The Joys of Parenting

[Tonyh Vankar]

"No, Cyndra, I can't meet with the Mayor tonight. I already told you I have another commitment. No, dinner with Miss Agernos can't happen tonight either. My schedule is clear until tomorrow morning. Keep it that way. Thanks." Without further ado, Tonyh ended the communication and focused on the jammed traffic line again. Why was it than when he made an effort to at least be allowed to enter the first round of competition of Dad of the year, everyone from the big wigs to the women he had his eyes on, were trying to jump into schedule? That was annoying but when he had taken Sonya in his life, he had vowed to make time for her. And he had mostly been able to keep that, regardless of how epic this could make his life every once in a while.

The former military turned businessman - legally and illegally - had never ever wanted children. That was the one thing he didn't want in his life. Even interacting with relatives' kids had been one hell of a nightmare. He would have always gone for poking a sleeping Rancor against having to hold a baby or have to say whatever to a pestering toddler. Generally speaking, he still felt the same about all children, except Sonya. Her mother had been one of those many flings he had enjoyed in his life, except that for once - the one time too many - it had resulted with his daughter. He still remember Izabel showing up at his office, carrying a newborn Sonya - who didn't even have a name yet - and telling him she was his, that she didn't care for her, and that he could take care of her himself, thank you, and farewell my good sir. Tonyh still wondered how he hadn't dropped the poor Sonya on the floor out of shock. Not that he had never dropped her by accident, matter classified for his knowledge only, but that first encounter had been traumatizing for him.

His comlink beeped again; this time it was the enticing Miss Agernos, but frankly, he didn't take the call. If he started to talk to her, he'd see Sonya for bedtime, and that wasn't the plan for today. On that thought, he parked in front of the house (http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c68/Aruna7/Tonyhs%20house_zps2ubcgvm5.jpg) he had purchased a few years ago, even prior to having Sonya, and let out a sigh of relief. He couldn't help grinning as he exited his vehicle, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt and fetching his suit jacket before walking towards the entrance. He loved that house and liked how much land he had around it, so if he fancied adding extensions or anything else, he could do it down the road.

Once he stepped inside, he heard sounds coming from the side opening up onto the terrace, indicating that Sonya and Arranea, her nanny, were there. Arranea looked more like a bodyguard than a nanny but she was a former comrade to him back in the military, and against all odds they had never slept together. Arranea had almost died in an accident and while most of her cybernetic limbs looked totally normal, several implants on her face, going back to when she ventured in the underworld for some gigs after being discharged from Centares armed forces, made her a bit scary to some. He had been surprised when she had offered her services but her love for kids and her combat and surveillance skills made her the perfect combo and she had watched over Sonya since she was a baby.

"Ladies! I'm back!" He called out, pretty sure that Arranea had already registered his arrival, and probably Sonya too, since he didn't feel the need to be stealthy when coming to his own home.

[Sonya Vankar]

Whether Tonyh liked it or not, little Sonya Vankar had taken over his life. The moment she was placed in his arms, a nameless newborn with thin, blonde locks of hair and stunning green eyes, Sonya was going to be the game changer in his life.... and hooo boy, did she change it! From waking him up in the night for feeds, nappy changes and messes galore, to fingers in sockets she shouldn't interfere with, to even splashing the water in the toilet for fun! Oh yes, little Sonya was forever in mischief. Now at three years old, Sonya really was a livewire. A walking, talking, hyperactive livewire. There was nothing Sonya enjoyed more than to play with her Daddy and Nanny Arranea. Rough housing, tickle time, story time, playfighting, she loved it all! Anything that made a mess, made her laugh and release her hyperactive energy was a-okay for her!


Today though, Arranea had the girl doing things that made her focus more. Drawing. Sonya didn't really like to spend so much attention on anything, but it seemed today, her hyperactive energies were beginning to become more focused. It was a crude but detailed drawing of Daddy, Arranea and Sonya as stick people with a sun shining in the corner that had a happy smile and grass surrounding them. She hoped Daddy would like this and maybe pin it up somewhere. She didn't like it when he went away for a long time. She didn't understand that, sometimes, he had to go away to work and earn credits. Really, what did they need credits for anyway? Well...okay, maybe for food and to keep a roof over their heads...and did like that...but the best stuff was always free, such as cuddles and giggles and playtime. Why did all the horrible did have to take their time away from the fun stuff?

