Father's First Gift

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Nacht felt like a headless chicken, running around with no sense of direction. All he really had at the moment was the sense of panic and fear.

Barely into a month of being a parent and he’d already failed the job. Nacht had brought Sterling along when he went out to run errands, hoping to get some father-daughter bonding time. He’d been careless though. Rather than keeping a hand on Sterling so she wouldn’t get lost, Nacht had naively trusted Sterling when she said she’d hold onto his cloak to follow him.

What a fool I was, not considering that she might lose her grip. Or what if someone snatched her away?! Nacht thought as he raced down the row of vendors he and Sterling had been down earlier. Josele can forgive a lot but I think this might be the final straw!

The search continued on a larger street with proper buildings for shops. Nacht turned his head every which way. 

Just as he was about to give him, he spotted it. Sterling’s deep red locks and the pitch black ribbons she used to accent her braids.

“Sterling!” Nacht exclaimed as he rushed over to his daughter. He immediately scooped up the girl in an embrace and kissed her forehead. “There you are! You had me so worried!” He ended the hug and ran a hand over Sterling’s hair and searched her face.

Sterling’s eyes were tight and full of tears. Her lip quivered for a moment. And then she burst out bawling.

“I’m sorry, Father! Sorry!” she blubbered. “I’m a bad daughter! I let go of you when I said I’d hold on! I’m sorryyyyyy!”

“Wha—? No no no no!” Nacht said while setting down his daughter. “You weren’t bad. I was being a bad father because I wasn’t paying attention to you…” He pet Sterling on the head to soothe her. “Shh shh… Father forgives you, little starling.” Nacht pulled out a handkerchief and wiped Sterling’s tears. “You’re okay. And I’m sorry for losing you…”

It took another minute for Sterling’s tears to dry. Once they did, Nacht asked what Sterling had been looking at. Sterling pointed at the window of the store they were in front of. Inside, painted wooden figures and fluffy stuffed toys were displayed.

“They look so nice…” Sterling murmured, not looking Nacht in the eye. “Can I look a little longer, Father, please?”

“You can do more than look, Sterling. I may not be rich like Miss Noelle, but I can spare a few yul for you.” Nacht’s heart squeezed with delight at the hopeful glimmer that showed up in Sterling’s eyes. “But, because you and I can only carry so much, and we still need to run our errands, we can’t get anything too big.”

“Okay then!” Sterling nodded.

“Now…” Nacht picked up Sterling in his arms. Sterling wrapped her arms around his neck to keep steady as she was lifted up. “Time for you to pick out something nice!”

Nacht and Sterling returned home with full arms. Nacht had bags stuffed with groceries and other house necessities hanging from his elbows and hands. And Sterling’s arms were occupied with a single stuffed toy, an ash brown fox plush with a sky blue ribbon around the neck and base of the tail.

Josele saw the goods that were brought in and giggled. She knelt in front of Sterling and said, “Looks like Father spoiled you today.”

“Mhm!” Sterling nuzzled her face against her new toy. Then, she hugged one of Nacht’s legs. “Thanks Father!”

“You’re very welcome, little starling.”

…

Nacht paused outside of Sterling’s room. The door was wide open, giving him a view of what was inside. The scene inside was Sterling, lazily draped across her bed after a long day of organizing and book-keeping at work. Although her limbs seemed unceremoniously spread out, her left arm was deliberately stretched towards her pillow.

Or rather, to the ash brown fox plush that sat right beside it.

Nacht walked to Sterling’s bed and moved the plush just enough that it brushed against Sterling’s hand. Instinctively, the young woman grasped the toy and pulled it to her chest.