Work Text:
“Francine, please don’t touch those.” Baxter barely looked up from the wedding plan he was finishing up at his computer. His fingers had been flying across the keyboard to finalize what was going to fit the budget of the latest couple that called for his services. But a slice of his attention was on his eldest, who was messing with a meticulous arrangement of souvenirs on a shelf after she got bored of drawing for an hour.
Francine Kawelo-Ward threw her head back to look at Baxter. Those round, brown eyes held his gaze before she sighed and dropped her head. Defeat hung heavy on her shoulders as she dragged herself away from the shelf to complain. “But it’s so booooring!” Frankie raced up to the side of Baxter’s desk and nearly collided with it with how fast she had gone. Now standing still, she rested at the edge of it with her arms tucked underneath her chin. “You said you’d be done hours ago!”
The edge of Baxter’s lip curved up in a small, amused smile, “You’re exaggerating. We’ve only been here for about an hour and a half.” He tapped away at another line on the excel sheet before switching tabs to check if he had received any reply from the venue owner. “I said I’d be done after lunch, darling. I have a meeting scheduled in about thirty minutes that will last about an hour. Afterwards, we may leave.”
An hour more with nothing to do was not what Frankie wanted to hear. Another sigh left her lips and she began to blubber on, “But that’s gonna take so long still.” She whined. “Can’t mama pick me up?” Frankie begged, hoping in vain that Baxter would say yes and bring her to the car and thus to freedom.
“I already told you. I’m afraid not,” Baxter was firm about that. Because Lavender was busy and he couldn’t spend an hour’s drive to shuttle Frankie to where Lavender’s mothers were with Daisy. His meeting unfortunately took priority this early morning. “You’ll just have to wait out the hours, I’m sorry Francine.” He met her eyes with that soft, paternal love that told her that he would’ve given her the world if it was possible.
That look melted Frankie and she sighed. Her expression fell and she hid that fall in the tuck of her arms before grumbling. “Mhnnnnnnn.” Understanding was laced in that grumble. Yet her irritation was clear. Frankie lifted her head, blowing a raspberry at nothing as she stalked away to some corner of Baxter’s office. Her arms swung back and forth as she walked in slow swings with her back bent in defeat. “I wish school wasn’t cancelled. Then I could’ve been doing somethin’ at least…”
The defeat in her voice struck Baxter’s heart, “I know Francine. I apologize.” It wasn’t fair to Frankie that she was stuck here. She was even excited to go to school today. Baxter remembers her chattering in the backseat as he weaved the family car through the streets and listened along to Frankie and Rayland belting out the song on the radio.
But that call changed everything. Right as he began to pull into a parking space, Baxter’s phone buzzed. A sick teacher, classes cancelled, and a mountain of apologies rained down on his ear then. And after a polite goodbye, Baxter realized the truth: he couldn’t drive Frankie back to where Daisy was with Lavender’s mothers. So he had to take her to work for the day after he dropped off Rayland at daycare.
And there in Baxter’s office Frankie had stayed. She was so close to freedom if she could wait for lunch to pass. But a child’s patience is thin, especially when that child is trapped in the mundane world of an adult. And for energetic and playful Frankie, it had run out rather fast.
Baxter could see Frankie slumped in the corner plush chair, her legs kicking back and forth in an attempt to do something other than stand still. Every now and then, she’d reach out to touch something and then stop with a tiny sigh. It aches to see her like this, so Baxter stands up and begins to walk over. “If it’ll make you feel better, we can compromise.” Baxter started.
“Compromise?” Frankie’s brows furrowed together as she worked her brain to figure out the meaning of the word “What’s that? Something fancy?”
Baxter chuckled, “Not fancy.” He crouched in front of Frankie and looked on at her softly. “It just means that you and I are at an impasse. Our situation is less than ideal with no immediate solution. You want something to do right?”
Frankie nodded.
“And I wish for my things to not be touched.”
Frankie giggled, bounced in place, and nodded again.
“So, let’s put it this way. If you stay still for the remainder of my work…" Frankie grumbled at the thought of agreeing to do that, throwing her head back for dramatic effect.