Before long, however, the sound of Daddy's speeder echoed through her ears, breaking the concentration Sonya had kept for so long. Nothing mattered now, Daddy was home! "Daddy!!!" Sonya cheered, dropping her pencils and jumping off the chair so she could run to the door. At three years old, Sonya was just too short to stand on tippy toes to reach the door handle, but it didn't stop her from jumping up and grabbing the handle to attempt to open it. Arranea had locked it, however, to prevent her from escaping. Wrapping an arm around Sonya's waist, Arranea lifted the girl away from the handle and unlocked the door. "Aaah! Daddy! Daddy save me! Nana Arr got me trapped! Hehehe!" she said as the door opened. The two were quite a welcoming party as little Sonya reached out for her Daddy, looking with pitiful eyes as Arranea laughed. "Daddy!! Nana Arr stuck me! Save me!"

[Tonyh Vankar]

Years spent in the military had hardened Tonyh and in business, especially black market dealings, he had little issue with revealing his darker edge. Ironically, it was his soft side, inspired mostly by his daughter, he kept close to himself. He didn't hide his daughter, but he didn't advertise the fact he had her either. Some consultants had tried to get him to use her as a marketing tool of sorts, but he had always refused. He wanted her to have the most normal life possible and he hadn't accepted to raise her to put her in photograph' spotlights unless it just happened. Thankfully paparrazzi weren't a big deal for business owners on Centares. It happened rarerly and as famous as he could be in upper circles, the holo movie industry and fashion designers were of more interest to reporters.

When he heard playful yelling and giggles as he reached for the door, he couldn't help grinning. Frankly, this kind of sound would still be somewhat terrifying for him, if it didn't come from Sonya. As Arranea opened the door, holding the little girl in a firm grip, he chuckled and shook his head at both of them. "My, my, Nana Arr is a bad girl, but aren't you worse?" He teased and saw his most often impassible friend smirk at him. "Come here, missy." He said, opening his arm so Arranea could pass him his daughter, while she would close the door behind him. "What mischief have you been up to today?"

[Sonya Vankar]

Sonya reached out to her Dad as Arranea swung the girl toward him, giving her momentary flight as she clamped her hands around his neck, followed immediately by her little legs clamping onto his waist, giggling with glee as she did so. Daddy and Arranea were her world and nothing else really mattered to her as long as they were there, though when he teased that she was more naughty than Arranea, the girl looked at him with a slightly hurt expression. She was never naughty! Misguided maybe, but naughty?! Never! "I was a very good girl today, Daddy...." she said, pouting at him as she said so. "I went to Kindergarten and got a good card from da teacher, den Nana Arr took me to da park and just before you come home, Nana Arr had me draw a picture for you!"

As Arranea shut the door behind the two, Sonya pointed to the table in the living area where all her crayons and pencils were strewn across the table. Her stick-man drawing of the three of them in the middle. "Dere Daddy! Its my picture for you! Do you like it?" she asked with hopeful eyes. She liked giving her Daddy a gift from time to time, whether it be silly drawings, or a pretty stone she found on the ground and it always meant a lot to her if he kept them for a little while.

[Tonyh Vankar]

Arranea smirked before her expression turned deadpan again after she expertfully tossed the little girl to her friend and employer. Tonyh fetched his daughter and grinned with unequalled happiness as Sonya clung to him. Bit by bit, he was getting the hang of that parenting thing. And frankly, his daughter's love made up for all the moments he felt dumbfounded. He couldn't help chuckling at her reaction to him calling her naughty. "Oh, a very good girl, my darling? I'll believe that if you stop pouting." He gave her a peck on the cheek and listened to what she said of her day. Finding the right kindergarten for her had been a nightmare but he was glad she loved the one she was going to now.

"Let's have a look." He said, walking up to the table, before putting his daughter back on her feet and crouching by the low table where she had been drawing. As much as she was mostly making stick figures, he could still say she had more drawing talents than he did. And if she never improved in drawing, he could always take the blame. He couldn't pass only outstanding genes to her, right?

"Nice work. Where do you think it'd look best in the house?" It had taken him a few months to accept that some of his expensive artworks would be next to kid drawings but now he found it fun to ask Sonya where she'd like to put her own creations.

[Sonya Vankar]

Sonya grinned as her father planted a kiss on her cheek, though she was ready to defend her 'good girl' status. "I am so good!" the little girl said with a grin. "I no put worms in shoes, dwaw on wall or wet my pants today!" She acted so sassy about it too before pointing to the fridge door, where many of her other pictures stayed for a while.

