The sound of sizzling woke Iris up. When she got out of bed, she saw Aldo standing in the kitchen, cooking.
“Good morning, Dad.”
“Oh, Iris. Morning. I’m making breakfast right now, so hang tight for a bit.”
“Okay!”
She no longer had to wake up before her father out of fear. The scared little girl who was once terrified of waking up late was gone. Now, they could greet each other in the morning and have normal, everyday conversations. This was a typical day in their household.
Aldo, as he watched the frying egg in front of him, found himself wondering about Iris’s preferred doneness.
In his faint memories, he recalled that she liked her eggs soft-boiled. So, he placed a soft-boiled egg on toast.
“Here you go, Iris.”
“Wow, thank you!”
A short while ago, Aldo would have never thought of cooking. Yet now, here he was, making food for her, and Iris couldn’t be happier.
But despite her joy, Iris looked a bit dissatisfied.
“What’s wrong, Iris? You don’t like it?”
“Oh, no, that’s not it. I like it, but…”
Iris hesitated, and Aldo noticed.
“Oh, sorry. You don’t like soft-boiled eggs?”
Iris nodded apologetically, and Aldo put a hand to his forehead with a regretful look.
“Ah, sorry. I should’ve asked what you liked.”
Despite his amnesia, Aldo realized he’d assumed her preference based on an uncertain memory, and he felt remorseful. He turned to head back to the kitchen.
“Wait, Dad!”
Iris stopped him. Then she grabbed the egg toast with both hands and took a big bite.
“Iris!?”
“Mmm, it’s good! Because you made it for me!”
Iris smiled brightly, showing her teeth. Aldo felt his heart lighten at the sight.
Though Iris preferred fully cooked eggs, she didn’t understand why Aldo’s faint memory told him otherwise. It was a mystery he couldn’t unravel.
“Sorry, Iris.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m just happy that you made it for me, even though you never used to cook.”
Those words made Aldo’s eyes sting with emotion. He had no idea what kind of past he and Iris shared before his memory loss, and he worried that asking her might bring up painful memories. So, he didn’t ask.
But he decided he would cherish the present and do his best to care for her now.
“By the way, Iris, what do you do during the day?”
“During the day?”
Iris tilted her head in confusion.
“Yes, while I’m out at work. Don’t you get bored being home alone?”
“Hmm, I’m fine. I read books, so I stay entertained.”
Iris smiled brightly. Aldo had never shown interest in what she did while he was away, so she felt happy to finally be asked. She felt like her presence mattered.
“Books? What kind of books?”
Aldo asked, and Iris excitedly fetched a worn-out children’s book from the shelf to show him.
“This one!”
Aldo inspected the book Iris handed him. The corners were frayed and rounded, and there were visible scratches; the pages were yellowed and worn from time, clearly not in good condition.
“You’ve been reading this book all this time?”
“Yeah! You bought it for me, Dad! It’s the newest one I have. The others… I can’t even read them anymore.”
Aldo’s heart ached at her words. Judging by its condition, it was clear Iris had read it countless times, and its sun-faded pages hinted at years of use. More than five years, at least.
In all that time, Aldo had never bought her another book. She had worn this one out from rereading it over and over.
“Iris… do you like books?”
“Yeah!”
“I see. Then… how about we go buy some?”
“Really?”
Iris’s eyes sparkled. She had thought Aldo would never buy her books again, so the offer thrilled her.
“Yes. This one’s part of a series, right? I bet you’re curious about the next part.”
“Yeah!”
Aldo resolved to buy her a book. This would be a way to reconnect with her and restart the time they’d lost.
◇
Aldo and Iris headed to the bookstore, with Iris wearing the clothes Aldo had bought her. She held his hand, and as they walked, he noticed something unusual in her steps. It didn’t take long for him to figure out why.
“Iris, your shoes are pretty worn out.”
“Yeah. I don’t go out much, but they still get worn down.”
“They look tight, too.”
“Yeah, my feet hurt a bit.”
Iris was still a child. Naturally, her feet had grown, and her shoes no longer fit.
“Before we get the book, should we buy some shoes?”
“Yes!”
At the shoe store, Iris picked out a pair of black, formal shoes that fit her feet perfectly.
“How do I look, Dad? Cute?”
“Yes. Very cute.”
Aldo smiled at her, though his expression turned a bit grim when he noticed something she hadn’t seen.
“Well then, shall we go to the bookstore?”
Aldo’s voice trembled slightly. Iris, completely oblivious to such a small change, was in high spirits. Holding hands with Aldo, she happily hummed a tune as they walked toward the bookstore with a light step that matched her new shoes.
“Uh, this series… ugh.”
Aldo stood in front of the bookshelf, his mouth agape. However, Iris was smiling happily at the sight.
“Wow, so many new releases!”
There were more new volumes available than Aldo had anticipated, surpassing what Iris already owned. The thought of being able to read so many books made Iris feel like she was floating on air.
“Iris, you don’t have to buy them all at once, you know?”
“Huh?”
Iris frowned, clearly upset, her eyebrows furrowing. Her eyes glistened with tears, and Aldo felt an overwhelming sense of guilt when she looked at him.
“Do you really want all of them?”
“Yes!”
Aldo checked the contents of his wallet. The amount inside was as pitiful as he had expected when he had looked earlier. There was enough to buy a few new children’s books, but life was going to get tough from now on. At the very least, the idea of grabbing a drink after work was going to be out of the question.
However, he didn’t want to see his daughter’s sad face. Thinking about how Iris must have struggled until now, the thought of skipping a drink after work felt trivial.
“Okay, I understand. But in return, make sure you read them carefully.”
“Yay! I love you, Daddy!”
Iris’s words pierced Aldo’s heart. It was a pure affection that felt completely devoid of any ulterior motives. Directed at him, it made Aldo feel an overwhelming rush of happiness.
There was no way around it. What father could remain cool when his adorable daughter said such things? He had no choice but to buy all the volumes.
On the way back from the bookstore, Aldo looked at his now-thin wallet and thought about their future living situation. He couldn’t cut back on the money meant for Iris. It was expected that as she grew up, taking care of a girl would require even more money. At his current salary, he might not be able to provide Iris with a satisfactory life.
“Alright, I’ll get a side job.”