Baxter waited for Frankie to be done before delivering the bait to the fish before him, “Then you may choose where we eat for lunch.”
Frankie gasped and shot up in excitement. Gone was her grumbling, cast aside in place of excited cheers. “With dessert!” She even pumps both fists up in glee while whooping happily.
“With dessert,” Baxter agrees without any fuss. “I’m sure you have a few ideas in mind for somewhere fun to eat.” He adds on cheerfully.
“Burger King!”
Baxter sighed. He walked right into that one. Lavender would raise an eyebrow at another fast food dine so soon for one of their children, but he was sure she’d understand. “Burger King it is. It’s a promise.”
“Yay!”
The promise of eating somewhere she had chosen kept Frankie still enough for Baxter to focus on the meeting ahead. Even in her stillness though, she swayed unconsciously from side to side. And from time to time, Baxter even noticed her being lured by the temptation to touch one of his items, boredom having seized her. That temptation disappeared quickly however, as he could visibly see her thinking and then salivating at the thought of Burger King.
And when the call came that his clients were here, he allowed them entrance. Frankie immediately knew what to do, which was to stay still, keep quiet, and be polite if greeted. “Yessir!”
Baxter chuckled softly to himself. On his way to the door, he reached out to pat Frankie’s head full of light gray curls. “Thank you. I know today hasn’t gone your way. But I really appreciate your patience.”
Frankie leaned into the gentle affection. “Mhmhm! Course.” She reached up to pat at the hand Baxter placed and giggled, smushing the hand tighter atop her soft head.
In response, Baxter only ruffled her hair some more. “I assume that you haven’t become more patient simply because we’re going to Burger King hm?” He teases.
“Nope! Promise. Cross my heart,” Frankie gives Baxter’s hand a few more pats before letting it go.
“Mhmhm. I love you Francine, stay still.”
“I love you too dad!”
Baxter let the couple in and they were still a pair. Still excited to get married and still very much clearly in love. Holding hands, shushing each other and stealing sweet nothings in whispers. They greeted Frankie on their way in, who gave them a cute and energetic salute before returning to her peaceful silence.
Baxter smiled at the sight before clearing his throat and returning to a more professional and leveled tone, “Thank you both for coming.”
“We’re happy to be here!” Lucy, the bride to be, exclaimed happily.
Her soon to be husband, Will, had an equally sounding voice as he smiled at Baxter, “Thank you for taking the time.”
Baxter’s smile stayed wide. “It’s really no problem.” Without much more fuss, he tapped at his keyboard to bring up the full plan and address the problem that they would face together. “But while I’ve secured your venue, I believe there is the matter of the cake.”
“What do you mean? What’s wrong with the cake?” Lucy asked, immediately worried that something had gone wrong in planning her and her husband’s treasured day.
Baxter put a hand up to soothe Lucy’s worry, “It’s nothing to worry about. Rather, it’s just about the actual cake itself. I still don’t know what is to be decided on that.” Baxter admits. “Chocolate? Vanilla? Caramel?” He suggested.
The answers Baxter received were not good. Both spoke at the same time and both overlapped immediately. Lucy wanted vanilla and Will wanted chocolate. The looks they immediately shot at each other told Baxter enough. They hadn’t worked it out beforehand and had tried, only to end up at the impasse they were currently at.
Baxter braced himself. He knew what was coming and already was trying to form solutions before things turned argumentative in front of his child. “If I may-” But he was cut off immediately by Lucy’s soft coo.
“Baby… We talked about this.”
Will rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, “I just prefer the taste of chocolate.”
“But vanilla’s gonna look nicer and taste better!”
Immediately it was a dispute. It wasn’t an argument, but it was something Baxter didn’t want happening in front of Frankie. He looked over to her and met her eyes with a creased look. He mouthed an apology to her that she gave a thumbs up to before focusing on his clients. “If I may, maybe you could come to an agreement?”
“The cake is the most important part though!” Lucy exclaimed, ignoring Baxter completely and addressing her lover.
“Which is why the taste of it should be more important,” Will argued for his case. “Which is why I say we should have chocolate.”
“But what about the look? I don’t want chocolate for the outer look. The look of it is what matters.”
