Home Safe(?) Home (OTA, tag to his daughter)

[circusoffools]

Syracuse was fishing fewer hours in the last two weeks. He was catching enough, still, to provide his quota to Kate and the fancy restaurant and some for Ruby, too, but he would moor his boat a half-hour before Annie was due to get out of school and he'd be waiting outside the school for his daughter when she got out. He wasn't paranoid, mind. He

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[notyour_queen]

Gorgo had been sitting at a bench by the playground for quite some time. She had noticed the man arrive and stay, looking very patient as he sat there.

She decided to approach, smiling, giving him a nod. "Good day," she greeted, standing before him as he sat on the table. "Are you waiting for your child?" Said as she looked toward the school while she placed a hand on her growing belly.

[circusoffools]

Not quick to trust, Syracuse found he liked Gorgo, though. Liked how she seemed kind. Gentle even. "I suppose we can," he said, smiling. "When the weather's warmer, though."

[anniecuriouser]

"Indeed. When the weather is warm," Gorgo agreed and she stood then. "As we speak of warmth I believe that is what we all should seek now. Warmth." She gave them both a gentle smile. "I shall look forward to seeing you both again."

"Can I come see you when you have your baby?" Annie asked, curious about wee ones because she had never before been close to any babies. "Can I, Da?"

[circusoffools]

"Annie - " Gruffly, but still gently, Syracuse sent a look the woman's way. No need to if she didn't want to.

[anniecuriouser]

Gorgo reached over to the little girl and gently carded her fingers through the fine hair. "You are welcome to come see us, when it is time. Not for two months yet."

She straightened up to look directly at Syracuse. "She is a delight. I shall speak of you both at the farm so when you are ready, we shall all welcome you." She gave a small wave. "Until then?"

Annie pressed herself to her Da's side and she waved back at the lovely Greek woman. "We'll come, we will," she assured, sure that her Da would not say no to a visit at a farm.

[circusoffools]

"Nice to meet ya," Syracuse added, arm around Annie's shoulders as the woman walked away.

Then he knelt down to his daughter. "What do you want to do now?"

[anniecuriouser]

She moved toward him, leaning against his chest. "Well, we're not going to the farm," she said, but was teasing.

He worried still, she could tell.

"Do ya wanna go home, Da?" Home was safe, right?

[circusoffools]

But Syracuse had seen enough to know that one couldn't always hide from things. "You want to get a snack before we go home? You gotta do your homework," he said, touching the collar of his coat.

[anniecuriouser]

"Can we go to the bakery?" Annie asked this slowly and softly, inching even closer to her Da that their faces were close. "We can have cupcakes? Pretty ones, Da. Like a painting."

[circusoffools]

"Whatever you'd like, yeah?" He held his arms out if she wanted to be carried.

[anniecuriouser]

Annie really shouldn't be carried anymore. She was better now, see?

So, even if she liked being so close to her Da and being carried, she shook her head and reached for his hand. "They have a lot of different things there, Da. You'll see. You wouldn't know which one ta try first." She tugged him along toward the bakery.

[circusoffools]

Maybe there was a little bit of sadness at the rebuff. But he walked with her. "That so?" he said. "And what if I don't like any of them?" He teased.

[anniecuriouser]

Annie never thought about that.

She looked up with her brows drawn. "Then we'll have ta try 'em all until we find something ya like." Simple, right?

[circusoffools]

"And what happens when I get fat?" Syracuse asked, grinning.

[anniecuriouser]

Her lips slowly curved in a smile. "Then we'll have ta get ya bigger clothes."

[circusoffools]

"Sounds like you've gotten it all figured out," he told her, eyes warm. "Maybe I'll have your favorite."