She then went on to tell her father of the strange thing she found today that had made Nana Arr blush. "I did find a strange, floppy toy today fough. I was helping Nana Arr tidy up teh house and found it in a cupboard in her room. It looked very funny but when Nana Arr saw me play wif it, she blushed an' told me not to play wif it. She said it wasn't for little girls. When I ask what it was, she said to ask you as you were the one that got her it for her birfday."

In the background Arranea was beginning to blush, trying hard not to laugh in truth. Sonya was such a lovely child, but oh so curious and so direct with her questions. There was no beating around the bush with her. "What was that floppy thing Nana Arr had?"

[Tonyh Vankar]

Oh boy, wasn't she the sassy one? Arranea said he couldn't deny he was the little one's dad, with the unimitable Tankar smugness. Of course, he kept saying they were just that good and not actually smug. At least, he used to say that about himself, but when he saw his daughter, he sometimes thought that his friend might be a tiny little bit correct.

What Sonya said next made him stare in shock.

Really? She had found what? He knew what she was talking about but couldn't his friend have put it where it belonged, like in a bloody drawer!

He glanced at Arranea that tried hard not to laugh. "You know how I always tell you to put your toys in their box when we have people here? Well, Nanny Arr should do the same in her room."

It wasn't going to cut it with how curious Sonya was. Frell, he had hoped he wouldn't have such conversations before a good million years.

"It is like a special occasion toy. It makes Nanny Arr very happy but it's like she said... Not for little girls."

While he had had no problem giving that thing as a casual present to Arranea, as they were close friends - their bond having always been purely platonic, he didn't even want to imagine his daughter getting one of those or being old enough to.... Ewww. That grossed him out. He'd have time to ask Arr to tell Sonya all about this aspect of life when she'd get older.

"You know how you had some toys only when you were big enough for that? Nanny Arr's is the same. You get new toys as you grow older."

[Sonya Vankar]

Sonya couldn't help but giggle at how flustered her Daddy looked as she described the floppy thingy she'd found. She thought it was incredibly funny that an adult could get so flustered about stuff. She'd have to find silly floppy things more often! It would make for entertaining talks. How and why did this kind of toy make Nana Arr happy? Surely there were better ways to make her happy than a big, strange, floppy toy that wasn't meant for little girls?

"Nana Arr needs a boyfriend to take her out to dinner instead!" she whispered. "Maybe you take her out to dinner so she doesn't need to play with the big floppy thingy?"

That was the straw that literally broke Arranea's unemotional state. She howled with laughter at the girl's directness. "Oh Tonyh. Like father, like daughter! She's bloody brilliant!"

[Tonyh Vankar]

"You know, Nana Arr could have a boyfriend and still enjoy her big girl's toys..." Tonyh then stopped on his tracks, horrified of what he had just said. He really had room for improvement as Dad of the year.... He caught the weird look from his daughter. "Come on sweetie, you enjoy spending time with you friends at daycare and you still like your toys back home, right? Same thing for grown ups." Since he had dug his own grave, he should at least own it.

When his daughter said that he should take Arranea out to dinner and basically be her boyfriend, he glanced at his longtime friend howling in laughter. "You're not helping!" He retorted but was laughing too, because the whole thing was just ridiculous.

"All right... Sonya, let's clarify something. I will never be Nana Arr's boyfriend because she is like a sister to me. She is family, but not my girlfriend." He gave a pleading look to Arranea who eventually decided to help. "Your Daddy is right. We are friends, and I'm big enough that I can find a boyfriend on my own, unless you'd like to help me?"

Tonyh was the one to laugh this time. That would prove interesting.

[Sonya Vankar]

Sonya clasped her little hands together and started laughing as she watched Nana Arr howl with laughter. The expressions he made were priceless and only set the little girl off in more fits of giggles. Grown ups.... they were so funny at times! Especially Daddy. Asking questions always seemed to get him flustered. Did he never actually think a little girl like Sonya would NOT ask such questions? At three years old, Sonya was going to ask questions of everything. She was going to challenge perceptions.... and have a little fun in the process!

She did pout, however when Nana Arr and Daddy spoke of never being an item, she pouted at them both for a moment before looking down at her hands. "That's okay then.... I didn't want to see you two eat each other's faces anyway..." Sonya looked up at them with her eyes before sticking out her tongue at Daddy. The girl then looked at Nana Arr and canted her head at the question of helping her find a boyfriend. "I don't know what you like though...." she responded. "I still fink you and Daddy should go get dinner together...."

