Star Bright by Christina Ow Read Free Book Online

about what he would say since it was
his father she didn’t rescue from the fire. But he hadn’t asked
about Ricky once since Edna told him he was dead. Seeing him with
Denise was the first time she saw real joy on his face since he was
old enough to understand what Ricky was doing. He looked happy not
a care in the world, so why should she be worried?

Chapter Six
     
    “ Da.” Elizabeth
shrieked happily as Dave walked into the house carrying his
cheerful daughter in his arms. Unlike her, he was exhausted. He
stayed at the office until seven, before he thought of coming home.
He wasn’t as agitated or worried as he usually was and had no need
to rush home, since he had his daughter with him. He fed her dinner
over three hours ago and he thought she would fall right back to
sleep, but she was very energetic and hyper, practically bouncing
off the walls of his office. She had managed to get out of his
office and crawl under several desks playing hide and seek without
letting Dave in on it.
    He had searched the whole
office floor and was about to widen the search grid to the entire
building when one of the paralegal’s screamed and jumped off her
chair. A happy, shrilly laugh followed as she got on her feet and
ran to Dave. He picked her up relieved. He didn’t bother to scold
her, her sweet smile washed all his worries away. She placed a wet
kiss on his cheek and waved at his co-workers, yelling bye with her
tiny voice as he walked back into his office. He got a long ribbon
and tied one end around her belly and the other end to his desk. He
also had Carol watch the door just in case she broke out
again.
    “ Dave is that
you?” Amy walked into the foyer with a glass of brandy in her hand.
Her white robe was open, revealing a short, cleavage satin night
gown. He hadn’t bought that, and she definitely hadn’t bought it
for him. Dave stood by the door, contemplating going back out of
it. She leaned against the wall and smiled at him, “What, you want
to leave already?”
    Dave exhaled and headed
for the kitchen without saying a word to her. He took out a TV
dinner from the freezer and popped it in the microwave. He had
given up on expecting Amy to cook or order take-out for
him.
    He pulled at Elizabeth’s
curly hair and watched it snap back. She bounced in his arm
excitedly and pulled at her front curls. Dave watched her play with
her hair, smiling exhaustedly at her. Out of the mistake of a
marriage he had with Amy, Izzy was the best and the only great
entity that came out of it. She pulled her pink head band off and
pulled more curls to her face.
    Dave took out his dinner
and sat at the counter placing Elizabeth on top of it too. He held
her leg with one hand while he ate quietly with the other. It
didn’t take long before she tried to climb on his shoulders, the
distraction with her hair already exhausted. He laughed and placed
her on his shoulders and went back to eating. She went quiet after
a while and Dave could feel her weight on his head. She had finally
fallen asleep.
    “ She’s not
asleep yet, but she’s dozing off.” Amy’s flat voice came from the
door way. Dave stood up slowly and gently lifted Elizabeth off his
shoulders. She woke up when he settled her in his arms. He sat back
down and went back to his dinner. Amy came closer and put her glass
down on the counter, “I’ll take her to bed.” She extended her hands
out for Elizabeth.
    Dave looked at her, out
of habit, suspiciously. He wasn’t sure what her end game was today.
Normally when Elizabeth fell asleep on the floor she would walk
right past her, or Dave would have to beg or force her to put her
in bed.
    “ I’m not going
to eat her, I’m just taking her to bed.”
    Dave stood up and turned
to her. He paused for a while, thinking the action through, and
then he bent down to place Elizabeth in her arms. Elizabeth fisted
her hands in Dave’s shirt and shrieked in objection. Dave
straightened up and stared at his daughter shocked.
    Did