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"But Theo, she's too young to go. Can she just stay for, like, a few more months?" Philip pleaded, not ready to see his five year old, Alexandra, go off to preschool. She was sitting in the living room watching Dora on the couch and looking adorable as fuck as she did so.
"Pip, she's five. I think she's old enough to go to preschool." Theodosia said, clearly tired of Philip's overprotective bullshit. "Besides, she can't stay here forever."
"We can homeschool her or something. Just please don't make her go!"
"Philip, I have told you a million times, we can't do that."
"Why not. I can teach her and you can work. It can be a stay-at-home Dad situation."
"Yeah, I am not working harder than I already do." She checked the time on the stove, shocked when she saw it read 6:45.
"Philip, get in your car, you'll be late for work!" She exclaimed, practically pushing him out the door.
"I'll tell my boss I'll be late. They know I have a kid, they'll understand." Philip then closed the door as he went back inside. "If I have to let my kid go to school, I want to be there with her so I know she's safe."
"Fine." Theodosia said in a somewhat annoyed tone. "But if you get fired, the only one you can blame is yourself."
They went into the living room as Alexandra was still watching Dora intently. She was just, really focusing on it. Theodosia went to her, tapping her gently on the shoulder to get her attention. She looked up to her mother, dark hazel eyes wide and sparkling with joy.
"Hi, Mommy!" she said, her voice seeming like it could melt even the coldest hearts.
"Hi sweetie." Theodosia said, grabbing the TV remote without her seeing. "It's time to go to school."
"Aww, but Dowa was abowt to go to te mountains." She was clearly disappointed. Theodosia gave her a sympathetic look as she paused the recording if the episode.
"You can watch when you come home." She picked the small child up and set her down on the carpet. "Now get your backpack and lunch box and get in the car."
"Or we could stay home, finish the rest of her little show, and I can teach her he-"
"No, Philip." Theodosia interrupted her husband as she had clear disapproval of the idea. "We are not home schooling her."
Philip was disappointed, clearly not wanting to let her daughter go yet. But that was the kind of dad he was, and that wasn't going to change any time soon.
Alexandra grabbed her bags, which were expectedly Dora themed, and headed out the door. Theodosia got in the drivers seat and Philip got in the back with Alexandra. He always did this, not because needed to help her buckle herself into the car seat, she could do that on her own. He did it to make sure she was safe and that she wasn't alone. She loved playing with her father in the car, so Theodosia always agreed to drive.
They arrived at the small preschool and checked her in. When Alexandra had to say goodbye, she instantly hugged her father first. Philip picked her up and hugged her back like he was never going to let go. It took a while, but Theodosia finally got him to set her down, albeit reluctantly.
Philip and Theodosia got back in the car, Philip now driving because Alexandra was not in there with them.
"So, are you going to just finish your work from home?" Theodosia asked, realizing how late Philip was.
"Yeah, its not like anything important was happening anyways."
~~~~
When Alexandra came home with Theodosia, Philip picked her up and hugged the living daylights out of her. He didn't go to pick her up because he got too absorbed in his work.
"Hi, honey! How was school?"
"It was fun, Daddy! We played with toys an I learned how to cownt to twenty!" She answered, a bright smile in her freckled face and a playful glimmer in her eyes.
"Really? Did you make any knew friends?"
She nodded her head. "His name is James. He's weally nice and smart and funny. I'll show you him tomorrow, OK?"
"Alright, sweetheart. Now, do you want to see the rest of Dora?"
"Yeahyeahyeahyeahyeah!" She exclaimed, running to the couch and waiting for either one of her parents to turn on the TV. Theodosia turned it on, going to Recordings and resuming the episode she was previously watching. She watched two more episodes with her father, both of them falling asleep halfway in to the third one.