[Tonyh Vankar]

At the mention of eating each other's face, both Tonyh and Arranea looked outright disgusted before bursting into laughter because of catching their matching expressions and with Sonya sticking her tongue out at them. "Don't worry that will never happen." The businessman confirmed without hesitation. Arranea elbowed him. "Yeah, no way in hell." He gave her a weird look. "What? I didn't swear like a space sailor, so shhhh you."

To Sonya's comment about them going to get dinner together, he had the perfect twist. "What do you say we go have dinner, the three of us? Are you ladies hungry? You pick the restaurant, Arranea drives and I invite you."

[Sonya Vankar]

Sonya looked at the faces both her Daddy and Nana Arr pulled. The girl was young but by golly did she know how to get her family to pull the funniest of faces! So direct was she, yet with her big green, puppy dog eyes, she was so very, very innocent at the same time.

As she saw the two laugh, Sonya put her fingers to her mouth and giggled with them before resting her arms at her sides and swinging on her heels and toes as Daddy spoke of getting dinner. All she had to do was pick a restaurant... yet at the thought, Sonya suddenly suddenly looked sad. Not quite in tears, but definitely looked sad. "But...I don't... I don't know any res...rest...restwants..." Sonya looked down. "Does dat mean we can't go?"

[Tonyh Vankar]

Tonyh was now used to Sonya's sometimes unexpected reactions, but it still could take him off guard. He exchanged a quick look with Arranea. He saw that his comrade was really to step in, but he subtly shook his head and then crouched in front of his daughter. He was more confident in his parenting abilities but he wouldn't sell himself as father of the year.

"Hey, I am coming with you. What do you say we look at options together? We can look at them on the holo screen and you will decide where you want us to go? So you will know restaurants then!" Hopefully, that would help.

[Sonya Vankar]

Sonya looked up and smiled as Daddy said he would help her find a restaurant for them to go to. Clasping her hands together, the girl bounced gleefully as she waited for him to take them to the holo. The girl had yet to grasp the techniques to properly use the holo by herself, but she did watch Daddy use it and hoped he would teach her how to find the sites she wanted, rather than 'accidentally' finding sites she should not be in.

... You'd think Daddy would put a parental lock on those 'accidental encounters'...

[Tonyh Vankar]

Tonyh set up the holo monitor and not privy to his daughter's thoughts - nor really conscious of certain accidents that might have happened under Arranea's watch when his comrade forgot to log on her own account when it came to certain entertainment, he simply pulled up several restaurants in the area. They definitely had a lot of options, and he narrowed it down to places that had bodies of water, whether many fountains or over a lake. He knew how much Sonya liked such things.

Of course, there was still a dozen of places to choose from. He patted the space on the couch next to him, smiling to his child. "Anything you like on that list?"

[Sonya Vankar]

Sonya scrambled onto the couch next to her Daddy, snuggling deep into his side as he gave her a list of places to choose from. They all looked very pretty and as Sonya didn't know much about costs and such, the little girl could only go by what she could see on the pictures. She then pointed to a restaurant with sunset views (https://images.app.goo.gl/5QCwHzAhTBeD622V6) that looked really pretty to her. Yes... This was where she wanted to go for dinner tonight. Question was, would Daddy take her there?

"How about dere Daddy? Can we go dere?" she asked, looking up at her father with big, puppy-like eyes. To add to the big begging eyes she even asked politely by adding, "Pwease?"

[Tonyh Vankar]

While Tonyh had always ensured to establish boundaries for his daughter, he liked giving her opportunities to make choices when it was suitable. He believed it helped her feel included, and also supported her choice-making skill development. She was very observant by nature, maybe a little too much as her vivid curiosity could prove. Yet he preferred she asked too many questions than not enough, even though it didn't always help with him feeling like a decent enough father. Dealing with criminal lords often fel easier than some of what Sonya came up with. He nevertheless felt immense gratitude for having his daughter though, and deciding to raise her was something he had never regretted.

As the little girl set her mind on a specific restaurant, he grinned. He happened to know the owner of this one, so having a perfect table would be no issue, even in such a last minute fashion. "Yes, we can, sweetie."

He looked at Arranea and back to Sonya. "Why don't you ladies go get ready while I make reservations?"