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"Daddy." Lola shook Ians shoulder.
"Daddy, come on, get up," she yanked on the blanket he had covering him. Ian stirred a little, cracking one eye open.
"Mmm?"
"You said, Daddy, you said today." Her voice was no more that a shrill whisper, knowing he would be grumpy with her if she screeched like she usually did. He opened both eyes and stared at her; confused and groggy, he didn't have a clue what she was talking about but she was pulling at him because he'd obviously made her a promise and she never forgot a promise.
He crawled out of bed, stretching and yawning, conscious of Lola trying to coax him along a little faster tugging on his hand and pulling on his shorts.
"Come on, Daddy." Lola whined.
"Lola, what are we… What's today?" He asked rubbing his eyes. Her face dropped in horror before she started to near enough climb him using his arm and shoulders as leverage, only when her face was pushed up against his, their noses touching.
"The tree." Like it was the most wondrous thing in the world. It finally clicked in his head. The tree.
"Oh, the tree…alright."
Ian went and dragged the tree out of its hiding place in the attic, Lola squealing below at the sight of a branch, tiny hands pulling at the box as soon as she could reach even though she couldn't move it much; she delighted even more when Ian hauled the tree up onto his shoulder and miraculously scooped her up with the other arm.
So strong, daddy!" Both hands wrapped around his bicep and squeezed, he could only snicker at her.
They spent an hour putting the tree together, fluffing it up so it was bushy, Lola giggling at the way it scratched her arms and made her itch, she chased Ian around it still half built threatening to tickle him with the branch she was fluffing. And then it was done, stood proud; a little slanted in the middle of the room ready to be decorated and put into position. Ian tested the lights, made sure all the bulbs still worked, made sure they all flashed brightly in all the colours of the rainbow and then they ducked and weaved making sure the wires were tucked in but leaving the lights in full view. Lola clapped happily all but screaming about how pretty it was.
"Alright, how about pancakes and then we'll decorate it, huh?" The kid was obsessed with pancakes. He marvelled at how this little, tiny, scrawny thing could shovel down so much food; that she got from her dad, four pancakes. He could barely manage three himself.
Lola careened into the room carrying a bag of baubles and lamenta and ornaments almost crashing into Ian in her haste.
"Alright, you start at the bottom, i'll do the top. Okay?"
"Don't do the star!" She screeched making him wince.
"The star is left for the smallest person in the house to put on top, I know," she nodded, hair bouncing, but she was hardly listening. Too busy finding the perfect branch for each decoration, tongue poking out of the side of her mouth as she concentrated and ran around the tree. When it was time for the lamenta she demanded to be picked up so she could shake it all over, it was red and silver and glittery and when the light caught it just right, it was perfect.
Ian stood back and looked at their work, he felt like a child, not much older than she was but it looked good. Lola was squirming in his arms in glee.
"Ready for the star." She whispered.
"Hold it tight, it's heavy." Her head bobbed as she gripped it until her knuckles were white. He swept her up to the top of the tree and she placed it carefully making sure it was sturdy, letting go slowly.
"Done!" The grin reached her ears as Ian settled her on his hip and she pressed her face into his neck, hair covering his back. They heard heavy feet plodding down the stairs and turned towards the source, Mickey still half asleep and mostly naked. He stopped at the bottom and looked it up and down.
"Did a fuckin' fairy throw up in here?" He grouched. Lolas face screwed up in disdain.
She didn't hesitate to throw a shoe at his head.