4 My Weirdo Family (2/2)
'Who knew that such a cold man had such a sweet tooth... Maybe I should give him some of my macaroons.' Maria suddenly felt like sharing some of her desserts with her father. Once the S'more Macarons were finished, Maria placed some in a small plastic bag, tied it with a ribbon, and made her way to her father's study room. Once there, she timidly poked her head inside and saw her father at his desk, going over papers.
Noticing a presence in the room, the Earl set down the stack of papers in his hands and saw his daughter timidly making her way over to him. ”Maria, is something wrong?” The man suddenly grew concerned, seeing how Maria never sought him out. Which was all due to his daughter's fear of him, something that brought pain to his heart.
Even though the Earl was seen as a strict and harsh man, deep inside he was completely the opposite, especially when it came to his lovable wife, his smart son, and his adorable daughter. Though ever since his little girl caught him at a bad time, harshly scolding one of their workers, she grew afraid of him, and his stern expression did not help him win any trust back. Seeing his only daughter fear him broke his heart, a reason why he kept a safe distance away from her, unable to bear the sight of her being so afraid of him.
”I-I made sweets and wanted t-to give you some.” Maria placed the bag of sweets in his hands, before shooting him a small smile. ”I-I really hope you l-like them, Otou-sama!” Even though the original Maria was afraid of her father, the new Maria right now wanted to at least give the man a chance. As she saw the man sitting there, blankly staring at the sweets, she grew nervous. But when she saw tears escape from his eye, she almost fell backward from shock.
”O-Otou-sama, are you okay? Should I go get okaa-chan?” worriedly asked Maria, who was about to get her mother when she was suddenly engulfed in a tight hug by her father who sobbed like a child.
”This is the first time Maria-chan has ever given Papa sweets! Papa... is so happy!”
Maria stood there dumbfounded; never did she believe there would be a day when she would see a grown man bawl like a child over a few macaroons. The image she had of him before shattered into pieces. No longer did she feel any fear directed towards her father.
Turning her head blankly towards the door, she saw peeking their heads into the room was her tearful eyed maids, mother, and even her own brother.
”Mommy is so happy that Maria-chan finally made up with Papa!”
”Now tou-sama can finally fawn over the real Imoto and not the large portrait he has of her that is secretly hidden in his study room.”
'He has a portrait of me?!' mentally exclaimed Maria, who didn't know how to feel towards this sudden revelation.
”Master, we're so happy for your success! We wish you and ojou-sama a long and happy relationship!” cried Kuroka and Shirone, holding a handkerchief to their teary eyes.
'Oi, you're implying something dangerous there! No matter how hot he is, this man is still my father! Please, don't make it sound so incestuous!' Maria ranted in her mind. As she took notice of her strange new family, she couldn't help but think,
'I'm surrounded by weirdos...' Later that night as Maria got ready for bed, drifting off into la-la-land, she had this vague feeling that she was forgetting about something.
”Oh well, I'll remember it in the morning,” mumbled the sleepy girl.