Even though it was a warm sunny afternoon, Michelle was spending time indoors. She was in the kitchen washing the dishes from breakfast. It was Saturday. Almost every Saturday Tony would cook breakfast. This morning he had really gone all out. He made bacon, pancakes and scrambled eggs. Usually the two of them would wash the dishes together, enjoying every moment they could spend with each other during the weekend. Michelle almost had had a difficult time earlier convincing Tony to let her do the dishes by herself, but just like always, she knew that he couldn't say no to spending time with Sophie.
Tony loved their one year old daughter, Sophie, more than life itself. And he truly was a great dad. Michelle enjoyed watching the two of them together. They were the two people in this world that she loved more than anything. The way they got along was magical. Tony could always make Sophie smile, and that would always result in Tony's face lighting up with joy. So far every moment that the three of them had spent together left a precious memory in Michelle's mind.
Michelle was interrupted from her reminiscing when she heard Tony shout out her name as the back door slammed shut and she heard footsteps running into the house. Tony ran into the kitchen, looking extremely distressed and holding Sophie in his arms, her face against his shoulder.
"What's wrong?" Michelle asked, instantly worried.
"It's her knee," Tony replied. "She was walking on the sidewalk. She saw the neighbor's dog and took off after it. She just got to walking too fast and she fell down."
Tony set Sophie on the counter and he and Michelle examined her knee together. With a pacifier in her mouth, Sophie watched her worried parents with a look of amusement.
Finally Michelle said, "It's just a scrape. We'll put a band aid on it and it will be better before you know it. And look how brave our little girl is! She hasn't even blinked an eye."
After breathing a sigh of relief, Tony reached into a kitchen cabinet, pulled out a wipe and a band aid, and together he and Michelle cleaned Sophie's knee and gently placed the band aid over the scrape.
Tony sighed. "I shouldn't have let her start walking away. She isn't steady enough yet." He still held her daughter up on the counter, so cautiously as if he thought she would break to pieces at any moment.
Michelle placed her hand on Tony's shoulder. "Tony, it's only a scrape and it isn't your fault. You did nothing wrong. But, I do have some bad news for you."
Tony looked at Michelle in surprise. "What is it?"
"I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but this is the first of many many scrapes, cuts, bruises and more. We still have a lot more of this to deal with. And," Michelle added with a hint of a smile, "we are going to have to try not to have a panic attack every time it happens."
Tony slowly turned his head back so that he was now facing Sophie. "I wasn't that bad."
"Tony, the way you came running in here with that expression of fear on your face made me wonder if you were trying to outrun a tiger." Michelle stifled a laugh.
"Now, I think that is a bit of an exaggeration. I just wanted to make sure Sophie was alright."
Smiling, Michelle replied, "I know, honey. And that is what I love about you."
"What, is that the only thing?" Tony joked.
"Hmmm, maybe I'll think of something else later…" Michelle answered with a smile.
Tony chuckled. "And your sense of humor is one of the many things I love about you." He leaned over and gently kissed Michelle.
Tony lifted Sophie off the counter. "Now we don't need any more of this falling down stuff, alright Sophie? Daddy is too old to be getting scared like that." He turned to see Michelle, trying her best not to laugh.
"Now what is so funny?" he asked.
"It's just," Michelle started, "you are the strongest, bravest person I know, yet this little one year old scares you to death." Michelle couldn't hold in her laughter any longer.
"Ha ha ha, very funny," Tony mocked. "Nothing wrong with being precautious. Now I say we go out and look for a padded suit for our daughter."
"Of course, we will go shopping right away," Michelle said with pretend concern. "But I say we stop and get ice cream cones first. I let Sophie try a taste of ice cream last week and she loved it."
Tony made a face. "I'm not sure. What if she gets brain freeze?"
Michelle laughed as she slipped her hand into Tony's and the three Almeida's walked out to the car.