Alice and I picked a good spot slightly toward the front. The view here was fairly open, and since I was exceptionally tall, I had no trouble seeing what was happening on the stage. But Alice couldn't manage it; the little one kept tugging at the hem of my clothes and asking about the match on the stage. Her face was flushed with anxiety as she bounced up and down, trying to peer over the crowd toward the arena. Having no other choice, I had to pick Alice up. Now Alice was half a head taller than me, and the little one happily waved her arms, threw her arms around my head, and gave my cheek a smack. "Thank you, Daddy!"
Seemingly poked by my thick beard, Alice gave a slight grimace of distaste and tugged at my whiskers, but she didn't say anything, merely turning her head back to fix her shining eyes on the arena.
Tsk, it seems my beard really is a bit in the way... I'll shave it off in a couple of days.
Chapter 16