Carrie.
Dirk held Carrie only once in his arms shortly after her birth, then not again until twenty years later. Only recently he had admitted to Damien he cried after losing Carrie. The weight he carried, hurting his soul and hardening him into a cold bastard. He felt it fitting at the time, a boon to his profession which he excelled at. With the return of his daughter, Dirk was happy. Though he’d so much lost time to make up for, at times he was overwhelmed at where to begin. Thankfully, they’d become close within minutes of being reunited.
Carrie wanted his help while pregnant. They laughed over her many silly cravings that were indulged outrageously by himself and her husband; he held her while she sobbed during mood swings. He attended doctor’s appointments. Dirk had almost been brought to tears when she took a stand against her husband and demanded she wanted her father present for her baby’s birth; she needed his support. She loved Dirk. He knew in her eyes he was as much her hero as her husband Tyr. Dirk had rescued her; he brought her home where she belonged.
“I’m worried about you, Daddy,” she said. Her solemn, huge blue eyes, delved into him.
Carrie glanced over at the woman before her. Dirk explained to his daughter how the circumstances presented themselves, wanting her understanding. He took blame immediately, but Carrie didn’t blame him. Dirk knew her husband was furious with him for bringing Candy here in the state she was in. He knew Tyr wanted to help Candy; he felt she belonged in some type of care institution where a doctor could oversee her well-being. Dirk knew Carrie loved him dearly. She again put her foot down and demanded Tyr leave the girl be. Dirk overheard her declare to Tyr the woman was her father’s responsibility, and Carrie accepted it. Carrie remained adamant she knew her father possessed a great deal of compassion. If anyone could reach her, he could. She knew he would keep his family safe at all cost; they had nothing to fear from Candy.
“You need to worry about you and my new granddaughter,” Dirk said smiling into her concerned expression. He removed his hand from her tummy to cup her chin in a loving gesture.
“Daddy, it could be a boy,” Carrie said, rolling her eyes.
“I don’t care, as long as you’re both healthy. How has your asthma been?” he asked with concern. She was a very petite young woman, her husband a very large man, and the baby appeared big as well. As her weight increased and the baby pressed against her diaphragm, she was often experiencing shortness of breath. Everyone took extreme caution to make certain she wanted for nothing, racing to do her bidding, not excluding her very doting hard-as-nails granddad.
“I’m fine, Daddy, really. How is Candy doing?”
“The same.”
Carrie placed a soft hand on his shoulder. “Everything will work out.”
“Of course it will, baby,” he replied lightly. He squeezed her hands within his own, assisting her to her feet and encouraged her back to her bed. She went with notable reluctance.
Dirk closed and locked his door. He extinguished the lights, removed his clothing, and settled beside Candy for the night. He pulled her small, warm body close to him, wrapping arms around her, her face buried in his neck. Dirk, in turn, buried his face into her freshly shampooed hair. He had dried it and brushed it out himself, smiling as her long black locks curled around his fingers into springy ringlets.
The day had been long and Dirk closed his eyes wearily. He would allow no other to watch over her; she was his responsibility alone. He found himself in a tug of war between time spent with his daughter and time spent with Candy. Both needed him. Both seemed so vulnerable, yet Carrie had numerous others to occupy her time, Candy had no one but him. Dirk was feeling his exhaustion, his eyes felt heavy. It was still a long time before he slept.
* * * *
Candy sobbed, her hands pressed to her mouth to
Dirk held Carrie only once in his arms shortly after her birth, then not again until twenty years later. Only recently he had admitted to Damien he cried after losing Carrie. The weight he carried, hurting his soul and hardening him into a cold bastard. He felt it fitting at the time, a boon to his profession which he excelled at. With the return of his daughter, Dirk was happy. Though he’d so much lost time to make up for, at times he was overwhelmed at where to begin. Thankfully, they’d become close within minutes of being reunited.
Carrie wanted his help while pregnant. They laughed over her many silly cravings that were indulged outrageously by himself and her husband; he held her while she sobbed during mood swings. He attended doctor’s appointments. Dirk had almost been brought to tears when she took a stand against her husband and demanded she wanted her father present for her baby’s birth; she needed his support. She loved Dirk. He knew in her eyes he was as much her hero as her husband Tyr. Dirk had rescued her; he brought her home where she belonged.
“I’m worried about you, Daddy,” she said. Her solemn, huge blue eyes, delved into him.
Carrie glanced over at the woman before her. Dirk explained to his daughter how the circumstances presented themselves, wanting her understanding. He took blame immediately, but Carrie didn’t blame him. Dirk knew her husband was furious with him for bringing Candy here in the state she was in. He knew Tyr wanted to help Candy; he felt she belonged in some type of care institution where a doctor could oversee her well-being. Dirk knew Carrie loved him dearly. She again put her foot down and demanded Tyr leave the girl be. Dirk overheard her declare to Tyr the woman was her father’s responsibility, and Carrie accepted it. Carrie remained adamant she knew her father possessed a great deal of compassion. If anyone could reach her, he could. She knew he would keep his family safe at all cost; they had nothing to fear from Candy.
“You need to worry about you and my new granddaughter,” Dirk said smiling into her concerned expression. He removed his hand from her tummy to cup her chin in a loving gesture.
“Daddy, it could be a boy,” Carrie said, rolling her eyes.
“I don’t care, as long as you’re both healthy. How has your asthma been?” he asked with concern. She was a very petite young woman, her husband a very large man, and the baby appeared big as well. As her weight increased and the baby pressed against her diaphragm, she was often experiencing shortness of breath. Everyone took extreme caution to make certain she wanted for nothing, racing to do her bidding, not excluding her very doting hard-as-nails granddad.
“I’m fine, Daddy, really. How is Candy doing?”
“The same.”
Carrie placed a soft hand on his shoulder. “Everything will work out.”
“Of course it will, baby,” he replied lightly. He squeezed her hands within his own, assisting her to her feet and encouraged her back to her bed. She went with notable reluctance.
Dirk closed and locked his door. He extinguished the lights, removed his clothing, and settled beside Candy for the night. He pulled her small, warm body close to him, wrapping arms around her, her face buried in his neck. Dirk, in turn, buried his face into her freshly shampooed hair. He had dried it and brushed it out himself, smiling as her long black locks curled around his fingers into springy ringlets.
The day had been long and Dirk closed his eyes wearily. He would allow no other to watch over her; she was his responsibility alone. He found himself in a tug of war between time spent with his daughter and time spent with Candy. Both needed him. Both seemed so vulnerable, yet Carrie had numerous others to occupy her time, Candy had no one but him. Dirk was feeling his exhaustion, his eyes felt heavy. It was still a long time before he slept.
* * * *
Candy sobbed, her hands pressed to her mouth to
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