The Day I Kissed An Older Man

Vince smiled and ruffled Rita's hair. "It's nothing. I used to stay up for several nights in a row when I was young. Tonight, I must stay by your side."

When Rita was younger, her father and mother would always be there for her when she was sick. Over the years, Vince had maintained this habit. Whenever she felt unwell, he would stay by Rita's side. Rita could not help but tear up at the thought of these memories, and she feebly called out, "Dad..."

Even though she was safe, she was still scared. The only reason she tried to convince him to go back was because she cared for him. Deep down, she wanted him to stay. The sense of security her father brought was something no one else could provide.

Vince simply tucked Rita's messy hair behind her ear. "You're alright, my dear. I'll always be by your side."

As Vince expected, Rita woke up startled in the middle of the night. She subconsciously called out for her father, prompting him to rush in from the next room as if he had stayed awake, waiting for this moment. Before falling asleep, her father's words kept replaying in her mind. When she had finally fallen asleep, she dreamed that she was drugged again, knowing the danger but unable to escape. She vividly remembered in the nightmare she was coerced by a stranger into a dimly lit room while her soul seemed to be floating above, watching the whole thing while her body could not control itself or break free from the restraint.

Struggling under this sense of confinement, Rita eventually woke up. Vince, with his coat draped over his shoulders, wiped the cold sweat from her forehead with a look of concern.

"Don't be afraid, Daddy's right here. There's nothing to worry about, you're perfectly safe," Vince reassured Rita.

Subconsciously, Rita grabbed

Vince's hand. The hesitance and fear she felt slowly ebbed away when she realized it was her father. She could not hold back her fear anymore, and tears flowed freely

down her face.

"Dad, I'm so scared. I just had another nightmare... But this time, Sherman didn't come to save me, and neither did you. I was left alone with that stranger-"

"Sweetheart, it was just a dream!

Dreams are the opposite of reality,

right?" Vince cut in gently. "Don't say such things. Something like that could never happen. I'll always go save you whenever you're in any danger."

Vince continued to comfort Rita, who cried for a long time before finally calming down.

He could not sleep after that. He simply sat by Rita's bedside, watching her fall asleep.

"Don't be afraid. I'm right here with you," he whispered.

Though Rita's body was weak, she

did not dare to sleep, afraid of experiencing that terrifying

nightmare again. What she fearedConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

most was the feeling of

helplessness.

"I don't want to sleep. Can you stay and talk with me?" Rita pleaded.

"Your body is still weak, so you shouldn't strain yourself like this. Don't you trust Daddy? I'll always be here with you."