Chapter 129
“Daddy!”
Alice’s cry of pure joy when she spots Daniel in the doorway at preschool sweeps away all the dark thoughts that have haunted him over the past few days.
She comes running toward him as fast as her little legs will carry her, and he scoops her up in his arms and whirls her around. Hugs her warm body tightly to his chest, inhales the smell of his beloved child.
One of the teachers smiles at him.
“She’s been asking for you all day. Good to see you here.”
Daniel isn’t sure whether she’s being straightforward or having a little dig at him.
He’s been invisible virtually all week, but to be honest he doesn’t care.
All he wants is to be with Alice, go home and have something to eat together, then put her to bed with a story.
She will be with Ida this weekend, so he has her only until tomorrow afternoon.
The fact that Ida took care of Alice while he was working doesn’t mean that the schedule changes—she wants the weekend with her daughter.
And Daniel certainly isn’t going to criticize her for that.
“What do you want for tea?” he asks Alice as he helps her into her pink snowsuit and her cute boots.
“Pizza!”
That means a margarita, her favorite. He usually saves that for Fridays, but this evening can be an exception.
He would have liked to go with Hanna to visit Anton, but then he wouldn’t have made it to the preschool before it closed.
He’s pleased he managed to sort things out with Ida.
He is going to have to learn to live with the pain of having Alice for only half of the time, and he has to make the best of the situation.
After today’s conversation it feels as if he and Ida have cleared the air.
And Karro has sent him the names of possible childminders; he will contact them this weekend. That will help too.
“Ready, sweetheart?”
He takes her hand in his. Reindeer is firmly clutched in her other hand. They set off toward the car. He just needs to swing by the ICA store to pick up a few bits and pieces before they go home.
He settles Alice in her child car seat and plants a kiss on her forehead.
At least tonight they are a little family, even if it consists of only two people and a cuddly toy.