All characters are fictional, 18+, and unrelated.
Heavy rain was hitting the roof, and streetlights made scary shadows of tree branches through the bedroom window. Lightning pierced the dark sky, and a crash of thunder shook the house. Veronica wrapped her fuzzy blankie over her body and grabbed her elephant stuffie named Elefante. She nuzzled into the pillows and closed her eyes. She remembered that Marc, her daddy, told her to count between the lightning and thunder to see how far away it is.
"One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi.." She counted quietly.
Another boom rattled the walls and Veronica jumped up in the bed. She placed her hand over her chest and felt her heart racing, she took deep breaths in and out to calm herself down. Since she was a little girl she's always been afraid of thunderstorms and thought by now, in her mid 20's, she wouldn't be scared anymore. The only thing that would bring her peace during a storm is being comforted in her daddy's arms. Veronica grabbed her phone off the nightstand and tapped the screen, it was 1:30am. Marc would be coming home from work any minute. She unlocked her phone and went to his contacts to send him a message, but then she received an incoming call from him. The phone didn't have a chance to ring because she answered it so quickly.
"Daddy!" She squealed.
"Hey princess, I figured you were probably up because of the storm. Are you doing ok?" He asked.
The bass in his voice always turned her on no matter the situation. She thought about when he whispered in her ear and told her how she's such a good girl.
"I'm scared Daddy! I wish you were home now." She whimpered.
"Well baby, I'm actually pulling up in the driveway right now. Do you want to greet me at the door?"
"Yes daddy I'll be right there!"
Veronica hung up the phone and got out of bed. She put on her ducky slippers and walked down the dark hallway with Elefante and her blankie. She traced her hand along the wall and with each step the floors creaked and groaned under her. The lightning lit up the hallway which made her stop in her tracks.
This is so scary, I'll wait for him here... She thought.
She crouched down on the floor and buried her face into Elefante preparing for the loud boom, but instead was a low rumble. A couple minutes later the front door swung open and Marc came running in soaking wet. He set his duffle bag down and hung up his jacket and took off his boots.
"Whew, shit." He said under his breath.
"Hey! No bad words daddy!" Veronica yelled.
"Princess? Where are you?" He called back.
"I'm in the hallway!"
"Hold on sweetheart, let me turn on the light."
He walked over to the wall almost tripping on the box of markers and crayons Veronica left out earlier that day. He flipped the light switch on and saw her sitting on the floor holding onto Elefante and her blankie. He knelt down in front of her and gave her a kiss on the lips.
"I'm so happy to see you sweetheart, did Elefante keep you company?" He said and gave her another kiss on the lips.
"Hmm, kind of, but Elefante is scared of storms too! She wasn't that much help."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know Elefante was scared of storms too. Just know that you two are safe!" He took Elefante's trunk and raised it in the air.
Veronica giggled and intimated an elephant trunk with her arm.