Wakey, wakey," I called out loud from the kitchen, signaling my princess charming, it's time to get ready for school. "Nora, ain't you out from bed yet?" I said after a minute of signaling and got no response."No Dad, I was about to hug my crush when you woke me up," she said from her room, loud enough to my hearing."No worries, darling, physical hugs will be more Warmer and better," I teased her, hoping she will flick herself to the bathroom and Start getting ready. "But Dad, he's rude and arrogant physically but in my dreams, he's so adorable and friendly," she said in a disappointed tone."That's a hint that one day, he will be nice to you. Won't you love to see him nice to you and arrogant to all other girls?" I asked, not sure if this is the kind of conversation I should be having with a nine-year-old girl. "Wow! Just imagining it, that would be nice, much nicer." I heard her bed rattle as she stood up and walked towards her door, unlocking it, and then in some seconds appeared in the kitchen. "Dad, he's..." Enough of your crush now, you should start getting ready for school, breakfast is almost ready."Yes, sir." She chipped in sweetly. "But Dad, don't you think it's high time I should start helping you in the kitchen?" She asked sounding a little more concerned. "Probably in the evening and sometimes at noon, not in the morning when you will be busy, dreaming of your school Demi god you call Crush," I teased, taking out a tray and putting the dishes in order on the tray." Then get a cook or rather a maid." "Hurry to the bathroom, lazy ass. Nora the dreamer," I laughed, walking to the dining with the tray filled with delicious and mind-blowing dishes. But won't be surprised when my daughter complains about one thing or the other. Recalling one fine evening, I came back from work and was tired but had no choice but to prepare food for my princess, since I forgot to buy some food from an eatery and couldn't order cause it was late. I prepared some noodles for my baby when I was done, I called her to come to eat."Wow! It looks so delicious, hopes it tastes delicious," she said even before sitting down. As of then, she was eight years plus, almost nine."Dad there's not much salt, like no salt at all," she complained after taking in a spoonful of it."There's much pepper, it's too spicy for me," she complained again, after three more spoons. "Dad, where's mum, why ain't she cooking for us? Why haven't I seen her before Dad?" She said, still fighting with her meal, pushing them into her mouth as Much as she could."Dad, there's...," Enough baby, your complaints are too much for Dad and he's too tired to answer them right now, probably tomorrow morning would do," I said, almost screaming. I finished my meal and kissed her a goodnight kiss and off I went to bed, I didn't know how she managed to sleep that night, cause literally, she sleeps with me singing to her. Her complaints get me ratty at times, but let's wait for this morning's own, and it still has noodles, instant noodles, and rice. Now she's taking her bath, I should also do the same to avoid lateness. I rushed to my bathroom and cleaned up myself, bath, and brushed, I made sure to wash away all those touches I got from my ex-girlfriend and scrubbed my body hard. I emerged from the bathroom, drying my hair with the towel, the towel I got from her 5 years ago, it was on Valentine's Day. I don't know why I can't move on, I don't know why I can't find other girls attractive, I don't know why my mind would always create her images and makes me think of her. Memories won't stop dropping, memories won't stop haunting me, she left, she left me and her child, without any feeling of remorse. For five years now, she hasn't once come to visit, I loved her and I still love her. I got my body lotion and applied it on my flawless skin, combed my hair, and wore one of my expensive, attractive suits.I walked out of the room to the dining room, expecting to see my princess there but hell no! She wasn't there. "Nora, where are you?" I screamed but didn't get a response. "Where is the whelp that happened to come from me?" I shouted, intending to Hurt her, perhaps that will make her come to have her breakfast and get us going. I listened rapidly to every sound that comes from the building but couldn't hear any sound make room, Nora, hope it's not what I'm thinking. I went to the kitchen and searched for her but couldn't find her. She once played this kinda trick on me but it wasn't on a Monday morning that she knows we were supposed to be in school, the last time she did this was on Sunday evening. When I had visitors, she didn't like them, she said they reek of foul smell and she thinks they are satanic. I actually told her to come to greet them and let me Introduce her to them, but she bluntly refused and went ahead and hide where I couldn't find her still on the Left. They were my business partners, I had business with them and I invited them over for a drink but my baby girl didn't approve of it. But right now, I got no visitors, I got no business partners, I got no one here, just me and her, why is she then hiding, why is she then playing tricks on a Monday morning? I know how much my daughter loves school, she loves going to school and never stayed back but why today? Hope it's not what my mind is already portraying. I searched the sitting but couldn't Still find her, "I'm done for," I muttered to myself as I pushed myself to her bedroom. Oh! Our beloved Nora, why is she playing a hard-knocked trick on a Monday morning? Do you think it's a trick or what the father's mind is portraying? What's portrayed in the father's mind?