Alexander hid a smile behind his hand as the little girl shook Juliette’s hand. Juliette for her part looked bewildered, but went along with it. As Serena – that was the name she’d given as she shook Juliette’s hand – asked how old his daughter was, Alexander couldn’t hide his smile any longer. Hazel eyes sparkled in amusement as he prepared to answer the child, but was interrupted when another man approached. Alexander frowned slightly at the scolding tone, but he could understand where he was coming from as Serena pouted at him.
“Not at all,” Alexander said gently, offering a small smile as he stepped off the springy ride, scooping up Juliette before she got more than a few steps in her attempt to re-join her new friend. Juliette made a very vocal sound of anger before Alexander sighed and put her down again, not wanting the toddler to go into full tantrum mode over something as simple as being allowed to toddle after another child. He frowned in exasperation as the little girl closed the distance between them and took Serena’s hand again. She shook it like Serena had just done with her, and babbled in her baby language.
“Juliette is a little more than one,” he told the other girl, as Juliette raised her arms demanding to be picked up by Serena. Alexander sighed and scrunched up his nose. “She wants you to pick her up,” he said gently, “But I would prefer if you didn’t.” He was sure the girl was probably strong enough to pick up the baby, but he didn’t want Juliette to wriggle and end up getting dropped. She was a sturdy kid, but the idea still made Alexander anxious. Bad enough she was climbing out of her cot; she didn’t need help getting into compromising positions where she could hurt herself.
“Not at all,” Alexander said gently, offering a small smile as he stepped off the springy ride, scooping up Juliette before she got more than a few steps in her attempt to re-join her new friend. Juliette made a very vocal sound of anger before Alexander sighed and put her down again, not wanting the toddler to go into full tantrum mode over something as simple as being allowed to toddle after another child. He frowned in exasperation as the little girl closed the distance between them and took Serena’s hand again. She shook it like Serena had just done with her, and babbled in her baby language.
“Juliette is a little more than one,” he told the other girl, as Juliette raised her arms demanding to be picked up by Serena. Alexander sighed and scrunched up his nose. “She wants you to pick her up,” he said gently, “But I would prefer if you didn’t.” He was sure the girl was probably strong enough to pick up the baby, but he didn’t want Juliette to wriggle and end up getting dropped. She was a sturdy kid, but the idea still made Alexander anxious. Bad enough she was climbing out of her cot; she didn’t need help getting into compromising positions where she could hurt herself.