Baxter sighed. It seemed like there was no end to these two lost in their perfect vision for the cake. He was about to cut in when a small voice cut through in his place, “What about compromise?” The room went silent and all three adults turned to stare at the source of the voice.
The words had come out of Frankie unbidden. She blinked at all of them with her head tilted and her legs swinging at the edge of the chair. And now with all their attention on her, Frankie’s look proudly and loudly said “well it’s obvious what the solution is.”
“I apologize,” Baxter stood and turned to Frankie. “Francine please-”
“Maybe you guys can compromise. Like one will be the frosting and the other the cake!” Frankie’s innocent exclamation came and it kept the office silent.
Baxter had to think. It was a rather simple solution, but it was one Baxter failed to consider in the heat of the moment. “Hrm. Would that work?” He turned back to Lucy and Will and straightened out his collar. “If the matter is about the looks, then vanilla can be the outer while chocolate can be the interior.” He turned to address Lucy specifically with a small, warm smile. “I suppose that you don’t mind the taste of chocolate miss?”
Lucy clearly was not expecting the day to go like this. She looked on in surprise, her lips pursed before breaking into a tiny and sheepish smile as she nodded along happily. “I… Yes, I don’t mind at all. That would actually work wonderfully.” She looked at Will and looked on fondly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to start something.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Baxter could see Frankie victoriously pumping her fist behind Will and Lucy. From how excitedly she was moving, she hadn’t realized that Baxter had noticed her or even that she had moved despite being told to stay still. But Baxter didn’t care, he was too proud to even think of telling her to sit still.
“Wonderful,” Baxter clapped his hands together. “I can contact Xavier and have your cake start getting made.” The rest of the meeting progressed smoothly and the two even thanked Frankie personally, who giggled at being thanked for an adult job, but looked proud nonetheless.
Now left alone, Baxter went over to Frankie. With just her and her father in the room, she couldn’t help but be a bit more reluctant. “You’re not mad that I interrupted your fancy meeting right?” She was sure he wasn’t but there was that lingering fear there that maybe she misspoke.
Baxter took a moment before he answered by reaching down and lifting Frankie in his arms. She yelped in surprise but let the carry happen as she adjusted to be comfortable in his hold. “Daddd!” She kicked her legs and giggled again, reaching up to steady herself on his collarbones.
Baxter took a long, long moment to stare at this bundle of joy in his arms. He really couldn’t help but smile wide, pure and honest love bleeding into his voice. “How could I be mad when you helped?” He pulled her in and hugged her tight, relishing the warmth of his own as he huffed. “You really are quite smart. I’m glad you were here.”
Another giggle fell free from Frankie’s lips and she slipped her arms around his waist and squeezed him tight in return. The force of her hug was strong enough that Baxter felt a slight pressure on his ribs. “You taught me to compromise!” She shot back as she was set down.
“While that may be true, you demonstrated it in full.” Baxter went back around to check over the last of his work before finally leaving with Frankie. “And to hold up my end of the bargain…” He trailed off brightly.
“Burger King!” Frankie pumped her fists and bounced along the way as she held Baxter’s hand tight while they walked out. Right into the soft brush of cool and crisp air, and warmed by the sun shining against the afternoon sky.
Both father and daughter got into the car. Baxter watched Frankie in the backseat after turning the car on. She was pulling and tugging on her seatbelt, tongue stuck out in concentration as she yanked at it hard enough to nearly pull it off until it clicked into place. “What a wonder you are, Francine,” Just like the words that slipped out of Frankie’s mouth during his meeting, these honest and loving words came unbidden.
Frankie smiled, a full toothed smile that she flashed happily. “I’ll be even more of a wonder when I get that hat!”
“The… crown?” Baxter realized after a moment of thought. “Again?” He looked on incredulously at Frankie. “You do remember losing the last one right?”
“Yeah but this one’s got a new design!” Frankie says matter of factly, kicking her legs and whooping again as Baxter rolled them out of the parking lot.
Baxter chuckled. “So long as I get one too.” He’d certainly have quite the story to tell Lavender later. Alongside a paper crown that he’d place on his shelf of souvenirs at work.