A special bond

One afternoon, after finishing (early, for once!) his mayoral duties, Nicholas McFarlane was quite happily looking at his planisphere and planning that night’s observation session. The day had been clear, so he hoped to be able to enjoy a night of astronomy, one of his greatest passions. The Sylvanian night sky is quite rich in asterisms and constellations!

As he was doing so, he heard a noise behind him, and when he turned round he saw young Coco Chocolate, son of his friends Frasier and Teri, who where temporarily residing in his home.
“Ah!” exclaimed Coco. “Please forgive me, Mr McFarlane. I had no idea you were… Oh! Are you using your telescope?”
“I was planning to use it tonight” smiled Nicholas. “Would you like to see how it works?”
“I’d love to!” said Coco, smiling enthusiastically. He had been curious about the telescope ever since the first time he saw it in the McFarlane’s balcony.
And so, the two spent an enjoyable afternoon together as Nicholas showed Coco how the device worked and explained what kind of space objects they would be able to see that night. No one in his family shared his interest in astronomy, so he was quite happy to be able to talk about it which such an enthusiastic young man.

When nightfall came at last, the pair enjoyed the observation session until poor Coco could no longer keep his eyes open. Luckily, there was no school the following morning!

Back at her room, Nicholas’ daughter, Annabelle, could hear them chattering away…

Some days after that, Elizabeth McFarlane, Nicholas' wife, was enjoying her garden while watching her youngest, Albie, who was happily playing in his swing. After happily watering and taking care of her plans, Elizabeth sat down on the garden bench, decided to enjoy the sun while she read “Wild Flowers & Trees from Sylvania”, the book her friends the Chocolates had given her as a present.

It was no long after that her husband Nicholas and young Coco Chocolate appeared, tripod and camera on hand. After greeting her they set everything up, ready to take some pictures of the garden under the sunlight, and Elizabeth smiled as her husband explained how each button and option worked to the young boy. The two had been spending quite a lot of time together lately, and she only hoped that Albie would have a similar relationship with his father when he grew up. Coco was full of curiosity, and marvelled at every one of the devices Nicholas had for his hobbies.

Their daughter Annabelle showed up just then, holding her doll. Nicholas smiled brightly at her.
“Honey, you are just in time! Coco and I have been setting up the camera. Would you pose for a picture?”
Instead of happily smiling and agreeing, as she would have usually done, Annabelle gritted her teeth, her features tensing, and quickly turned around and went back into the house without saying a word. Everyone was left speechless, as that was so unlike her.
“What… what happened, Mr McFarlane? Is she mad?” asked Coco, quite worriedly.
Elizabeth and Nicholas looked at each other, the latter with a slightly guilty expression. They both knew their daughter well, and could guess at what was in her mind. She was probably jealous of all the time Nicholas was spending with Coco lately.
“Ill go talk to her” said Nicholas quietly, but Elizabeth shook her head and stood up.
“I’ll go. You stay with Coco and keep at what you were doing. I’m sure she’ll be right as rain tomorrow”.
Nicholas sighed and agreed. It was probably better if Elizabeth went at that moment. Nevertheless, he still wanted to do something…
--

The following morning, when she came down to the living room, early as usual, Annabelle saw that the table was already set for two. She was a bit confused…

When she went into the kitchen, she saw her father, wooden spatula on hand, smiling brightly at her.
“Daddy…?”
“Good morning, sunshine!” said Nicholas. “I was thinking that it has been a while since we last made our special pancakes together. Would you like to help me?”
Annabelle’s eyes lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically, feeling quite happy. Her father’s pancakes were the best, and only she could help him prepare them! Not even her mother was allowed to do so, only Annabelle.

“Of course!” she said, running to the fridge and opening it. “Milk, eggs, butter…”
After getting all necessary ingredients, she took them to her father, who started preparing the pancake mix while happily whistling.

It was not long before the first pancake was almost ready in the pan! Everyone in Arcfield loved Nicholas’ pancakes, and some neighbours sometimes joked saying that instead of electing him mayor, they should have told him to open a pancake restaurant!

 While her father prepared his delicious pancakes, Annabelle began preparing the toppings with fresh whipped cream and delicious fruit and berries.
Everything was soon ready, and the two sat down to have a wonderful breakfast together. Annabelle had been all smiles the whole time, but as Nicholas was getting ready to eat, she suddenly went a little quiet.

“Daddy… I know why you did this. I am sorry that I behaved as I did yesterday. You and Coco didn’t do anything wrong”.
She seemed sad and apologetic, and Nicholas smiled softly and warmly at her.
“I’m sorry if I made you feel bad, honey. It is true that it had been a while since we had done anything together. But you are my only daughter, and most special to me. You know that, right?”
“Of course I do! And I understand… I get that you would be happy to spend time with someone who likes the same things you do. And I do like Coco as well…”
“So, are we good?” smiled Nicholas.
“Sure!” Annabelle beamed back at him.
And just like that, all was well between them once again.

Then, they heard footsteps coming down the stairs. It was Coco and Freya, surely lured out of bed by the wonderful smell coming out from the kitchen.
“Pancakes!” exclaimed Coco, and Mr McFarlane smiled and invited them to sit down.

The four of them were finally able to enjoy a joyful and delicious breakfast! No salt in the coffee this time, luckily! :D
—

Some time later, as Annabelle was out in the garden, she felt a presence behind her…

And when she turned around, she saw Coco, holding a flower and blushing slightly.
“Umm… Annabelle, I am not sure if I did anything wrong, but you seemed upset yesterday, so… This is for you”.

He held the flower for her to take, which Annabelle did, smiling a little, and deciding not to comment on the fact that he seemed to have taken it from her mother’s flowerbed just behind him.
“Oh, please don’t worry Coco, you did nothing wrong” she said, and then smiled shyly at him. “And… thank you!”

It is the thought that counts after all. :)