The next morning Anon pulled each of the girls for a special mission. A special mission so intense, so amazing, it required the utmost secrecy. A stealth mission if you will. One that would likely determine the future of the universe as a whole. So of course the question for such a task could only be
"So who wants to wrap presents first?" Anon asked
Adagio's hand blots up faster than the speed of light, willing to do anything so long as it meant not being separated from her daddy.
"Alright, Dagi is up first."
"Good luck." Aria said in a mocking tone
Adagio just ignored it as they both walked into the garage. Anon carefully pulled out Ari's presents from underneath the tarp and placed them on the ground.
"So which should we start first?"
"Hmmm..." Dagi thought "Let's go with the bear."
"Alright. Now watch and learn from your ole man."
Anon proceeds to wrap it, rather poorly, but wrapped it was. Dagi giggled at the sub par attempt.
"You're not very good at wrapping gifts are you daddy?"
"Well, I certainly never claimed I was perfect." Anon laughed "But if you think you can do so much better, lets see you do it."
A look of determination goes across her face along with a big smile.
"What do I get if I win?" she asked
"It's a contest is it?" Anon asked "Well, if you win then you get a kiss on the cheek, a hug and the pride of knowing you can do something your old man can't. And what if I win?"
"An even bigger hug."
"Seems fair enough to me." Anon laid the dress, already inside a box, in front of her "Do it. That is if you're brave enough."
"Oh I'm more than brave enough dad."
It was a relief to see her smile like that again. The fear had gone way down since the previous day. It was just nice to see her happy again. Dagi takes the wrapping paper and, to Anon's surprise, wrapped it as if she had done it a million times before. He had never seen someone wrap a present so well. She may as well have been professional.
"Well color me impressed."
Adagio holds out her cheek, tapping it with one finger
"Well?" she gloats "I'm waiting."
Anon kneels down and gives her a big hug and kiss on the cheek. They both walk back inside, not realizing just how color the garage was compared the house. The warm air felt wonderful. But it wasn't over for Anon.
"Aria. You're up."
She rolls her eyes.
"Fine, whatever."
Anon turns to Adagio, already starting to become anxious again.
"It will only be a few minutes alright? I promise I will be back as soon as possible. You can do this. Go play with Sonata till we finish."
She nods and goes over to Sonata, twirling her ponytail. She may as well be in her own world. If only he had half the imagination that little blue wonder did. She could make anything a game. Aria and Anon both walk into the garage to continue the next phase. Anon laid Dagi's presents out.
"Let's just leave the lip stick in the bag." Anon said "Would you like to wrap the shampoo or the hat?"
"Let's do the hat." she said, kneeling down
"Do you know how to wrap presents?"
"Of course I do. I'm ten years old, duh."
Anon giggled. As if being ten was qualification enough for gift wrapping. Quite the little know it all this ten year old. He watched as she tried. And failed. And tried. And tried. And tried. And failed each time. She was much less adept at this than her elder sister. Her wrapping style looked like some form of modern art.
"Need some help over ther-"
"No!" she snapped
Whoa. Touchy subject. But she kept trying. Again and again and again. If nothing else, this girl had strength of will in spades. Either that or stubbornness. In the meantime, Anon wrapped Adagio's shampoo. Fifteen minutes passed and she was still trying. He phrased his next sentence as gently as possible.
"Do you need some help?"
Aria slams the paper on the ground
"Why does this have to be so hard!?"
"Aria, relax. It's just wrapp-"
"SHUT UP!"
She storms out of the garage and slams the door with a loud bang that shook the walls. What the hell had gotten into her? This clearly wasn't about the wrapping. Anon took the liberty of wrapping the rest of her presents then went off to find Aria. Adagio and Sonata are at the table, their faces in shock. He could see the Aria hurricane knocked down a few objects along the way inside.
"What got into her?" Adagio asked
"I have no idea. Did you see where she ran off too?"
"Her room probably." Sonata suggested
Wonderful. Nothing better for an angry ten year old than to knock on her door. He went to her room and, very, very lightly, knocked on her door.
"Aria, may I come in?"
"NO!"
What was going on with everyone lately? Adagio was hyper anxious, Sonata was grumpy and temperamental, and even Aria was acting out. Could it be each of their siren selves were vying for control all at the same time.
"Come on Aria. The only way we're going to get through this is if we talk about it."
"GO AWAY!"
The door shook as Aria threw one of her pillows against it. Clearly he was getting no where with this. He would just have to give her some space to cool off. He just prayed that this wasn't a sign that the old Aria was making her way back. He decided instead to go check on Sonata now. Hopefully she was feeling better now that she had slept.
"How are you feeling today Sonata?"
She gave him a big hug and a nice smile.
"Great daddy!"
Well she certainly seemed in better spirits. Now for Adagio.
"How are the flashes doing? Any better?"
