CPOV

A squeal awakens both Ana and I from sleep. I leap from the bed followed by Ana but I stop her at the door.

"Stay here baby," I say as I open my door. Her eyes look startled and scared while I shut the door. I hear a familiar giggle and a hushed scolding coming from the kitchen and my anxiety disappears as I walk to the scene.

"Sophie Abigail what did I tell you about yelling in the apartment," Jason scolds. The light brunette six-year-old sits on a bar stool at the island while her father looks sternly at her. Gail is giving her the same look.

"Well I was wondering what little alarm clock woke me." Sophie turns in her seat and squeals again.

"Hi Christian," she yells as she clambers off the chair, runs over to me, and hugs my leg. I pat her head and stoop down to her level.

"What do I own this honor little lady?"

"Daddy's got me for a few days before I have to go back to school."

"Well that sounds awesome." She giggles before she glances over my shoulder and has a look of confusion. I follow her line of sight and see Ana wrapped in her robe like this morning looking shyly upon us. I smile to her and she slowly walks over to us. "Ana this is Sophie Taylor, Jason's daughter." She smiles down at her and waves.

"Daddy said a mean man took your voice but that's okay I still like you. Come have breakfast with me!" She grabs Ana's hand and runs with her over to the table. Everyone sits down to a nice meal. Sophie has Ana's full attention. Gail, Jason, Luke, and I smile at how the two girls are bonding already.

"So Sophie what do you have planned today," I ask to give Ana a break to eat something.

"Well we didn't really have a plan for today. Tomorrow we're going to the Zoo. Let's have a play date! You, Ana, and me!"

"Now Sophie Christian and Ana might be doing something today," Jason tells her. "Besides what about our daddy-daughter time?"

"But I get to see you the rest of the week. I haven't seen Christian since your and Gail's wedding. Please? I want to play with them. You can even play too Luke if you want. I have plenty of dolls we can play with."

"Sorry sweetheart but I'm going to be out and about," he states with a grin. I know he's taking Mia shopping.

"Please Daddy?" She pulls her best puppy dog eyes and if I were her dad, I would give in too.

"Ana, Christian, would you like to have a play date with my little rascal?" I look to Ana and see her nod.

"Sure why not."

"Yay! I'll go get dressed!" She kisses Gail and Jason before taking her plate to the sink, standing on her tiptoes, and places it in the sink before she scampers off to Gail and Jason's apartment.

"Sorry you two. If you have something else to do…"

"I'd love to babysit her," Ana mouths.

"Me too."

Once everyone is dressed, Gail and Jason head out to go spend the day off and Luke heads off to his date with my sister. Sophie brings us into Jason and Gail's apartment. She's pulled out her playthings including fairytale books and a few Barbie's. We sit back and let her imagination take control and play Teacher, Doctor, and Wedding day. Even though she understands Ana can't talk, Sophie treats her with respect and hugs her often. She sits in Ana's lap while I read Beauty and the Beast and The Steadfast Tin Soldier. While I read, I can't stop from thinking this could be my child I'm reading to, sitting her mother's lap. But I quickly shake away my thoughts.

After a nutritious meal of macaroni and cheese, carrots, and apple slices we head back into the room to see a surprise Sophie got from her mom.

"She got it for me for my birthday but none of my friends have been able to come to my house to play. Can I use it with you guys," she shyly asks as she holds up a kid's makeup kit including nail polish. I groan internally but Ana's eyes light up so I know I can't say no. Ana first does Sophie's makeup then does hers. I sit back and chuckle to myself as the girls seem lost in their own world of makeup. Before I can say no, Sophie attacks my face with blush, lipstick, and eye shadow. After she's done, Ana laughs before holding up a mirror for me to look at. I'm not going to lie when I thought I looked like a poorly painted burlesque doll. "How do you like it Christian?"

"I'm a pretty princess and I'm proud of that." The girls burst into laughter. I take out my phone and we pose for pictures to send to Jason and Gail. Within a minute or two he texts back.

My girls are so pretty~ Jason

I can only laugh as I agree we look pretty, silly, but pretty. After we wash our faces, it's time for nail polish time. This I will have to blame Mia on: she begged me to do her toe nail polish several times so it gave me enough practice. Sophie does pink, while Ana picks blue, and I settle on red, although I begged them to just do my toenails. After drying thoroughly, I see it's about time everyone will be heading home.

"Alright little lady, what would you like to do now before your parents get home?"

"Can we make everyone sugar cookies?"

"Sure thing. Go wash up and Ana and I will set out the ingredients."

"Okay!" She scurries off to the bathroom. I grab Ana into an embrace, having missed her contact all day.

"Have you had fun today?" She nods against my chest. She pulls back and looks into my eyes.

"I've never had the chance to do, girly things, like this. To do it with a child makes it that much better." I kiss her palm before I pull her back into my chest. We hear a little snicker and look behind us to see a certain little girl watching us. I see Ana's face heat before she separates from me. We all don on aprons before we get to work.

After we have baked the cookies ranging in shapes from turkeys with bent heads to lopsided flowers and one winged butterflies because Sophie insisted we use our imagination, we're ready for icing. We place the batter in separate bowls and color them. We ice, and eat, and ice some more before all the cookies are wonderful creations of imagination. We clear away our workstation and put the cookies in a container. Ana excuses herself to go to the restroom to wash up before we begin cleaning dishes. Sophie pulls up a small step stool and helps me wash dishes.

"Hey Christian?"

"Yes Sophie?"

"When you marry Ana, can I be your flower girl?" My eyebrows shoot to my hairline and I feel myself flush at her remark. I don't have time to respond because the elevator arrives and out walk Gail and Jason. "Hi!" Sophie gets off the step stool and runs into her parent's arms. She begins telling them all we have done for the day as Ana comes back out and helps me wash dishes. I notice her eye me suspiciously but I try to make it appear like I'm okay. We enjoy a nice dinner before we head to bed. I flop down on the bed, surprisingly tired. Ana slides in under my arms.

"Did you have fun today?"

"I did. Sophie has always been a very good kid, very kind and sometimes a little loud, but always respectful. It was kind of, nice, to not feel any adult responsibilities like being the CEO I am and just indulge in a child's world of imagination at least for a day. And I'm glad you had fun too."

"Oh I did, especially seeing you in makeup." We giggle before she kisses my nose and snuggles into my chest for the night. After a while when she has fallen asleep, I look at Ana's face, peaceful in her sleep. My heart swells at the thought I had today, seeing her as my wife and imagining a lookalike of her or I in her arms. I crane my neck and capture her lips in her slumber once again, seeing the fireworks going off in my head like the other times I have kissed her. I feel her hands slide up my arms and go on my back. My eyes pop open afraid she's awake, but I just see her sleeping still in my arms. Man I'm pathetic. If I can't even kiss the woman I care so much for I would give up anything to see her be happy accept when she's awake, I sure as hell shouldn't kiss her when she's asleep. I sigh before giving her a quick kiss and lying back on the bed and bringing her onto my chest, feeling the delight of her warm body on mine. My mind plays back today's events and I eventually fall asleep dreaming of Ana like I do every night.