Unlike Stanley—who wouldn't know a trending topic if it danced in front of him—Neville is someone who prides himself on staying ahead of the curve. He refuses to be left behind when it comes to what's current, what's exciting, and especially, what can bring joy to the people he cares about. And right now, there's someone he deeply wants to make happy: little Vivi.
Neville knows exactly where to go and what to do to bring a smile to her face. But before anything else, he remembers the promise he made. He had told Vivi he'd buy her a bucket of fried chicken—and Neville is not the kind of man to break a promise, especially one made to a child.
So, holding her tiny hand in his, Neville brings Vivi to the nearest fast-food restaurant. The scent of oil and seasoning hits them as soon as they step through the doors, making Vivi's eyes light up. But Neville doesn't stop at just the bucket of fried chicken. No—he goes above and beyond. He adds fries to the order, then burgers, and after that, spaghetti. For dessert? Pies and scoops of ice cream. Anyone watching might think he was feeding a small army. In truth, he probably ordered enough food for fifteen to twenty people.
When the food begins to arrive, the excitement on Vivi's face is undeniable. She can hardly believe it—all of it is for her. Her wide eyes track the trays of food as they're set down on the table one by one. She claps her hands in pure delight, her joy unfiltered and contagious. Neville laughs quietly, watching her with amusement and warmth. This little glutton, he thinks, is too adorable for words.
Their table becomes a small spectacle in the restaurant. A young man with only one little girl, yet their table is packed full of food. Other diners glance over curiously, some smiling, others whispering. A few children stare, wide-eyed, amazed at the feast in front of them.
"Eat now," Neville says gently, motioning to the spread. "With this much food, no one can accuse me of starving you. Right?"
"Yes, daddy!" Vivi replies without hesitation, her voice cheerful and clear.
To Vivi, this version of "daddy" is different. Compared to her first daddy—daddy number one—this fairy-like daddy number two is kind, generous, and sweet. He bought her so much food, without scolding or conditions. As she digs into her meal, Vivi begins to wonder if maybe mommy was wrong about all of them being bad. Maybe—just maybe—this second daddy is actually a really good one.
Vivi eagerly pulled the bucket of fried chicken closer, her small hands gripping the edge with determination. Without a second thought, she reached for the biggest chicken leg she could find. As she sank her teeth into the crispy skin, a loud, satisfying crunch echoed in the room. Her eyes sparkled with delight, and she let out an exaggerated, contented sound, clearly enjoying every chew. To Vivi, there was no doubt about it—fried chicken was the greatest invention mankind had ever come up with.
Across from her, Neville sat quietly, not even glancing at the bucket. That kind of food had never been his thing. He didn't even try to pretend to be tempted. Instead, he sat back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the tiny whirlwind that was Vivi—his daughter, his little version of Natellie. He couldn't help but chuckle as he watched her, so immersed in her own world, making a mess and having the time of her life.
Vivi, on the other hand, paid no attention to the laughter bubbling out of her daddy. She had a mission: eat until her belly could take no more. And nothing—certainly not being laughed at—was going to get in her way. As she finished off the first piece of fried chicken, she gave a loud, satisfied smack of her lips, a clear declaration of victory.
Eating good food was more than just something Vivi liked—it was her absolute favorite thing to do.
While she continued devouring her meal, Neville scrolled absently through his social media feed, occasionally lifting his phone to snap a picture of his daughter. Vivi was too caught up in her feast to notice. Her face was now smeared with red sauce from the spaghetti she had inhaled in mere minutes—cheeks puffed, lips tinted with tomato, and fingers sticky from the mess. It was pure chaos, but also pure Vivi.
Amused, Neville quickly clicked a few more photos—Vivi clutching a huge fried chicken leg, sauce dripping down her chin, with a table full of kid-friendly favorites spread out before her: crispy fries, mini burgers, colorful fruit cups, and a stack of fluffy pancakes waiting for dessert. Without hesitation, he uploaded one of the best shots to his private social media account, which only close friends and family followed. The caption read simply: "Having lunch with my daughter."
When he uploaded it he glanced at Vivi and smiled. A messy eater, no doubt—but Neville couldn't stop smiling at the little glutton turtle in front of him. This was still uncharted territory for Neville. The presence of this little dumpling—so full of energy, mess, and mischief—was something he hadn't prepared for. Her identity, her existence, still felt like a shock that hadn't quite settled. It had caught him completely off guard when he discovered that Natellie, so young and still practically a child in his eyes, had given birth to a daughter. Not just any daughter—one who looked almost exactly like her. It was like seeing a miniature version of Natellie running around, laughing, and devouring fried chicken.
A strange heaviness settled in his chest. For years, they did everything they could to protect Natellie. Every step, every decision was meant to shield her from the harshness of the world. And now, it all felt like it had unraveled. He couldn't help but feel that all their efforts had gone to waste.
As he sat in silence, tangled in his thoughts, his phone buzzed again. He glanced down and smiled slightly—his post had started to attract attention. Comments poured in, many asking who the little girl was. Some wondered aloud about her identity, others complimented the adorable photo. One comment stood out: "Beautiful picture, but where exactly are you having lunch? That place looks interesting…"
Neville chuckled quietly, ignoring the curious demand. Instead, he focused on responding to a few of the friendlier comments before setting his phone down and looking back at Vivi, who was happily digging into another piece of fried chicken.