001. Summertime .

             The grass, still wet from the rain last night and the early morning dew made a soft squishy sound as tiny pink shoes made their way from one end of the backyard to the other. The sogginess of the grass crept past the protection of small miniature doll sized shoes and soaked the Hello Kitty socks that she loved so much. None of that mattered, though, because what mattered wasn't that the socks would have to get washed when she returned home. No, what's the most important was what's going to happen later that day. Giggling to herself, the little girl ran up to her dad as he watched her play. He sat, rubbing his eyes as he let out a breathy yawn, sighing softly to himself as he smiled back at her, wrapping his arms around her. The warmth engulfed her as she allowed herself to be buried into the warmth of her dad. 

                     "Can I go play with Laura today?" she looked up pleadingly at her dad, pouting her small lips cutely and puffing her cheeks a bit, trying her hardest to win the 'yes' bribingly from her dad. She had promised the younger girl that they'd watch Tarzan together, and she looked forward to that day for such a long time. 

                    Smiling softly, he looked down at her in a loving gaze, arms wrapped around small shoulders as he kissed the little girl's forehead. Giant lips planted on a tiny forehead as he felt the familiar prickling of a beard that hadn't been shaved for a day or two touch the top of her head. "Well, that depends on whether she's home or not." The dad replied before pulling the little girl up on his lap. He stared at the seemingly flawless and perfect skin of his little girl while she pursed her lips slightly, barely noticing the gaze as she was too distracted.

             "But, daddy, she has to be home, right? She promised me we'll watch Tarzan together today." she stated boldly, smiling from ear to ear, crossing tiny arms across her chest. Her friend would never lie and she knew that, and claimed it proudly to her dad stubbornly, not even noticing when she'd gotten out of bed that her friend's parent's car was gone. Her dad chuckled softly, putting her down as he wrapped his hand around his daughter's small and sticky hands, walking inside of the house, helping her take off her shoes before walking towards the front door, slipping their slippers on as they stepped outside.

                "Then let's go to her house now and knock on it, okay? We'll see if she's home right now." he said as his daughter's lips cracked into a huge grin, nodding enthousiastically, opening the door quickly as she took off before her dad. Her dad laughed and called out to her as he locked the door. "Don't cross the street yet, wait for me!" he said, jogging over to catch up to his daughter as she continued to jump up and down excitedly, taking her hand in his.

               "She has to be home, she has to!" she exclaimed loudly, just as a few neighbor kids walked past them across the street, waving at them. She waved back happily. Many kids on the block knew her because she always went around to talk to everyone. Finally, as the light turned green, the dad pulled his daughter with him, walking her across the street before turning to head down a few more steps before stopping in front of the girl's friend's house. She knocked on her door, her small hand making a tiny thumping noise as she knocked quietly. Her dad knocked slightly louder following her soft thuds of a door knock. The two waited, no sound. The little girl knocked again and the two waited: still no sound. After a few more minutes, the little girl pouted slightly, feeling a bit disappointed because she was looking forward to playing with her friend today. 

              "Come on, let's go home. Lunch should be soon now, and you know grandmother and mom will be mad if you're late." the father said softly, pulling his daughter close to him, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She nodded and followed him back towards their house. Disappointed, the little girl thought that today would be another boring day at home, with nothing to do but draw, colour and watch TV and movies all day. If only today was the weekends, maybe her friends would be home. Summers are boring sometimes.