Chapter Seventy-One: Oh No

                                    

                                          
Calisto (Daddy) POV:
                          
"Nu, gu 'way!" Clara shouts while crawling down the carpeted hallway of the museum my family and I are currently at. 
                          
Three months ago, I was invited to attended a fundraising dinner. It wasn't like I could decline, I'm the President. I'm required to attend these mundane events. While I muse about how I could've gotten out of this, I watch Grace chase Clara down the hall. 
                          
Both the girls are dressed to the nines. Clara's wearing a fluffy, pink dress. Grace is wearing a long, dark blue, dress that has a slit all the way up to her thigh. "Clara! Get back here!" Grace whisper yells. 
                          
Clara giggles and tries to crawl faster, but Grace eventually catches up. She swoops our daughter up and places a kiss on her cheek. "You're trouble little miss." Grace fondly admonishes. 
                          
Our babygirl just giggles innocently and sticks two fingers in her mouth. Shaking my head, I approach the pair and take Clara out of Grace's arms. She snuggles up to me and wraps her chubby arms around my neck. "You ready to go get some nom noms?" I ask the baby.
                          
She nods her head, then rests it on my shoulder. Grace slides up beside me and wraps her left arm around my back. "Let's go meet up with the guys before they forget how to use their manners." She says as we start walking into the large ballroom. 
                          
Our security guards are strategically placed around the room and I nod to each of them. There's Royal Guard members here too since Arabella and Geoff were invited too. Since they were already in the country, they decided to come. 
                          
Circular tables cover the floor in front of a large stage, black table cloths placed on them. There's a string quartet playing soft, classical music on the side of the stage. The lighting is romantically lit and candles flutter on the tables. It's a good setup, I would just rather be at home.
                          
Wearing a tuxedo sucks and I want to take it off as soon as possible.
                          
My family's table rests on the stage next to Arabella and Geoff's. There's a black highchair for Clara placed in between Grace and I. 
                          
Couples are talking and laughing quietly below the stage and I sigh, knowing that they're going to clap as soon as I make my way onto the stage. The sound will startle Clara and she'll start to cry. 
                          
Clara reaches up as grabs my nose in her tiny hand. She's smiling a big grin at me, some drool escaping her mouth. I grab the handkerchief in my pocket and carefully wipe the drool. "I know you're hungry. You're just like your Papa." I tell Clara as Grace and I approach the stage. 
                          
The string quartet stops and polite cheer echos around the room. Clara turns her green, wide eyes to the audience and joins in clasping. I'm surprised she isn't sobbing her little heart out. 
                          
"Yayyyy!" Clara yells while clapping her hands. She has no idea what she's clapping for, just that the people around her are. 
                          
The audience coos at my baby and I take my seat, adjusting Clara so that she's resting on my knee. Grace sits to my right while Atticus and Dechen are already sitting to my left. "Hey, princess." Atticus coos.
                          
"Papa! Dey Cwappen!" Clara explains while pointing at the audience. 
                          
There's microphones so everybody down below can hear whatever we say. I've warned Atticus to watch his inappropriate jokes for this reason. "Yeah, I see. They're clapping for you and Daddy." Atticus says while grasping Clara's hand in his. 
                          
He kisses her knuckles and Clara giggles adorably. "Cwara nom nom?" The baby asks after snatching her hand back from Atticus.
                          
She slaps it down on the table impatiently and I grab the diaper bag out from under my chair, pulling out some baby puffs that she can eat. I sprinkle them on the table in front of Clara and she happily picks one up, placing it in her mouth.