Eye Candy
Tanil’s eyes shot to Brynn, her eyes wide and shit quickly bit her lip, lifting Del up over her head and setting her onto the ground. “Del, run off for a little bit would you?” she asked, tapping Del’s back.
“But Dad.” Delmira started, but Tanil shook her head.
“Not now. Just, do me this one favor.” Del pouted but obeyed, skipping off but still staying in sight. Tanil watched her for a moment, hands on her hips, she didn’t want to look at the drell for the moment. “That’s my daughter, and I only just now came back into her life after ten years of not being around. So, I hope you would understand when I say I want all my attention on her.” She ran her hand through her hair, breathing a heavy sigh. “I haven’t been in any sort of relationships since her mother either. I don’t even know if I’m quite ready for that yet. I appreciate that, you saying that Brynn I just….”
Tanil dropped her hand from her head, thumping it lightly against her thigh. “Delmira needs me, and I need her more than anyone else. She doesn’t want me to be alone, but at the same time I feel better with only her as my family. I don’t have as much time as her in life. I won’t live as long as she will, so I want to spend every moment giving her good memories.”
Her brows drew together in surprise when Del was told to go play. She did not mind being turned down in front of the child. It would, perhaps, teach the child how to do so. She watched the child run off and then turned to her father to hear what she knew was coming. When the words did come, she smiled, not put out in the slightest. She had expected such and the woman was also as polite as she expected her to be. “I understand completely, were I in your shoes, with a second chance with my own child, I would hope that I would be compelled to do the same.”
The smile slipped from her face, she ran a hand over the spines on her head and let it fall back into her lap. “I’m not exactly relationship material anyway. My boss won’t release me from my job unless I marry or am too maimed to perform my duties; it also doesn’t tend to keep me in one place for too long.” A wry smile formed on her lips. “I do not usually ask people out and you..” she released a breath, “were the first woman I ever asked. You intrigued me - but maybe, it was you and her,” she motioned towards the child, “that intrigued me most. Maybe that is why I asked you out, to find out which intrigued me more.” She chuckled. “Sounds ridiculous, I’m sure. Perhaps, I am just...” envious was a strong work and not quite right, “romanticizing what you have with your daughter. Regardless,” she chuckled, ran her hands down her thighs to smooth the wrinkles, and settled back against the bench, “you needn’t worry, I expected nothing less and am comfortable with your decision. Though, if you ever want a night out...the both of you, let me know. I’m sure we can find a kid-vid and some food an adult would dread eating,” she said with a chuckle.” She hoped Tanil realized the offer was made in friendship, nothing more. She had no intention of asking the woman out on a date again. She knew the human held no interest in her and she was fine with that. Not everyone was into drell and even fewer were into her...She just hoped the woman eventually found someone who moved her, because a heart was big enough to love another without diminishing the love for her daughter... in fact, both loves could be strengthened by each other. At least, that is the way her eyes saw it and she was pretty sure that was the way Del saw it too. It was only Tanil’s eyes that remained wide shut.











