

“About mom?” She raised her brow in a concerned manner.

“No, dearie, about my meeting with my colleagues today.” I lied as I approached the table where she was eating her cereal.

“It's okay, dad, I trust you.” She hugged him and gestured him to sit as she brought him the cup of coffee she made.

“Hmm…” he sniffed the coffee on the table, “It smells so good.”

“How about you taste it first.” She gestured with an all-knowing look and he gulped.

“Promise to tell me how good it is, don't spare me.” She had asked, and he nodded, grabbing the cup of coffee and taking a sip from it.

“This is outstanding.” His eyes widened as he gazed at the little girl with amusement.

“Where did you learn this?” He took more sips, nodding his head in acknowledgement.

“From the internet.” She smiled sweetly, and her smile warmed his heart.

“Drink up, I'm getting late.” She gazed at the watch on her wrist with a frown on her face.

“I'm sorry, baby, it was my fault. I promise to walk you by myself to your class.” He gulped down the last bit of the coffee as he ran to his study to get his car keys and his briefcase, which contained the necessary documents he needed for the meeting.

“Okayyy… now, I'm ready.” He spoke breathless once he walked down the stairs again.

“Race you to the car…” he said, instantly reaching for the door with his daughter behind him.

Within a minute, “I win!” He yelled when he got to the car, more breathless than before.

“You cheated dad, not fair!” She whined in a joking manner before getting into the car.

This was the only way he was able to make his daughter happy, since the mother figure in her life was acting like a bitch.

“Dad?”

“Boo.” He appeared on her side of the mirror, but to his surprise, she wasn't scared.

“Hahaha… I'm grown up now.” She giggled and, being satisfied that he had put a smile on his daughter's face, he started his car. Destination to Eunice's school.

Mark was driving a black colored Rolls-Royce ghost car and his daughter proudly sat in the front seat with him.

“Why did you finish your coffee today?” She asked, as she played with her hair that had been held up in a pony-tail.

“Can I tell you a secret?” Mark asked his daughter, and she nodded, “Your coffee is the best I've ever tasted.” He said so proudly.

“Really?” She had a sweet smile plastered on her face.

“Yes.” He gazed at her for a little while before concentrating back on the road.

“Can I make your coffee every morning?” Her eyes were giving him pleading gazes, and her hands were gathered in a pleading position.

“Sure darling, just don't get hurt while doing it, okay?” He agreed and she nodded.

“I promise.”

“How good is my coffee over a hundred percent?”

“A Million?” He chuckled, and his daughter laughed along.

“Thank you, dad, you made today so fun.” She confessed to her father, who couldn't help but smile.

“And you have been a good girl, so I'll bring home your favorite ice-cream, what do you say?” He raised his right brow.

“I said, ice-creams on Sundays… Only that today isn't Sunday.” She frowned at the reality.

“Well, how about we make it our Sunday?” Mark tried to console her.

It was a tradition between them to always get a big bowl of ice cream every Sunday.

“We can eat it while we wait for mom, right?” Her question caused sadness to be printed all over her father's face.

“Mom won't be out late tonight.” He assured his daughter and prayed it would go well.

His wife had painted a mentality for his little girl, and it was hurting him so much.

“By the next turn, we'll be at school.” Her said with a cheerful voice.

“Is my baby having mood swings because of mommy?” He asked after turning to take a look at her facial expression. She was only forcing up the act. He could tell.

“Not really, dad, I just…” And he interrupted.

“No more sadness, dearie, you have to focus on your education. You remember what you told me when you turned 9?” He asked and Eunice nodded, “I want you to be so proud of yourself, not just me, okay?” He encouraged.

“Ok dad, thanks for always being there for me.” She spoke as her father packed in the right position in front of her school.

“Wait in the car, dear, I've got a surprise for you.” Mark came down from the car and opened his daughter's side of the door.

“The princess always deserves the best.” He smirked like a prince who was trying to woo his princess.

“Thank you dad.” She hugged so tight.

“Let's go.” Mark held his daughter's hand and proudly walked down the hallway until he got to her class.

“Bye dad, I hope for a great celebration with you after your meeting.” She kissed his cheeks and waved to him before entering her class.

He was so happy about her change of mood, but right then, he had other things to attend to.

He slid out his phone from his right pocket and immediately dialed the number of his private investigator.

He had gotten into his car and had connected his phone to the car's blue tooth.

“Hello boss.” A voice answered.

“Keep an eye on my wife and do not let her out of your sight.” He went straight to the point.