40. God help me...

"Daddy.. Daddy.. Daddy wake up.,wake up., wake up... Em jumped on her father like he was a mere bouncing castle, pounding and shaking the man out of his sleep...

" I'm up., I'm up.. I'm up... Nathan says sitting up, rubbing his eyes with his hands.. "what's wrong honey.. What's the time.. He looks at his bedside clock and OH MY GOODNESS it was just five in the morning...

" Honey it's just five in the morning.. And it's Saturday.. Why are you awake.. He said almost at the point of tears.. He went to bed sometime past 3am because he was having a lone time with himself and his heavenly father.. So he didn't sleep on time. And now his little bundle of joy woke him up this early... He really wanted to cry right now..

"Exactly daddy.. IT'S SATURDAY.. I'm not going to school today, so I can spend the whole day with Jenny and Vanessa... She said in her high-pitched voice happily.. Waking him up this early was one thing, but waking him up this early just because of Vanessa and Jenny was another.. He really wanted to scream right now... He ran his fingers through his hair frustratingly.

"Honey you could have waited for the sun to come up huh, you didn't have to wake up so early in the morning.. Please just go back to bed.. Or you can stay here with me.. And we'll both get a good sleep, and when the sun is up I'll take you to go see Vanessa and Jenny... He really hoped that she would accept his proposal, he really wanted to sleep..

"No daddy.., I'm not feeling sleepy anymore... She replied..

" but I am.. I still want to sleep honey.. He said desperately.. Turning back to hug his bed., but she pulled him right back up..

"No more sleeping daddy.., I already said my morning prayers.. So get up and say yours.. And let's get ready.. She shakes him harder.. Pulling him to reality..

" okay.. Okay.. Fine, I'll say my prayers, now go pick a dress you want to wear... He said finally giving in to the girl..

" Yes.. I always win.. She says jumping down from the bed and dashing off.. While he turned back to his bed and hugged his pillow tighter, shutting his eyes close... But then her little but high-pitched voice called out to him again..

" I know you're still on the bed daddy, get up...

" urghhhhhhh... He screamed into his pillow, pounding on the bed and kicking into the air like a naughty little child.. He just was not ready to say goodbye to his lovely bed.. But he had no other choice.. The queen of the house had spoken, and her words were final..

He got up, his hair in a disheveled pattern on his fine head, picked up his Bible that laid on his shelf close to him, and read a passage said his prayers, and went downstairs to meet the girl..

"so., have you decided on what you want to wear??... He had asked the question before he saw the scattered clothes all over her bed.. If he had seen them first, he would have just quietly walked away, and left her to her work, but he just had to stick his mouth in her business.. And now he was trapped...

"I don't know which one to pick daddy., will you help me...

'Here we go'... Was what crossed his mind.. He was doomed..

Picking a cloth like this was more like they were having a fashion parade.. She would test out every single thing until she got tired, and most times ends up picking the first outfit she tried..

"How about this one.. It was a blue gown with little yellow and brown flowers all over it.. It was quite pretty.. So she tried it on.. Looked at herself in the mirror..

" this one is really nice honey, let's go with this one.. He said giving her his loveliest smile...hoping she would say yes and end this fashion session..

" No.. I don't like this one, it makes me look like an old lady.. I'll try that one.. She pointed at a pink sweater and blue jeans...

"okay.., take this one off and try that one... She takes it off and slips on the Jean and sweater and looks at herself in the mirror...

" What do you say darling., this one's just... He was going to say perfect, but she didn't let him complete his sentence and cuts him off...

" No.. This jeans too big.. I don't want this one.. Let me try that one.. Oh dear God help me.., this child is going to kill me.. Nathan thought..

She changed from one dress to another, from one Trouser to another, tried on multiple skirts.. Making her father her judge on the outfits, but never listening to his opinion about them.. They went on changing cloths for an hour and thirty minutes.. And as usual, she ended up picking the blue flower patterned gown that once made her look like an old lady.., but somehow now she looked like a princess in it..

"I like this one.., it makes me look like a princess from barbie.. Was what she said.. Oh he wished he could just grab her by the shoulders and shake her really really hard..

" Daddy, come give me a bath.. She said running to the bathroom... "be careful honey, no running in the bathroom.. You could fall down.. He said standing up from his position on the floor, and running in after her.. He put her in the bathtub, washed her clean, shampooed her hair, and wrapped her in a towel.. He carried her into the room.. Dried her up.. Then dried her hair..

"hahaha... That tickles daddy.. She said as the heat from the air drier touched the back of her ears...

Being a single-dad, he had acquired a lot of skills over the years.. For one, he was sure nobody could beat him at diapers.. He was the best at changing and cleaning diapers., and as the girl grew older.., he'd learnt how to make her hair into different styles.. He could braid it., twist it., curl it., tie it up in a ponytail.. Anything at all.. He had gotten really good..

After he lost his wife., he had thought he would not be able to gain himself back again, but thanks be to God, here he was.. He could say he was a proud hairstylist..

He braided her hair., dressed her up and she wore her favorite pair of shoes.. He looked at her from head to toe after he was done.., and as always., he was wowed by his work..

"I think you have a very good stylist... He would say..

" The stylist might be good., but I think it's the model that is awesome.. Was always her reply...

Then they would go on arguing about who was better, and who's more important.., the stylist or the model...

This was his everyday life.. And he loved it.. He really couldn't ask for more from God...

Or could he??....