Jason slowly shook his head. Sniffed once and turned back to the stove. He sighed, his back hunched and he looked at Adeline with sorrow-filled eyes. “Baby,”

Adeline; on instinct walked to her father and held his hand in assurance. “What? Please do I call help?”

​​

“Are you sure they don’t?” he blinked and asked in all seriousness.

“They don’t what?” She asked having no idea of what he was asking of her.

He breathed again, taking in shallow breaths and then spoke in a shaky whisper “Find my humour funny?”

Adeline stood there for a minute. Thinking of what just happened, she stared at him but all of a sudden broke out of the trance and started hitting him. “D-do you know how scared I was?” she continued to scream at him and mutter her concerns whereas Jason heartily laughed off. Yet the one line where she mentioned her ‘mother leaving her and him being the only one she had left in the whole world’ had him realized how sensitive and fragile his little girl was and how her mental stability was after the death of her mother. They both had loved that woman to death and her death had shaken both of them. His daughter was in tears now and he could not help his own gathering.

He took her into his arms and wept silently as her shoulders shook from the sorrow she felt. Jason whispered his share of apologies and patted her hair, rubbed her back; anything to make his lovely child forget the despair she felt because of him. In the end, he grabbed her face in his hands, pulled her away and spoke: “I will watch the fault in our stars with you and with that cookie dough ice cream!”

“And eat pizza?” Adeline innocently asked looking at her father through teary eyes.

“Okay. Listen carefully, Adele I might be the loving and spoiling father but nutrition or anything concerning your health would not be taken lightly, okay?” Jason informed her. He was not happy with her crying but he had to strict in the matter concerning her health. Adele nodded; finally sobering up from her crying session. Jason then ushered her into the living room saying that we would bring the plates there.

They ate, they laughed, they cried. It’s who she and her papa were, they were father and daughter, they were friends and she was happy with what they had. Around eleven O’ clock, she went into her room. Opening her window she looked out and performed her nightly ritual before sleeping. Joining her hands, she pressed her fingers into the knuckles and closed her eyes tilting her head up into the direction of the moon and the stars.

‘Mama if you looked at what happened today, I know you are sad too for leaving us. But we’re happy and living and I will continue to take care of papa just like you said to do in your absence. I cannot say a lot of things through words mama, so could you listen to my heart, okay? I love you.’

Opening her eyes she released a breath and went to bed after turning off the lamps on the side tables. Pulling up the covers to her chin, she snuggled deep into the heavenly mattresses.

Seeing the light turn off from the window, he now was sure that she was asleep, the carefree breaths she took indicated that. He didn’t know what she prayed about to the Goddess of the moon but he prayed that it came true. He wished for her happiness and prosperity. Then he thought of something more.

“Its time you get new neighbours, my lovely.” he smirked.