Father daughter bonding
Chase stood slightly behind Angela at the target range, and taught her how to aim, how to hold the rifle. For some reason, he got a memory of teaching Angela to ride a bike so strongly that he felt almost physical pain.
He stepped back for a moment and rubbed his eyes, opening them to find Angela looking at him curiously.
“It’s okay, just got a bit of dust in my eye.” He touched Angela’s shoulder gently. “Now, make sure you’re braced for the kick of the gun.” He swallowed and stepped away. “Go ahead,” he said quietly.
He was impressed by her concentration and her aim. If she were merely his student, he’d feel only pride, but as it was, pride mixed with pain as he watched her. He wished he couldn’t guess the source of the little secretive smile on her face as she hit her target. He wished she wasn’t so damned good at this.
He wished she could still just be his little girl, safe and sound, with nothing bad happening to her. He wanted her safe, he wanted her whole again, but now he couldn’t kiss and make it all better, like he could a skinned knee.
Angela would have to do that herself.
And all he could do was watch.
She turned to him now with a shy little smile. “How’d I do, Daddy?”
He smiled back at her. “Really excellent, sweetheart.”
He stepped back for a moment and rubbed his eyes, opening them to find Angela looking at him curiously.
“It’s okay, just got a bit of dust in my eye.” He touched Angela’s shoulder gently. “Now, make sure you’re braced for the kick of the gun.” He swallowed and stepped away. “Go ahead,” he said quietly.
He was impressed by her concentration and her aim. If she were merely his student, he’d feel only pride, but as it was, pride mixed with pain as he watched her. He wished he couldn’t guess the source of the little secretive smile on her face as she hit her target. He wished she wasn’t so damned good at this.
He wished she could still just be his little girl, safe and sound, with nothing bad happening to her. He wanted her safe, he wanted her whole again, but now he couldn’t kiss and make it all better, like he could a skinned knee.
Angela would have to do that herself.
And all he could do was watch.
She turned to him now with a shy little smile. “How’d I do, Daddy?”
He smiled back at her. “Really excellent, sweetheart.”