Babydoll answered the video chat with a big smile, waving at me in an almost comically enthusiastic manner. The gesture was made to look even more whimsical by the fact the sleeve of the jacket she was wearing was far too long for her arms, and flopped about like a loose rag doll. It was about that time I noticed it was one of my favorite hoodies, a zip-up I'd been looking for all week.
"Little one... when did you get that?" I asked, one eyebrow raised.
"Last time I visited Daddy," she said matter-of-factly. "I got cold, and besides... I needed something that smelled like Daddy since I wasn't gonna get to have cuddles all month."
It's stuff like that which just melts the pit in my chest where my heart resides. The little random sweet things that make it seem like my little baby girl can get away with almost anything.
No wonder she's such a brat.
"It's not like I'm gone forever, silly girl..." I said, shaking my head. "It's already been one week down. 3 more, and I'm headed back."
"That's a lot of hours without cuddles and hugs," Babydoll reminded me.
Princess logic proved, once again, to be unassailable.
"Alright, fair enough..." I admitted. "Still, you didn't have to steal Daddy's hoodie just because you missed me. You have plenty of stuff to remind you of me already! Like the pictures in your phone, the video of our last playtime, the stuffy I got you before I left-!"
"None of those smell like Daddy!" she retorted firmly, arms crossed and a stern look on her face. "I needed Daddy's smell."
"Alright, alright..." I said, holding up my hand. "No need to throw a temper tantrum hun... or else Daddy will have to punish you when he gets home."
Babydoll pouted out her bottom lip a bit, then nodded and tried to look contrite.
"Why's it so important to have something that smells like me, anyway?" I asked her.
"Cuz..." she replied simply, looking down at her hands.