"Yes actually. I haven't had them since yesterday. Maybe it was just a one time thing."
"Good. I'm glad to hear that." he said "If you get anymore just tell me alright?"
"Right." Adagio said "So can you give me a hint about what presents I'm going to get?"
"Very funny, Adagio."
"Hey, it was worth a shot. You seem a bit stressed daddy."
"I suppose you could say that."
"What's going on? Maybe I can help."
What was she, a therapist? Not like it mattered. He wasn't about to burden his daughter with all that shit.
"You don't need to concern yourself with that Dagi. Just worry about yourself ok?"
"Well then, I am going to go check on Aria."
"Are you sure? I could't so much as knock on the door without being yelled at."
"I think I can handle it. Just watch."
Adagio walks down the hall to Aria's room and Anon watches from a safe distance, Sonata hugging his leg. There are a few yells but it quickly calms down. Anon and Sonata move closer to get a better look and after a while, the two sisters rejoin them.
"Alright Aria." Adagio said "Tell him what you told me."
Aria looks down at her feet and fiddles a bit.
"I... I'm sorry for yelling first. And also... I feel like..."
Adagio gives her a "go on, tell him!" kind of look and Aria stands up straight, looking Anon dead in the eye.
You see... I feel like... well... I feel like you don't pay enough attention to me! It feels like you only focus on Adagio and Sonata.. It's always Adagio this and don't be mean to Sonata that! what about me huh!? And then the moment we do spend time together all I can do is yell and... and..."
Aria suddenly gets tears in her eyes and she bites her lip. Anon felt his heart drop to his stomach.
"Shit. I'm sorry Aria. I'm so sorry. I'll tell you what: after we grab Sonata's presents let's just go and have a little you and me time ok? We could go watch a movie or something. Does that sound ok?"
She gives him a big hug, tears still running down her face. She really was a daddy's girl. She loved him very much.
"I'd love that dad. I'd love that."
"So that means that you're in charge of wrapping up Sonata's presents." he said, facing the orange haired girl "Are you ok with that Adagio?"
"You can count on me." Dagi said
She would make a great therapist when she grew up, that cheese puff. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
"We all good now Aria? If you have anything left to say, say it."
"Yeah, we're good. I think I overreacted a bit."
"If you're sure."
Having made amends, Anon walks out to the front porch, sitting down on one of the steps. New snow was beginning to fall, covering the ground in a fresh blanket of white and serenity. He hoped he was being a good parent. He couldn't bare the thought of one day becoming what his father was. It scared him every day, right down to his core. He did share half of his genetic code after all. The fact that Aria said she wasn't getting enough attention from him really shook him to the core. He knew it was irrational, but he just couldn't shake it. He would do anything to make sure his three little girls didn't hate him the way he hated his dad. He wanted them only to look at him with love in their eyes and happy memories. A hand presses against Anon's shoulder, making him jump. It's Ninja Adagio again, silent as a church mouse.
"Why are you out here in the cold by yourself dad?" She asked
"Don't worry about it Dagi." Anon said "I'm fine. Just enjoying the snowfall is all."
She took a seat beside him.
"Dad do I look dumb to you?"
Anon sat there with a confused look on his face
"No, not at all. Why would you ask me something like that?"
"Then why are you telling me such a blatant lie? Just tell me what's wrong."
"Just drop it Adagio."
"Nope. I'm not leaving till I get an answer."
Damn was this girl persistent.
"What is there too tell? I was just shaken up by my negligence of Aria."
"But there's more too it than that."
"You're reading too much into this."
"I bet I'm not."
He stops for a moment. Her empathetic powers were truly something.
"Well you got me. It is more than that. But you don't need to worry. I've got it perfectly within my control."
"But I want to hear it. If there is anyone who is mature enough to hear it, it's me."
Adagio: the woman who will never give up. Adagio 'where there's a will there's a way' Dazzle. Adagio 'girl of a million questions" Dazzle. All perfectly acceptable, take your pick.
"Since you're so eager to know, it's my dad." Anon explained "Let's just say we don't get along too well."
"Tell me about it."
"All you need to know is that my dad was not very nice to me. And when he dies, I won't be going to his funeral with fond memories, in fact I doubt I will be going at all. I get concerned sometimes that I'm following in his footsteps."
"Well I don't hate you. Nor does Sonata. And Aria certainly doesn't either."
"Not now maybe. I didn't hate my dad as much as I did from the beginning. It built overtime. I don't want to do to Aria what my father did to me."
"I doubt it you will. I can see you for how good you are. And Aria can too. Daddy you aren't perfect. But you're still amazing."
"You're sure about that?"
"More sure than anything else I've ever been."
Anon pulls his daughter close.
"Well I don't know about any of that stuff. But I know I love you Adagio."
"And I love you too. We all do. Please remember that?"
"I'll try sweetie. I'll try."