"No, Daddy! Mr. Glitter!"

Simon seemed to be ready for a lot before he became a father. When you showed him the test with a trembling hand and a wide smile, everything inside him turned over, and then lined up into a solid core. He won't just be a man, a soldier, a husband. He's going to be a father. He will have a great responsibility for this little human being, who a will see him as their role model.

And everything was going well. The newborn stage was difficult, but you synchronized and made it work. Night feedings, diaper changes, evening bathing. Simon went through all this steadfastly, not as if doing another task, but enjoying the process, learning from his every move and his daughter's response.

And then came the toddler stage. And Sophie had it.… in an interesting way.

"Sorry, munchkin', Daddy almost forgot Mr. Glitter." Simon said, and placed a pink-coloured stone on the bed next to his daughter.

A bloody stone.

Sophie found it in the driveway a couple of months ago, and from that day on, she refused to part with it. The two-year-old girl took care of it – she washed it, put to bed, shared her own food, imagining that it could really eat.

"Why couldn't she just choose a doll, luv?"

"I don't know. Maybe that's how she learns to take care of something?"

"Of a decorated stone? Bloody hell..."

Simon really couldn't figure out what his daughter found in this piece of rock. But he, being a caring father, didn't object, but only played along, not forgetting to place the stone into his daughter's bed, and also to take it with him on all walks with the two-year-old.

After Sophie fell asleep, your bedroom door opened and closed softly. And Simon sighed wearily and reported to you like a soldier about a successful mission.

"She's out. And... the stone too."