"What's wrong sweetheart?" Kris questioned his daughter, full of worry as he watched the four-year-old run inside, slamming the door closed then sprinting upstairs to her bedroom.
Kris chased after her but stopped once reaching the bottom of the stairs, "Baby girl? You okay?" He called out, but there was no answer.
Kris immediately began climbing the stairs to his daughters room. Before he opened the door he heard light sobbing coming from inside the room. Slowly he opened it to reveal his baby girl curled up on her bed facing the window clutching her stuffed puppy.
"Ryleigh, what's wrong baby?"
"I don't want to talk about it, daddy," she sniffled.
Kris walked into the room, leaving the door opened to go sit on his daughters bed and rubbing Ryleigh's back, soothing her. "Now you know what daddy told you before? Talking about things make us feel better. Are you sure you don't want to tell me?"
"Some boy called me ugly today," Ryleigh choked out, squeezing her stuffed puppy tighter.
"What?" Kris exclaimed in suprise, "Baby girl you are the most beautiful little girl on the whole planet." He continued to rub his daughters back as she sniffled. He was saddened by his little girls pain and wished he could absorb all of it. He would do anything to make his baby happy.
"But he's so mean daddy," Ryleigh cried.
"Shhh, sweetheart, come here," he gathered Ryleigh into his arms and pulled his feet up onto the bed, holding his daughter to his side he pet her hair as she sniffed and planted her little tear strewn face into his chest. "That little boy is out of his mind, you are beautiful, and let me tell you what sweetie, if a boy picks on you, that means he likes you," Kris giggled. Ryleigh giggled too.
"Thank you, Daddy," Ryleigh held Kris tighter with her little hands wrapped around his waist.
"You wanna here a song baby girl? Will that make you feel better?" Kris asked kissing the top of his daughters head.
"For me? Was it written for me?" Ryleigh jumped up and down with excitement smiling brightly up at Kris.
"Well, kinda," Kris smiled widely watching his daughter get happy before his eyes, her smile was contagious. "I wrote it when I was young, way before you came into the world. But I wrote it with the thought of singing it to my daughter someday."
"So it was written for me..." Kris watched as Ryleigh tried figuring out the confusion, "before you even knew me?"
"Something like that, yes," Kris smiled, kissing Ryleigh's forehead and pulling her close again.
"I'd like to hear it," Ryleigh whispered into Kris chest.
"Okay baby," Kris smiled down at her and held her close. "Close your eyes and I'll close mine and I'll sing it to you."
Ryleigh cuddled up to Kris and they sat in the bed holding each other. Kris closed his eyes and began singing, rocking them together as he sang acapella.
Oh beautiful moon
Sing me your song
Make it slow
And sweet
If you can
Oh beautiful moon
Don't worry 'bout the clouds in the sky
'Cause they'll all
Wash away
With the time
Oh
"Am I the moon in this song daddy?" Ryleigh's tiny voice interrupted to song to ask.
Kris chuckled, "Yes baby, now shhh, let me sing." He tickled Ryleigh making her giggle he laughed then continued.
This back porch singin' your praises
And when the smoke leaves
I see your faces
Kris and Ryleigh both had their eyes closed, lost in the song. So neither of them noticed when Adam showed up in the doorway of the room to watch his husband singing to their daughter. Adam didn't want to ruin the moment so he leaned against the doorframe and watched and listened as Kris rocked their four-year-old and used his gorgeous voice to soothe their baby.
Oh beautiful moon
When it's dark out tonight
I thank God
For givin' you your life
At this last line Kris stumbled in a small sob and held Ryleigh tighter for as a second as he silently thanked god for giving him and Adam the precious gift of a daughter. A tear fell from Adam's eye as he watched, he was so lucky to have the completion and love of a family that a long time ago he never would have dreamed possible. Kris continued singing, both husband and daughter still unaware that Adam was in the doorway.
Oh beautiful moon
When you're all alone
There's no stars
Where they all go
Oh
The city lights they hide your graces
And when the smoke leaves
I'll see your faces
Oh...
"Papa!" Ryleigh called out making Kris stop singing and snapped his eyes opened to turn around to see his husband in the doorway. Both husband and daughter smiled hugely seeing Adam standing there.
"Hey baby!" Adam squeaked as he walked into the room, walking on the other side of the bed to give Ryleigh a big hug.
"Papa, Daddy was just singing me a song that he wrote for me before he even knew me!" Ryleigh explained smiling up at Adam.
"I heard baby girl, I love that song. Here scootch over and let me lay on the bed with you two."
Ryleigh scooted over to Kris to make room for her Papa. Kris smiled at Adam, their daughter snuggled in-between them. They locked eyes, they didn't need to say it out
loud, they both felt so full of love and so lucky to have this together. Blue eyes were lost in brown ones.
"Finish the song daddy," Ryleigh piped up pulling Kris and Adam out of their trance.
"Of course princess," Kris looked down at his daughter and pecked her a kiss on the nose making the four-year-old giggle.
Adam brought his arm up to wrap around Ryleigh and Kris, holding both of them tightly as Kris finished the song, looking between his daughter and his husband singing the last lyrics to them.
Oh
This back porch singin' praises
And when the smoke leaves
I'll see your faces
Kris reached up and touched Adam's face making both men wince with emotion, and he touched Ryleigh's little cheek with his other hand. He closed his eyes and took in the moment of being here, feeling like the luckiest man on earth to have a family and love so pure.
Oh beautiful moon
Sing me your song
Make it slow
And sweet
If you can...
He sang the last few lines in a whisper. He opened his eyes again when he felt the back of
Adam's hand caressing his cheek. He kissed his husband hand before realizing that it was coated in his own tears. Ryleigh lay asleep on the pillow between them. Blue and brown eyes met and they didn't need to say a word. Years ago this future would have had seemed impossible to both of them, but their kind of love was so rare, the only explanation was fate. The past four years have been some of the most rewarding of both of their lives, they were daddies. And as fathers they were to love, protect and provide for the beautiful angel that slept between them. And they both felt so blessed, to not only have each other in their lives, but to be able to share that love with a child and to raise her to be the best person she can be.
Fate brought Kris and Adam together while a miracle with a little bit of selflessness from a woman not ready to be a mother added Ryleigh to their lives.
As Kris and Adam drifted off to sleep as well, they both still could not believe how lucky and blessed their lives were. They had each other, they had Ryleigh. They had everything that they would ever need.