19. Whirl
Addison Camille Booth tumbled into the kitchen, a whirl of brown, bouncing curls. The two year old, clad only in training pants, clung to her teddy bear by one arm, the fuzzy toy flying through the air behind her.
Giggling, she hid beneath the dining table, collapsing with a thud onto her cushioned rear, wrapping her arms and legs around the table leg.
"Addison Camille Booth!"
She giggled when she saw her father enter the room, narrowly avoiding the mess left by the toddler earlier in the day.
"Addie? Baby, it's bath time, don't you want to be all nice and clean for when Parker gets here? And, you don't want to get Daddy in trouble with Mommy, do you? He promised her that the house and Addie would both be spotless when she got back."
"Daddy?"
"Yeah, pumpkin?"
"I don't like baths. Teddy doesn't either."
"I know you don't, baby."
"The bubbles hurt my eyes."
The brunette peered up at her father as he knelt beside the table.
"Well, how about if Daddy covers your eyes like this—" He pressed the side of his hand across the little girls forehead, "then none of the bubbles can get in your eyes."
"Promise, Daddy?"
"I promise, pumpkin."
She allowed her father to scoop her up, carrying her to the bathroom where he removed the training pants, turning to throw them in the bin only to find upon turning back around that his daughter was gone.
"Addison?"
Peering out the bathroom door he saw the whirl of curls disappear around the corner, sighing he pushed himself up, preparing to chase down his daughter once again only for her to reappear down the hallway, racing towards him with Teddy in her arms.
"I forgot Teddy, Daddy. He needs a bath, too!"