Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
KAIA
Daisy woke me up at six in the freaking morning. On my day off! She demanded I get out of bed, with the promise of breakfast, but said we had an eventful day that needed to start before the sun was even up.
How could I have said no when she was standing above me, smiling her freaking sunflower smile when I opened my eyes? I couldn’t have. That was the answer.
Groaning, I pulled myself out of bed and followed her to the kitchen, where she had the table set up with way too much breakfast food for two people.
“The table?” I asked.
She nodded. “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and we need all the fuel we can get to start ours.”
Smiling, I sat down in my usual spot at the table, and my mouth started watering as I looked at the spread she’d prepared for us.
Cinnamon roll pancakes with a cream cheese frosting instead of syrup. Cheesy eggs and bacon. And avocado toast.
“Damn, sunny, what’s the special occasion? This all looks delicious.”
She smiled triumphantly. “I know. I got carried away.”
“I’m not judging. Get carried away anytime.”
I took a bite of the pancakes, and my eyes involuntarily rolled to the back of my head. “Oh my God. These are amazing.” When my eyes met Daisy’s, she was blushing, and I didn’t exactly know why.
She didn’t respond for a while, and I had to wave my hand across her face. She looked as if she was daydreaming about something.
She shook her head, coming back to the present. “Sorry. I’m glad you like them.”
She licked her lips and started eating her breakfast without another word. I didn’t know what that was about, but the food was so good that I didn’t want to ask.
After devouring our plates and refilling our orange juice, Daisy smiled at me with her famous sunflower smile. “I want to leave in about an hour. Is that okay? Will you be ready by then?”
“That works for me. What’s this big plan you have for us today, anyway?”
Her look told me she was up to no good. I trusted her with my life, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t a little on edge not knowing what was going to happen.
“Well, I’ve been thinking about the other day when we were reading together.”
My fork fell onto my plate, and my face instantly flushed.
I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her words since that day, but why was she bringing it up?
Was she going to call me out on my staring?
And what about our pickleball game? Hopefully she wasn’t going to bring up the showers, or what happened the night before.
I didn’t think I could handle talking about it.
“I told you I was going to make it my mission to give you the childhood you deserve, and I was serious, Kaia. Today is ‘make Kaia’s younger heart happy’ day, starting with eating breakfast together at the table.”
I sagged in relief so much that I was halfway to the floor. It was thoughtful of her to want to redo my childhood, but it wasn’t necessary. “Sunny, that’s okay, really. It’s not like I was abandoned or anything. You don’t need to do anything for me. This delicious breakfast is plenty.”
She frowned, and I immediately felt terrible. Seeing her sad was like looking at a sick puppy in the animal shelter. I couldn’t stand it.
“Kaia Celeste. I know I don’t need to do anything.
I want to. You deserve to have the best childhood, and I am going to try my best to give it to you.
I already have the whole day planned, and I don’t want any more protests.
Finish your juice with a smile on that pretty little face so we can go play in the snow. ”
Her expression was so serious I had to obey.
It was a double-edged sword. I loved how bossy she could get.
But the things it did to my libido, not so much.
Especially while living with her. I needed to make sure I didn’t let her get to the point where she had to be stern with me, or I’d be spending a lot more time alone in my room.
I pocketed those thoughts for later, and smiled. “Yes, ma’am.” I saluted her and ate my breakfast with a genuine smile on my face. She was just too damn cute.
After breakfast, she refused to let me do the dishes because, according to her, “children don’t do chores.
” I wished I’d grown up in her house. Children absolutely did chores in mine.
Not that I minded. I loved helping my mom wash dishes or fold laundry.
Although, as a child, I was really creating more work for her while folding clothes, but she always let me help anyway.
Daisy made me bundle up in at least three layers of long shirts and pants and two pairs of socks. Claiming she didn’t want me to catch a cold. She was really taking this childhood re-creation to a new level with this parental behavior.
Should it have turned me on a little, seeing her so bossy and taking charge? Definitely not. Did it? A little bit, yeah.
