Chapter 14: Breakfast and Parks
August 24 2011
Dad was here when I woke up. It was kinda weird, but nice. Breakfast was really entertaining. Mama was still sleeping. Bella was a little weirded out, but now she's fine again. I asked Dad and used my puppy dog eyes and he said that he would take us to the park. Yeah! Mama shook her head. She has to go grocery shopping and run some errands, so she said be careful. I just of the hospital, and she doesn't want me to go back. Got to go now!
Dani crept down the hall quietly. She was hungry, and wanted an omelet, something that she would usually make for herself, but didn't feel like doing. It was late, after nine, but she hadn't slept very well at the hospital and everyone was tired.
When she entered her mom's room, she was startled to see her dad there too.
"Bella." Dani walked to her sister's room and shook her shoulder.
"Bella wake up."
"What Dani?" She looked at her sister with wide eyes.
"Dad is in Mama's bed."
"What?"
"I wanted an omelet and I went to see if Mama was awake, and Dad was there."
"Okay…" Bella sat up slowly and then raised her chin in the direction of the door. House was standing there fully dressed in rumpled clothes and leaning on his cane.
"You slept here last night." Bella's voice was matter of fact.
"Yes I did."
"Why?"
"Because I couldn't sleep and I came to see if you guys were alright." Dani took the answer at face value and Bella stared at him hard for a minute before nodding.
"Okay."
"Will you make me an omelet Dad?"
"Sure." He looked between his daughters. "Do you want one too Bella?" She nodded and got out of bed, walking over to her dresser and pulling on a sweatshirt as cold air hit her skin.
An hour later when Allison woke up, she made her way downstairs. An interesting, yet amusing sight greeted her.
Greg was sitting at the island with the girls eating pancakes. That was not the interesting part.
All three were covered in flour and other ingredients. And it looked as if the pancakes were shapes and all were colored?
"So, should I ask?"
"Mama!" Dani grinned. "Well, I woke up this morning and I wanted an omelet and you were still sleeping, and Dad was there too, and I went to wake Bella up to tell her, and then Dad woke up and he said that he would make me an omelet. But, we didn't have any eggs that were still good so we helped make pancakes instead. And, we made them in shapes and colored them. Dad even made one of my appendicitis."
Dani gestured to a plate that had the extra pancakes on it. And, there, food colored red was a very real looking appendicitis.
"You could've been an artist." Greg smiled at her.
"We made you one too."
"Actually, we made you two." Bella jumped in. She was eating what appeared to be a writing utensil and a book. Greg was eating a stethoscope and Dani a sketch pad.
He handed her a single rose, colored red and a carefully crafted sphinx, one of her favorite things that they had seen in the traveling.
"Dani, did you do the sphinx?"
"Dad helped, and Bella came up with the idea."
"It's great, thank you." The girls and Greg grinned and Dani walked over to her mother.
"Can we go to the park today?"
"I don't know Dan. We have to go grocery shopping and tie up some loose ends."
"I can take them." House offered. "I mean – if that's okay with you." Allison smiled at him.
"Yeah, I that's fine." She turned to her youngest daughter. "Be careful. And I mean it Daniela. The last thing I want is for you to pull your stitches. Call me if you need me."
House followed behind his daughters and settled on a park bench. It was twelve thirty before they finally got it together, and headed to the park. It was a beautiful day with blue skies and very few clouds.
The two girls had run off to find some open swings and maybe join in a game of tag and House had pointed to where he would be sitting.
"Call me if you need me." He had sent very pointed looks at his daughters, who had nodded and scampered off to play.
He had people-watched for about a half hour, and had closed his eyes for a minute when he heard her voice. It was low, and sweet and something that had once made his heart skip a beat.
"Hello Greg." His eyes shot open and he stared at her.
"Stacey? What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you of course, didn't you get my message?"
"What message?"
Stacey sighed as if he was an idiot. "The message telling you to meet me here. Why else would you be at the park?"
House opened his mouth to say that he was here with his daughters and that he wouldn't have shown up even if he had heard her message, but she continued on, ignoring him.
"I wanted to tell you that I left Mark." House sealed his lips and frowned.
One night after he had solved a case he had gotten drunk and sad. He couldn't get Allie's eyes out of his head, and had called Stacey hoping that she would take the pain away. That had been a little over a year ago.
"I don't want you Stacey." He was about to continue what he had to say when something caught his attention.
"Daniela!" She spun and looked at her father. Tiny arms had been reaching out towards the monkey bars. Hanging in that position would probably tear her stitches.
"Don't even think about it babe, you'll end up in the hospital." She rolled her eyes but nodded.
"Yes Dad. Can we get ice cream later?"
"You haven't even had lunch yet, I'll think about it maybe we can meet up with your mom."
"Okay." She smiled and some random kid tagged her who she began to chase easily.
"Dad?" her lips were pursued.
"I got back together with Allison. Those are my daughters" he pointed to the two of them, easily finding them in the crowd.
"You don't love her."
"Yes I do."
Stacey shook her head and then bent down, pulling his lips into a searing kiss.
The while pancake thing? We've done before, but not as extreme. It's fun. Maybe a little crazy. That's okay. I don't care if it seems unrealistic. Stacey thing? Overdone? Probably. Oh well. Review!