First off, coin. He needed plenty of coin.
Being a single father was not easy. He couldn't just abandon her for seven hours, do mercenary work, and come back. Phoebe was three years old for god's sake.
Over the past couple years, when something did come and he needed money, it was Mrs. Cresswell that took care of Phoebe. But now, she was sick and in no condition to do it. Phoebe was not a troublemaker per say. To say she wouldn't run off at the drop of a hat was also foolish.
Kids weren't machines that obeyed the parents' every order. As much as people wished they were all rainbows and sunshine, they weren't.
So who in his circle of friends could take care of Phoebe?
'Scratch that, who did I have left in my circle of friends?'
The consequences of raising a child alone: the total collapse of your social life. Especially those first two years…
God.
Leo sat at the front counter on a stool. No customers, only his own thoughts.
"Have no idea what happened to Joshua, especially because of the war…Lucius…maybe? He's a Numbered, he's too busy. The last time I talked to either of them was…"
He glanced over at Phoebe. "...when she was born."
Okay, so friendship aside, what did he have? He was pretty strong—really, really strong. But strength meant nothing.
"Not when I'm still in the middle of potty training her..."
He sighed and folded his hands over his face.
Arcadia Academy was regarded as the second best in the Great Afterlife. Fresh off the Second Heavenly War, he was sure students were attending in heaps. Shit, if he was hearing right from his customers, there was a baby boom going on. People were acting like damn bunnies to celebrate the end of the Second Heavenly War.
He was aware there was an entrance exam, a deposit, two semesters, and, uh…what else? Damn, he really had to do some research.
He clapped his hands together. "Phoebe!"
His daughter stood on the stool across from him and saluted. "Aye, aye, sir!"
"Any ideas?"
"About what, sir?"
"I need to go somewhere and so I need you to stay with someone!"
"What about Mrs. Cresswell, sir?"
"Nice try, young lady, I won't fall for that. You're going to go and buy candies when she's sleeping. The store owner told me."
"Aw…" His cute daughter pouted and sat right back down. "It's not fair!"
"You took money from the register."
"...it was only one coin."
"A gold coin."
She mumbled her complaints. See, here was the thing with kids. As cute as they could be, that cuteness was but a layer hiding their fiendish side. Look at her, pretending that this was okay. Leo snickered.
"Say, I remember you mentioning you wanted to have a sleepover?"
"Yes! With Mananan! I wanna, I wanna, I wanna!"
That was one of her friends at the park. One of the reasons he never had her ever sleepover with other parents was because the park he took her to was what some might call the "rich" part of the realm.
"Hm…"
"Pleeeease."
"We gotta plan first." He put his crossed and on the counter. "Phoebe, remember that one lady with the gold bracelet? Her husband is a merchant, I believe."
"Should we steal!?"
"Uh, no, no stealing. I meant you should cozy up with them. Consider it a mission—"
Her eyes sparkled. "A mission!?"
"Heh." He shrugged, smirking. "Who knows? Maybe someday we can get something out of them."
"Sir, yes, sir."
His daughter saluted him. He saluted back. His daughter was smarter than any other three year old in the world. She didn't understand the stakes but she did understand the game and how to play it.
****
The park in the Skia, in the Dark Sector, was always cloaked in twilight. Here, the stars were as clear as they could be, a blanket of darkness painted with countless stars. They scattered like diamonds across the blackened sky. Lanterns hung from wrought iron posts, casting pools of silvery light along the cobblestone paths that wound through the park.
Leo walked beside Phoebe, his mismatched eyes flicking down to her every so often. She was clutching her stuffed rabbit with one arm, her other hand firmly gripping his. Her pigtails bounced as she skipped along,
"Ooh, butterflies!" Phoebe pointed toward a group of glowing butterflies flitting near a bench.
"They're pretty," Leo said, slowing his pace to let her watch.
"Do you think I could catch one?" she asked, wide-eyed.
"Probably not," he replied with a small smile. "They're tricky little things."
"You underestimate my power!"
"...I think you've been reading too much Star Wars."
"They're awesome novels aaaand," she drawed out, "you told me to read as much as I can. So win-win-win!"
"That's one too many wins. Keep reading."
They neared the fountain at the park's center. Leo glanced around. 'Where is she, where is she…there!'
Mananan, the eight-year with bobbed black hair and a permanent frown. The only time she smiled was…
"Mananan!"
…when Phoebe was around. Children's friendship's were not to be underestimated. Manaman went from a scowling little girl to a bright little thing. They were giddy upon seeing each other, brimming and bright, and the two went on to resume an activity that had been doing during their last play session—that being catching butterflies.