Goren would have to get used to his daughter's presence again.
And above all...
Remind Fres to trust him.
After what he had done...
It was normal that his daughter was very worried about him.
But he was going to do everything to prove to her that he could be a good father.
And that she could trust him.
But first...
He wanted to take her away from New York...
Take her to the country...
To his family in Maine.
And maybe...
Maybe going to his big tent for a while would help him reconnect with Frances.
Maybe he could understand his daughter a little better...
Her needs.
It would also help him understand the mistakes he had made with her.
And especially...
Not to repeat them.
He could not forget...
His first days with Francès after their reunion.
Reunion that he owed to Barek, Logan...
And most of all...
To his captain Deakins.
If they hadn't been there...
He knew he would have run away from his daughter.
And hurt her even more.
But now...
Everything was different.
He understood his mistakes.
But he could not forget...
That Frances, in the early days, hardly dared to show himself in front of him.
He always saw her little blonde head sticking out of a wall.
She would hide behind...
And scrutinize him nervously.
Francès didn't dare to approach him.
As if she was afraid of him.
The only times she came to him...
And even then...
With a certain reserve.
It was when he called her.
In those cases…
Francès came towards him with slow steps, and turned away her big hazel eyes, not daring to look at him, fleeing from him with her eyes, and always kept her hands behind her back, which she squeezed nervously.
It was as if he terrified her daughter.
Whereas her daughter had never been like that with him.
Especially...
Before the drama.
But today everything was different.
He had hurt her deeply.
So how could he blame her for reacting like that in front of him.
He had abandoned him for more than three months at Alex's parents' house without any explanation.
Not even coming to say goodbye.
And ditto...
When he had left her at Barek's...
Never coming to see her...
Nor calling to get her on the phone.
Frances must have suffered a lot from his behavior.
She must have thought that she didn't matter to him.
But that was not true.
He loved his daughter more than anything.
But he had been obsessed with finding the person responsible for his wife's condition.
And he had forgotten about his daughter.
If Eames had been there...
She would have blamed him...
Would have blamed him for his behavior.
And worse...
She would have left him.
He was sure of it.
But now...
He had to make up for his past mistakes with Frances.
This idea of traveling for a while to his family in Maine, would do them a lot of good.
And it would teach them to find each other.
At least that's what Goren hoped.
He wanted to find his happy daughter...
And not this terrified child in front of him.
If Frances was like that...
It was because of him.
He was the one responsible.
And for that reason he had to try to reconnect with his daughter...
And fix everything.
Goren looked up at Francès who was running around the living room, his green dango in his arms.
At the dango, Goren could not hold back a smile.
Name of God...
Francès had told him that it was for him, and she kept appropriating it, dragging it everywhere with her.
But after all he didn't mind her playing with it.
A man of his stature with a teddy bear...
He didn't dare imagine what people would think.
- Frances... The little girl stopped running, and lifted her face from the teddy bear as big as her that was hiding her face. Today we're going to stay with Daddy's family.
At her words, Frances dropped the dango that fell to the ground, and rushed towards her father, where she shyly put her little hands on his thigh, raised her big hazel eyes shining with a little hope.
- It's true daddy...
Of course it was true.
He would never tell her that if it were not true.
But Francès still doubted him...
Of his words.
His heart tightened.
If he had acted differently...
His daughter would not have any doubts.
And above all...
This worry.
With gentleness, he brought the man to her smooth golden hair, ruffled it with affection.
- Yes... It's true.
It did not take more to Francès, who at his words, a big smile appeared on his lips, his big hazel eyes lit up with excitement, illuminating his face.
She rushed towards the entrance, and sat down, taking her small shoes in her hands, and began to put on her shoes.
A small mocking smile appeared on Goren's face.
Francès was rushing off like that.
She was happy to leave.
But she was really in a hurry.
Good God...
He had never thought that his idea would delight her so much.
If he had known that it would please Francès so much to go to his family with him...
He would have taken him already.
In addition...
Goren had prepared a small surprise for him on the return from their stay with his family.
- Ah, there it is... Francès put her little shoes on her feet, stood up, and rushed towards her father, dancing from one foot to the other with excitement, hands behind her back. I am ready.
At this enthusiasm, Goren got up, and walked over to the little dresser, opened the drawer, and took out the little white cloth hat of Francès with a pastel pink ribbon on it.
He closed the drawer, and went to Francès' room where he took out a small bag, which he filled.
The bag ready, he went to find his daughter, who was still waiting for him impatiently this time.
He went towards Francès, and arrived at his height, squatted down, and delicately deposited the small fabric hat on his small blond head.
- Your arms, Frances.
The little girl nodded, stretched and raised her arms, where he passed the straps of the small bag on each side of her arms.
The bag on her back, the hat on her little head, Goren smiled.
- Now you're ready.
Frances looked really cute in her little pastel pink dress, with her little white belt, her little hat that matched her dress, and her little white shoes.
Eames definitely had good taste when it came to choosing things for their girls.
His heart sank as he thought of his wife, and mother of his daughter.
He didn't have that talent.
If he had the idea to buy even one piece of clothing for Francès, Alex would tell him that it was pretty, but the grimace that she made, made him understand that she did not like.
So he let her do it.
- Daddy...
At the questioning voice of Francès, Goren came out of his thoughts, to find himself in front of Francès' face leaning towards him, his big hazel eyes scanning him with anxiety.
- You are well...
My God...
Sometimes he forgot that his face was too expressive, and that even a child of Frances' age could understand when something was wrong.
Gently, he put his hand on the top of the little hat, pressed gently, forced himself to smile.
- Daddy is fine.
Francès looked at him, suspicious.
As if she didn't believe a word he was saying.
Goren had to make her think about something else.
He didn't have the heart to tell his daughter about Alex.
- Daddy has to get his things... And we're going.
He got up, and walked slowly towards his room.
When he arrived at the door of the room, he stopped, and turned to Francès who was looking at him, not leaving his eyes.
- I won't be long... Frances nodded. And as soon as I have everything... We'll leave.
He turned his back and went into his room, but he heard small steps behind him, coming closer.
Francès was there, behind him, and he saw the little blonde head, which passed in front of him, and was already heading towards the laundry room.
- I'll help you, Dad.
At his words, Goren's heart beat violently in his chest.
My God...
How he loved his daughter.
She was so kind...
So helpful.
- Very well... He indicated with his hand a small bag, which she hastened to get. Can you bring it to me.
Frances took the bag in his hands and brought it to her, while he rummaged in the chest of drawers.
And together they prepared the bag.