Sheets had no right to feel this good.  Who could possibly extract oneself from such a simple pleasure as being under the covers?  Autumn mornings only added to the sensations and reluctance of removal.  And so it was for Elijah Primeau, who just completed a successful rollover to his left side.  His legs and feet swished from side to side, eventually settling once again to their original spots.  At least another two hours of sleep was there for his enjoyment.<br/><br/>So close to going under, until an unexpected, alternate alarm rudely nudged him awake, his nose twitched.  Another inhalation resulted in another nose twitch.  Forget that extra-hour-plus of sleep.  What a fantasy!  Elijah knew who he’d be gazing upon once he opened his eyes.  But damned if her<i>Sugar Smacks </i>breath didn’t reek in his face.  Elijah slowly raised his eyelids.  A smiling, five-year-old Rosalie Primeau stared back at him.<br/><br/>“Morning, munchkin,” he managed to mutter.  “You didn’t brush your teeth yet, huh?”<br/><br/>“Hi, Daddy,” she replied with a smile.  “No, not yet.”<br/><br/>Elijah rolled onto his back while also sweeping the covers off of him.  He then proceeded to lift her onto his chest, while sweeping the covers back onto them both.  She’d inherited the same brown hair and brown eyes that he had.  He often wondered if she’d also grow to a decent height, though he doubted she’d match his 6’3”.  “You’re up early, sweetie,” he whispered.  “School doesn’t start for another two hours or so.”<br/><br/>“Sorry, Daddy,” she stated in a tone of voice that broke his heart.  “I think I have nerve.”  Rosalie laid her head onto his left shoulder with a sigh.  Did five-year-olds even know how to sigh?  Damn internet, he thought, picking the easiest of scapegoats.  His precocious daughter was quite adept at navigation with a mouse or a smart phone, after all.  Reading what she saw, however, was an entirely different matter.<br/><br/>“Nerve?” he repeated.  “Did you hurt something?  Do you have an owie?  Need a Band-Aid?”<br/><br/>“No, Daddy.  It’s just nerve.  Like, my tummy has butterflies flying all over the place,” she said anxiously.<br/><br/>“Okay, I think you mean you’re nervous,” he hesitantly said.<br/><br/>“That’s what I said,” she casually snapped, like she’d been snapping all of her young life.  That is so NOT what you said, Elijah thought, though he wasn’t about to get into an argument with a five-year-old over semantics.<br/><br/>Slowly turning toward his right, Rosalie gently slid off of him, giggling as she did so.  “Now let’s get some sleep,” he said, making sure she was under the covers.  “There’s still a ways for the alarm clock to go off.  And when it does?  The two of us will kick that nerve’s butt.  I want you to enjoy your first day of school.”<br/><br/>Giggling again, she replied, “Okay, Daddy.  That’s a good plan.”  As if Rosalie had just discovered a switch, she closed her eyes and was out like the proverbial light.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center">&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt;&lt; &lt; &lt; &lt; &lt; &lt;​</div><br/>Truly, this had to be the very first day of school, judging by all the hubbub nearby.  A few children were crying, which prompted their mothers to also tear up.  Elijah figured this had to be their baptismal by fire, probably never having been separated from each other prior to today.  Rosalie happened to be in the same boat as them, but her eyes remained tear-free.  She was, on the other hand, wide-eyed at all the commotion around her.<br/><br/>“Still got that nerve?” Elijah inquired, looking down at her.<br/><br/>Thankfully, while also making his heart sing, she slowly shook her head.  “Not really,” she finally answered.  “Not as much as before.”<br/><br/>“Good.  That’s what I like to hear,” he stated, relieved that she was holding everything together.  “I’ll be real excited to hear about your day when I pick you up this afternoon.”  A nod from her was his only response.  Unsure as to what to do next, he thought it best to start looking for her classroom, unless a teacher or someone else instructed him otherwise.  Judging by some of the other parent’s expressions, Elijah wasn’t the only one harboring these thoughts.<br/><br/><a class="username" data-user-id="1927" data-username="@His kitty." data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/1927/">@His kitty.</a>