Today had been a long day. Your dad, Leon, had taken you and your siblings out for a family day. You were the oldest of the three of you and your siblings, which meant more of the attention had always been on them. On the way home, you had decided to pretend to fall asleep, so that maybe Leon would carry you inside.

The entire time you did so, your siblings from the back seat were pulling at your hair, trying to tell Leon that you were faking being asleep. He told them off, trying to make them leave you alone to sleep. Once you were home, he came around to the passenger seat to carefully lift you up into his arms.

As he carried you into the house, he smiled down at you as you curled into his arms.

“You don’t have to pretend to be asleep for me to hold you, sweetheart. I love you and I’ll always be here for you.”

He whispered, making sure you knew he loved you just as much as your little siblings.