¶Chapter Song~ Happiest Year¶
¶by~ Jaymes Young¶

"If you don't take medicine and proper rest then I won't. As it will mean that you don't need me." Arthur replied looking away to avoid looking into her eyes.

Cora got up from her bed to crawl up in his lap, "I always listen to you and Mom. Can you please tell me one thing?" She asked looking down at her hand in her lap.

"Yes, why not?"

"Aren't you my Daddy?"

Arthur wasn't expecting it that direct. But what else he could expect?

He sat still, looking at her when a drop of tear fell on his hand.

"Cora, look at me, baby." He made Cora look up to look into her tear-filled eyes.
"If I tell you that I'm not your father, will it affect your love and respect towards me? Or will it affect our friendship?"

His words made the little heart of Cora shiver with the fear of losing her newly found affectionate father.

Her cheeks quivered first then her little mouth and she burst into sobs.

"Hey, I didn't say that I am not your father. All I meant to say is, your health is most important right now. And crying like this will do no good for any of us. Even if I'm your father or not. My love and care for you will never reduce. If your mother says that I'm not your father. Will you not be my friend?" Arthur said softly wiping off those tears on her cheeks.

"No, but it would make me happy if you are my father."

"And why so?" Arthur whispered with a fickle smile, lifting her in arms, placing her head at shoulder.

"As then, you will stay with us. Mom will not need to rush between home and work. You can come to my parents meet and sports days." Cora kept murmuring, sleepy at his shoulder, "you can look after Mom when she has nightmares. Then she will not cry in sleeping."

For the first time, Arthur felt sorry for Hailey but more hurt, for Cora. Such a young child was craving for her father so that he could take care of her mother. Her young conscience was observing her mother's hardships and pains.

He was holding her softly with one arm while patting her head with another hand.

"Daddy, you are my Daddy. Please say yes...please...ple...pl."

Her words faded gradually as the sleep took her to a dreamland. Where Arthur was her father, living with her mom and her. She saw him coming home in the evening with a bright heartwarming smile.

She rushed to him with open arms, leaving her doll's house. Hailey, laughing wholeheartedly as she had never seen her laughing ever before. Daddy hugged her and swirled around.

"Daddy, you're home"

Cora couldn't stop but burst into giggles.

"You are my home baby."

Arthur whispered, kissing at the top of her little skull.

***

"Good Morning Doctor." The nurse changing bandages of Hailey greeted Arthur as he entered.

"Morning," Arthur replied checking the reports the nurse brought before.
"Miss Hailey, your reports are quite better. Are you having any trouble?"

"No, I'm fine," Hailey replied looking away.

"Good, Nurse can you go and check if Cora having her breakfast and medicines?" The old nurse looked at Hailey then at Arthur with suspicion. As she was the one who heard Cora addressing Arthur her father.

"Yes Sir." She left quickly as if had asked her to leave them alone only.

"Are you avoiding Cora?" Hailey said plainly.

"No, just trying to be a Doctor only. Not to give her mother any complex, or insecurity."

"I'm not insecure about you. I'm just..."

"Yes, I'm listening to it." Arthur simpered a bit.

"Ahm, ok fine. She is the only person I have in this world. She is the reason I wake up every morning, I have a desire to live, she is the reason I haven't given up. Seeing her getting close to you or anyone... It makes me feel that I'm not enough for her. Feels like I failed in fulfilling the only task of my life." She wiped off the tears from her eyes to look up at him.

She was already repenting to pour out her feelings, that too in front of Him. But the way he was gazing at her was something else, something she wasn't expecting after such confession.

He stood there gazing at her with wide eyes as if she had performed some great act.

"Doctor Miller! Stop gazing at me!"

"Ahm, I'm sorry. That was quite unexpected. The way you accepted. It takes great courage to accept your flaws and fears." He huffed with a forced smile.
"You will be discharged tomorrow. Just make sure not to dig up the wounds again."

"Doctor, Miss Cora is asking for you." The nurse rushed in back.

"Ask Luke. If he hasn't arrived yet, ask Lewis or.."

"She got a slash on the wrist and crying for you only." The nurse had to tell the reason.

Within a few seconds, Arthur and Hailey rushed into her room.

"Cora! What happened baby? How you got this cut?" Arthur exclaimed snatching cotton and bandages from the nurse who was trying to give her first aid.

"Sir, she was playing with the fruit knife when I was trying to feed her." The nurse said with fear.

"This is how you feed kids, with knives..." Arthur growled at her, taking Cora in his lap to wipe the oozing blood. But he got frozen as his eyes met her blood.

A shrill pang of pain raised within him.

How bad it must be hurting Cora!

She is in such pain!

"Dr. Miller... Dr. ..." Hailey tried to pull him up from that zone, But failed, "Arthur! Give it to me!" She snatched the cotton from his hand and wiped out the blood.

The slash was visible in the little finger of Cora,

"Relax baby, it's a small cut only. My baby is a strong girl. Aren't you?"

"It's deep!" Arthur exclaimed.

"Hahaha Daddy it's not that deep," Cora replied with a giggle.

"You were crying Baby! You got a cut on your wrist!"

"Daddy it's on my finger! That too-small one." Cora laughed showing him the bandaged little finger.

"Ahm... Yeah, but it must be hurting." Arthur realized that he wasn't alone with Cora. And the way he just reacted was certainly not the way a doctor should react.

"She is fine," Hailey said taking Cora from his arms.

"Arthur, is everything fine? I saw you and Hailey rushing here." Luke's voice made him realize that he came there in the room too.

"Yeah, all's well." Arthur stood up adjusting his white coat, "I'll take a round of the hospital. You guys carry on with routine." He instructed Luke and the nurse, stepping out of the room.

"Daddy... Come after round ok, we will have breakfast together." Cora beamed at him from Hailey's arms.

The nurse looked away to avoid the embarrassment on the face of Arthur. While Luke stood silent with a bright smile.

"Ahm, I wish, I could but I need to go somewhere as soon as I finish it." Arthur tried to save himself from the situation by walking away but it was like unthinkable when Cora was there.

"Lunch?"

She jumped from her mother's arms to hold his hand before he could leave.

Arthur tried to walk away but felt helpless. He sat on his knees to look straight, face to face with Cora,

"Baby, I wish I could. But I need to meet someone. It might take longer than I expect. So you take your meals and medicines on time. Your mother can stay with you for lunch."

"Ok, Daddy." The twinkle from her eyes had gone yet she placed a peck on his cheek and added with a smile, "All the best Daddy. I'll be a good girl."

"You are the best." Arthur had to smile at her cute yet mature behavior.

He left her standing there with a forehead kiss.

Luke walked up to Cora as she was still standing there only watching Arthur leave.

"So, my princess, what you want to have in breakfast?" Luke inquired lifting her in arms to cheer her up.

"Fruit and milk."

"So boring!"

"I told Daddy to be a good girl Uncle."

"Ok, and who told you that he is your Daddy?" Luke added to confirm.

"No one. But I know. Only Daddy loves babies like Daddy loves me." Cora replied with one of the brightest smiles.