There wasn’t enough snow for a snowman, but we attempted to make a little snowboy. It was crooked and had a long nose like Pinnocchio, but the laughter it produced was worth it.
We threw a few snowballs at each other in the process and actually made snow angels. We named them and drew little faces on them. It was the most fun I’d had in a long time. My ribs were hurting and my face hurt from smiling so much.
“Okay. Timmy the snowboy is complete. We had a mini snowball fight and made snow angels. I think my childhood has been made. What do you say we grab some hot chocolate and head back home?”
“That sounds like a lovely idea, doodle. I really hate the cold. The store’s closed today, so Brewed Awakening? But when we get home, you have to go straight to your room and put on dry clothes. And don’t come out until I text you, okay?”
There was that stern expression again. Jesus! “You got it boss. What are you planning?”
She shook her head and started walking toward the heated coffee shop. I didn’t question her any further. I’d find out soon enough. But I was a little scared.
We made it home, and I was too eager to shed my wet layers and get into comfy clothes again. Daisy was taking Duke out and made me promise not to leave my room until she texted me. I promised and headed to my room.
I threw my wet clothes in the hamper and put on my favorite oversized shirt and red-and-black checkered fleece pajama bottoms. I was still a little chilly, so I wrapped a blanket around me while I sat on my bed, waiting for Daisy to let me out.
I still didn’t know what she had planned and why I couldn’t come out. I heard the door shut and ran to my door, hoping to hear what was going on. It sounded like she might’ve gotten something to eat, but I honestly had no clue.
Almost an hour went by and I was starting to get antsy, so I texted her:
Me: Soooooo can I be released from my cave yet? I kind of need to go to the bathroom!
My sunny girl: You are so impatient! Yes, you can be released. Go release your bladder and meet me in the living room.
I swung the door open and ran to the bathroom. I didn’t know if it was from the wet clothes being on my skin for too long, but I really had to go.
After I took care of business, I slowly crept to the living room and was stunned. She had used couch cushions and sheets and blankets from the closet to make a giant fort in the middle of the living room.
She added twinkling fairy lights and even had a charcuterie board full of my favorite snacks. A s’mores kit, strawberries, crackers and cheese, Twix and Snickers bars, even little rolled up salami and cream cheese.
“Sunny, this is too much!” I said through a smile. She was looking at me like she was waiting for my response.
“Get real! Nothing is too much for you, Doodle. Sit, sit. I’ve got your favorite movie ready to go.”
I looked toward the TV and gasped, turning back to a grinning Daisy. “A Walk to Remember?” She nodded and I did a little shimmy, making my way into the fort. She scooted in next to me and handed me the remote.
I played the movie, not really watching it. I couldn’t help but think about the whole day we’d had. I truly felt like a kid again, and I didn’t know how I would repay her.
I tapped her leg, and she turned to me, smiling. “I can’t thank you enough for today. This has been one of the best days I’ve had in a while.”
She rubbed my leg and I couldn’t help but place my hand on top of hers.
It was a brief touch, and I hoped she didn’t think anything of it, but I couldn’t help myself.
She was so close, and her perfume smelled so good.
If she kept her hand on my leg any longer, I would seriously consider kissing her.
That would ruin the day, for sure. Instead, I removed my hand and took a long drink of water.
“I’m glad you’ve enjoyed yourself.”
We returned to the movie, but she noticed my tears and asked me if I was okay. It was the saddest part of the movie, and it brought back so many memories.
“Yeah, I’m okay.” I nodded. “This part always reminds me of my mom, that’s all.” I gave her a sad smile, but she didn’t return it.
She paused the movie and I turned to her, confused. “Will you tell me what happened? If it’s too painful, you don’t have to, but you never talk about it.” She shrugged.
“I don’t mind. I try not to talk or think about it most of the time.
That’s how I cope, by pretending nothing is wrong.
I know it’s not very healthy, and I’m working on it.
” I hated talking about my mom, about what happened.
I could never keep it together while I did, but Daisy was looking at me with that soft, understanding look.
The one that would get me to tell her anything. To do anything for her.