"Come on Papa," little Lillian Rose said to her father, dragging him behind her by the hand. "We have to catch fireflies, you promised." Jimmy almost laughed at the way her bottom lip stuck out in determination. "I'm coming sweet pea, I'm coming!" A smile touched his voice as he followed his daughter out into the twilight. Her little red ringlets were bouncing merrily as she marched into the front yard. She looked so like her mother Abby that his heart always caught when he looked at her. He shook himself from his thoughts as Lillian let go of his hand with a squeal and raced after the blinking lights that were filling the night air. "I got one! I got one!" she said breathlessly, her hands cupped together to keep the little bug inside. "You can peek at it papa!" she held up her hands for Jimmy to look between her fingers. "See! It's lighting up just like you said it would!" Jimmy smiled at his daughter's delight in such a simple thing as a lightning bug. "It sure is. Look at how bright it is," he declared as the bug glowed brightly between her little hands. "Be sure you don't hold it to tight or it won't light up any more," he reminded her as she noticed several glowing bugs on one of her mother's lilac trees. "Of course I won't papa! If I do that it won't be alive like when Joshua squished them on me." Jimmy could hear the anger in her voice at the mention of her brother's meanness, remembering how she had cried for hours after he'd killed all her bugs on her. It always amazed him how sweet, all girly, little Lillian was so crazy about bugs. She always had to have her dresses just so, her hair perfect in bows and her doll with her at all times unless there were bugs around. Then there was no guaranteeing that her dress wouldn't be covered in mud and her hair flying every which way. Yes, his little girl went crazy over creepy crawly things and he knew she didn't get it from him. One of the glowing bugs landed on his arm and he called to Lillian. "Here's one that caught me!" Giggles filled the air and she watched the bug blinking as it crawled up her father's shirt. Jimmy carefully picked it off his sleeve and put it safely in her hands. "There, now he can join his friends." Lillian giggled, declaring, "It's tickling my hand papa!" Father and daughter were crouched down looking at two bugs that appeared to be sending each other messages with their glowing lights when a voice from the porch behind them said in mock anger, "James and Lillian Hickok, what do you two think you are doing out here way past bedtime!" Both heads shot up and Jimmy gave his daughter a conspiratorial wink. "Come look Mama," he said to his wife. "Come look at what Lillian and I have caught." As Abby walked over to the pair Lillian held out her hands for her mother to see. "Look mama. Papa and I have been catching lightning bugs. One even caught papa!" Abby smiled and patted her daughter's head as she leaned over to look at the bugs. "One did, did it? It must be because your papa's so sweet!" Lillian giggled, "You're funny mama! Papa isn't candy!" "No. No he isn't," Abby said as Jimmy put an arm around her waist pulling her close. Leaning close to his ear so only her husband would hear her words, she whispered in a flirtatious voice, "But I sure could eat you up!" Jimmy's eyebrow rose at his wife's words. "Is that right?" he asked, his voice gravely. Giving Abby an affectionate pat on the rear, he moved away from her. "Maybe it's time we put you to bed," he told his daughter, swinging her up on his shoulder as she laughed. "Good night lightning bugs," Lillian called out as she rode her father's shoulder to the house. "Papa and I'll play with you again soon!" Both Jimmy and Abby were grinning at their daughter's words. It was nice to see her having such fun with something so simple as a lightning bug. "I'll get her to sleep," Jimmy told his wife with a wolfish grin. "Is Joshua down for the night?" Abby locked the front door behind them as they came in before turning to watch father and daughter heading up the stairs to the children's rooms. "He fell asleep as I read to him." "Good. I'll meet you back down here in a few minutes then," he promised, determined that their daughter would not stay up any longer then it took for a short story. "Thank you papa," Lillian told her father, standing on her bed and throwing her arms around his neck. Kissing him soundly, she jumped once and crawled under the covers he held up for her. "For what?" Jimmy asked, not sure what might be on his daughter's mind this time. "For playing with me and the bugs. They always have more fun with you then Joshua," she stated matter of fact, her face all serious looking. "That I can believe," he nodded. He loved his son as much as his daughter but for some reason, Joshua took delight in teasing his little sister, as if it were his sole mission in life. "Now I need you to go to sleep sweet pea. Papa is tired and wants to go to bed too." His thoughts went to what would be awaiting him in his bedroom and prayed his daughter would be a good girl and go to sleep without a problem. "You can sleep here with me, papa," Lillian told him, moving over so he could have room on her little bed. Jimmy smiled. The mental picture of him trying to fit on his daughter's bed was one that he found amusing and painful at the same time. "But then mama would be lonely," he told her. "See, you have bear here to keep you company and mama has me." "Okay," the child said not wanting her mother to be all alone. "Can we play with lightning bugs tomorrow night?" she asked, giving her father her prettiest smile and batting her eyelashes at him. 'Where on earth did she learn that?' he asked himself, knowing he couldn't deny her anything. "We'll see. It all depends on if you'll go to sleep for me now and let me go down to bed too." Lillian closed her eyes tight and said in a whisper, "I promise, see I'm sleeping already." Jimmy smiled again. She was such a sweetheart and had stolen his heart the day she was born just like her mother had the day he'd met her too. Leaning over the bed, he kissed her on the forehead and ruffled her hair. "Good night my little love," he said softly, blowing out the lantern and closing the door over slightly. As he took a step towards the stairs he heard a little voice call out, "Don't forget papa, we'll chase bugs again tomorrow because I'm sleeping!" "That's my girl," he chuckled to himself, going down the stairs, anxious to go say goodnight to his other girl as only he could, while the glow of the fireflies danced in the dark outside, waiting to be caught by his little giggling girl another day. Drop me a note and let me know what you thought!