Set me free - Episode 23

 

Williams:

"Daddy!" Aurora comes barrelling out of the elementary school's gate and into my arms. I can't stop grinning anytime she yells my name.
"Who's excited to see me?" I dig my fingers into her ribs and tickle her.
"Dad! Stop it. I'm gonna pee." she laughs hysterical.
"You have to tell me you missed me first."
"ofcourse, I missed you daddy." she coos and I grin crookedly.
"no one else right?" I wink and she nod.
"I only missed you daddy." she winks right back at me.
"what? So you didn't miss grandma. What a conspiracy!" mother pouts and I drop Aurora who hurries to mother's side to hug her leg.
"Lets just let dad think he has all my missing." she whispers loud enough for me to hear.
"Oh you smarty pants! I'm coming to get you!" I chase after the giggling child who hides behind mother.
"granny hide me!" she squeals as I lunge at her . I pull her giggling form into my arms and throw her up into the air.
"caught you! Now for your punishment. I'll just make you pee yourself." I dig my fingers into her sides relentlessly as she bursts into a fit of giggles. I can't get enough of her laughter when I would be leaving it soon

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/set-me-free

. I'm a foolish father for wanting to leave this but then it's for my baby's good.
"grandma!" Aurora screams for help.
"Put the kid down William. Or we'll lose the table we ordered at Chicken fry." At the mention of chicken fry, Aurora's head snaps up.
"Chicken?! My favorite!" she squeals and I chuckle.
"granny told me. Now I'll forgive you till we get lots of chicken inside you." I smirk.
"yay! I love you daddy." she hugs my neck and my heart swells. Thank you for this gift Dawn.
"I love you too baby."
"I'm so glad you are back and never leaving again." my little girl says and it takes everything in me not to start crying.
"Both of you, hop into the car." mother yells out over her car's running engine and I give her the thumbs up.
"Lets go get you chicken."

*******

"Slow down baby girl. You've got chicken everywhere." I wipe the trailer load of sauce from both corners of her mouth.
"it's-s so sw-"
"Don't talk with your mouth full Aurora. You are a lady." mom chastise mildly. Aurora raise a finger up to tell me to wait as she swallow down a mouthful of chicken.
"delicious!" she squeals once her mouth is empty.
"I'm glad you like it. Now give daddy a kiss." She places an oily kiss on my cheek before her turn the other one for her.
"maybe two more." I say again and she pecks both my cheeks again.
"one more?" my voice is getting deeper with emotions.
"William. You have to tell her now." mom says quietly.
"Tell me what, daddy?" Aurora looks up at me expectantly.
"I have a present for you. For being a good girl while daddy was away." I say and pull out a caged bird. It's a parrot.
"Auroya." the bird says as I put its cage on the table. It's the one word I've been trying to teach it since I bought it last weekend.
"Oh my goodness! it knows my name daddy! And it's so pretty. Thanks daddy. Can I touch it?"
"Ofcourse, go ahead." her little fingers goes through the cage to try and pet the parrot.
"Auroya" The bird says again and my baby girls giggles.
"yea, I'm Aurora. What's your name pretty bird?"
"Auroya" The bird says again and Aurora giggles.
"No. That's my name. What's yours?" she asks again but the bird just keeps saying Aurora.
"The bird isn't so smart, daddy. I think it wants my name." she tells me with a laugh and I manage to smile as I watch their interaction quietly. Mom's hand comes to squeeze my lightly on the table. I look back at her to find her wiping the corners of her eyes.
"tell her." she mouths to me and I sigh. It's now or never.
"Why don't you give it a name so you can talk to it whenever I'm not here with you." I say. Aurora's attention snap from the bird to me.
"But you are always around now right? We can talk to the bird together." she says. 
"Come here, baby." I lift her tiny frame into my laps. Her big eyes staring into mine makes it hard to let it out.
"How would you like to eat chicken every day?" I ask
"I'll like that soooo much daddy. Would we be coming here every day?"
"no. I mean yes. But that will be once I get back from outside the country."
"Are you leaving again, daddy? Did I do something wrong?" her voice starts breaking as her eyes get watery.
"No, baby. Don't cry. Please. I just need to go for a little while so you can have chicken every day."
"I don't like chicken anymore." the little girl push the remaining plate of chicken away from us.
"will you stay now?" she asks and I shake my head slowly.
"Baby I-"
"granny. You said dad will never leave me again. I already bragged about him to my friends and they'll want to meet him and--" she choke on her tears and I press her head into my chest.
"shhhh baby. Don't cry. Daddy will be sad."
"I don't want you to be sad." she sniffs on my shirt as she looks up at me with already red eyes.
"you'll see me every day. I'll video call you on granny's phone." I promise.
"No. I want to go with you.

Read " Mirage " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. Granny tell daddy to take me with him. I'll be a good girl." she jumps off my laps and climbs on mother's.
"your dad will talk with you every day and he'll bring lots of chicken." mom assures her.
"is he going to where mommy is?"
"no!" mom and I say at the same time.
"your mommy is in heaven but daddy is going to ride and aeroplane and come back before you know it."
"but--"
"If you love daddy you'll let him go. He'll always come back for you. And he'll never have to leave again. Right William?" mom and Aurora's eyes come to me and I nod.
"I'll never leave again once I come back this time." I say. Aurora walk back to me.
"pinky swear." she pull her pinky finger out to me and I cross mine with hers.
"pinky swear." I say.
"That's the most sacred swear so you have to come back okay?"
"nothing can stop me from returning." I say as I hug my baby tight.
"auroya" the bird says at this moment and we all laugh including Aurora who looks pretty worn down.
"give her to me. She needs to sleep that off." I hand her over but she starts crying all over again.
"Daddy is going to leave when I'm asleep." She says sleepily while mother rock her gently to sleep. I'm reminded of how young she is. She's just four but have gone through so much. Too much actually. But not any more.
"She's going to be alright." Mom assures me.

I really hope so