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Mark took another large bite of the spaghetti. It was good, very good, he reached for the beer and took a large drink and then started back on the spaghetti, but he noticed three pair of eyes looking at him.
What the hell was wrong with them, why was they staring at him like that. What the hell had he done.
Misha was too polite to beg for compliments and Danni was to stubborn, but finally Trini cleared her throat. "Wellllllll how is it..is it good..ya know Danni almost did the sauce all by herself....."
Mark groaned inwardly, of course they were females..they were waiting for him to comment on the food, living with a bunch of girls was going to take some getting used to.
Danni turned bright red. "I didn't do it all..I just helped....."
Mark smiled. "Well its really good..I mean great, the best I ever had..I only ever make the kind in the can ya know." Mark said shoveling more in his mouth. Misha and Trini smiled and so did Danni, even though, it left her face in a split second and she pasted the I don't give a rats ass about anything look right back on her face again.
Trini and Misha filled up most of dinner conversing with one another about school starting and shopping. Danni rolled her eyes mostly. "I ain't gonna go ta school."
Mark gave her a look. "Oh yes you are..Misha can register you, when she takes Trini and you are going shopping for your room tomorrow anyway, you can get school clothes."
Danni flung back in the chair crossing her arms. "I dunno wanna go!"
Misha looked at the girl. "You have to go to school, besides school is fun, you will make lots of friends and learn lots of new things and probably go on field trips to fun places."
Danni just sulked and Misha sighed. Trina started telling Danni about first grade and how fun it was, but Danni just rolled her eyes, which didn't stop Trini, from filling her in more.
Misha got up and cleared the table and Mark got up to help her. He followed her in the kitchen. "She is going to hate school."
Misha smiled. "Just give her a chance, its new and scary going to a new school, meeting new people..it'll be fine."
Mark watched as she pulled out a chocolate cake. "That looks good."Misha smiled as she sat it down and cut slices, putting them on dessert plates. "Well the girls helped, so be sure to tell them how good it is."
Mark nodded. "Yeah I will." he took two of the plates and carried them in to the girls.
"Thanks Mister Mark." Trini said.
Danni just grabbed the plate and started eating and Mark gave her a not so nice look and sat down as Misha brought out a plate for him and one for herself.
She pulled the baby closer in the highchair and gave her a few bites of the chocolate frosting , grinning as the baby smacked her lips. "Like that do ya Lexi?"
Mark took a bite and immediately complimented the girls on how good it was causing Trini to giggle.
Danni said nothing and finished off her cake. "I'm done..I'm gonna go play outside." She said shoving her chair back.
Misha looked at her watch. "No..its past six already, time for bed for you." She said calmly.
Danni stomped her foot. "No fair!"
Misha just shrugged. "I told you the rules, you chose to break them."
Danni looked at Mark and he nodded. "Go to bed."
Danni stormed out of the room and up the stairs and they all jumped when she slammed her door hard.
Mark just sighed, but he didn't say anything, because Trini was still at the table.
Misha picked the baby up and got a wet wipe cleaning her little face off, while the baby squirmed and giggled.
Trini got up and took her and Danni's plate to the kitchen and came back. "Do you want me to help with dishes?"
Misha smiled and bent kissing her daughters cheek. "No honey, you can go play or read till bedtime, I'll be up before bedtime to read to you."
Trini nodded and skipped out of the room and Mark watched, wishing Danni could be like that.
Misha took the baby in the kitchen and put her in the playpen so she could wash dishes, Mark followed. "Need help?"
"No, you should go tuck Danni in and tell her goodnight."
Mark gave her a strange look. "She's not a baby, she can put herself to bed."
Misha turned to look at Mark. "No..she is a scared little girl, who just lost her mother, she needs you."
Mark sighed. "Her mother was worthless, that's why Danni acts the way she does."
Misha shrugged. "All the more reason for you to be the best daddy you can to her."
Mark sighed. "okay okay." He started out of the room. "She don't want me to tuck her in ya know..she hates me."
Misha just smiled as he left the room, he seemed like a nice guy, but he didn't know squat about kids.
Mark walked down the hallway to Danni's room, she would probably throw something at him. He took a deep breath, hell he was Taker, he wasn't gonna let some little kid scare him. Mark opened Danni's door and found her sprawled face first on her bed drumming her little feet up and down, she looked up when she heard him and scowled at him.
Mark just forged ahead and went and sat on the side of the bed. "I just came ta say goodnight." he said feeling stupid.
Danni just stared up at him. "You never said goodnight before."
Mark nodded. "Yeah I know..everythings just been crazy, you know with me trying to take care of you and your sister, but ..well yeah..I'm gonna come ..tuck you in from now on..."
Danni just stared. "No bodies ever tucked me in..whats that mean ?"
Mark shifted his big frame. "What about your mom, she tucked you in right?"
Danni just shook her head. "Mama didn't do stuff like that..she was to busy ...datin' and stuff."
Mark frowned, he had never really asked Danni bout her life with her mom. "Well we're in the same boat..I never tucked no one in before either." Mark bent over lifting the girl off the covers surprised at how light she felt in his arms, he pulled back the covers and lay her down, pulling the cover up, tucking them around her, he was surprised she hadn't yelled at him or something, but she was just staring at him.
"Well goodnight." Mark said not sure what else to do.
Danni was feeling really weird, she didn't even like jerk face, but she wanted him to stay, she liked it when he picked her up, she felt dumb and stupid for even thinking that. "Nite."
"Umm I came ta say nite ta Danni."
Danni looked over and saw Trini at the door and funny thing was she looked almost jealous, Danni wondered what she could possibly be jealous of, she was lucky, her mama loved her and was so nice to her.
Mark waved her in. "C'mon then..."
Trini walked in. "Nite Danni..I had a fun time cookin with ya taday."
Danni nodded. "Yeah me to ..it wasn't so bad." She said grudgingly.
Trini nodded and waved and skipped out of the room, Mark got up. "Goodnight."
Danni just nodded, a little disappointed he didn't stay longer and mad at herself for wanting him to.
Misha walked up to the door and handed Mark the baby and he smiled. "Be careful, I don't think she is very happy to be going to be so early."
Misha nodded and walked in the room, setting down on the edge of the bed. "Goodnight Danni..thanks for helping with dinner."Danni frowned. "I don't wanna go ta bed!" It came out in a long whine and Misha sighed.
"I know you don't but you broke a very important rule, no cursing, so you have to pay the consequences."
Danni just frowned more. "Yeah well it sucks."
Misha sighed. "Well I'm sorry you're so unhappy, maybe tomorrow will be a better day huh?"
Misha got up and smiled at the little girl and left the room and Danni hit her pillow, she was going to get that nanny back if it was the last thing she did.
Misha made sure Trini got in the bath, and left her playing and walked down the hall to get the baby, she found Mark in the nursery rocking her. "I'll give her a bath and put her to bed."
Mark nodded and handed the squirming six month old over to her. "I'm going to go watch the news and then sports center."
Misha nodded and watched him leave. The poor man in a houseful of girls, she giggled and carried Lexi off to give her a bath.
Misha braided Trini's long hair and kissed her cheek. "All done, now climb in the bed and I'll read you a chapter King Arthur."
Trini turned around to look at her mother. "Can I go say nite to Mister Mark?"
Misha wavered, Mark didn't seem like a big kid person , he wasn't even crazy about his own kid, but seeing the look on her daughter's face she nodded. "Just a quick goodnight and come right back, I think he is a little stressed and probably needs some quite grown up time."
Trini grinned and hopped off her new bed. "Okay..I won't bug him I promise."
Misha smiled at her daughter's exuberance, she hoped Trini didn't become to attached to Mark. She knew the girl missed her grandpa, he was the only male role model the child had in her life, she didn't want her transferring that to Mark, Mark had enough to deal with with his own kids.
Trini peeked in the den, seeing Mark was in his recliner with his remote in one hand watching TV, he looked peaceful, maybe Mommy was right, maybe she shouldn't bother him.
Trini sighed, but she really wanted to say goodnight to him, easing into the room she walked closer. "Mister Mark..."
Mark looked up from sports center to see Trini standing there looking cute as a button in her hello Kitty pajamas, her long hair in pigtails. "What is it Trini?"
Trini felt kinda dumb, she barely knew this big man, her mommy just worked for him, not like she had any reason to say goodnight to him, scuffling her bare feet a little she looked down. "Ummmm..."
Mark was surprised she didn't seem like the shy type, he hoped there wasn't something wrong. "Cat got your tongue?"
Trini looked up feeling silly. "Uhhh I just wanted ta tell ya goodnight." She said easing closer to the big man.
Mark nodded. "Bedtime huh?"
Trini nodded and eased up beside the recliner. "Yeah Mommy is gonna read me a little bit of King Arthur..I like that book..um she said I could tell ya nite."
Mark smiled. "King Arthur huh..that's mighty big reading for a little girl."
Trini grinned. "I like stories bout knights and pirates, stuff like that."
"Well have a look in my library tomorrow, I'll show you where its at..maybe you can find something ya like in there." Mark said.
Trini smiled* Cool thanks..uhh well nite." She leaned over giving him a quick hug and the scampered out of the room as quickly as she came in.
Mark couldn't suppress the smile on his face. He decided to go get his shower and finish his TV watching in his room, maybe he would stop in on Misha and say goodnight too, it was the polite thing to do, he thought grinning.
