Untitled Part 24
Daisy told me Vanessa had said she should stay with Ethan and make sure his money ended up in her hands someday.
That way, if he married someone else and had another child, everything wouldn't go to outsiders while she was left with nothing.
Before she left, Vanessa had held Daisy and cried.
"Mom doesn't not love you."
"But if this goes on, I'm in too much pain. There's no chance for me and your dad anymore, and there's no point in me staying here. I have to start a new life."
"Daisy, from now on, you have to take care of yourself."
Daisy hadn't cried.
She'd just patted Vanessa on the shoulder with her little hand.
"Mom, I hope you'll be happier."
This time, she was the same with me.
When she heard I was leaving, she just sat there in a daze.
After a long while, she tugged gently at my sleeve.
"I'm graduating from my pottery class soon. Tomorrow is the last parent-child event."
"Dad's away on a business trip."
She looked at me.
"Could you pretend to be my mom and go with me?"
I stared at her, surprised.
"Wouldn't your classmates figure out I'm pretending?"
She sat on the bench, swinging her legs.
"No."
"Mom and Dad never came to any of the parent-child events at my classes before. None of my classmates have ever seen them. They don't know what my parents look like."
I said yes.
She turned to look at me and pressed her lips into a tiny smile.
But she didn't look all that happy.
The first half of the event was indoors.
Daisy and I made a little clay cat together.
In the afternoon, everyone moved out onto the lawn.
From sack races to parent-child jump rope to tag games, I gave every event everything I had.
Every single time, we placed in the top three.
At one point, a little girl ran over and said,
"Wow, Daisy! Your mom is amazing!"
Daisy's eyes crinkled with a smile.
"Yeah. She really is."
The event ended as the sun dipped below the horizon.
The sky was caught in that dim hour, not fully dark yet.
A sharp evening wind brushed through the bare branches that still hadn't budded.
It made the goodbye feel even lonelier.
She held my hand.
"You're like Cinderella."
"When the sun goes down, the magic disappears, and you won't be my mom anymore."
Then she tipped her face up toward me and lifted her arms.
"Can you hug me one more time?"
I pulled her into my arms.
I buried my face against her small shoulder and fought with everything I had not to cry.
I was afraid if I started, she would too.
"When I'm gone, you have to remember everything I told you, okay? Really take care of yourself."
"Mhm. I won't eat peanuts or mango anymore."
I reached up and brushed my fingers across her soft cheek.
"And one more thing. Don't always think you're a bad kid. Daisy is sweet, and Daisy is good. A lot of people are going to love you one day. Don't doubt yourself just because of what a few people think right now."
She only half understood the last part.
But she understood the first part, and nodded obediently.
Her eyes curved into little crescents.
"My birthday is in a month."
"This year, I'll give my birthday wish to you."
I asked softly,
"Didn't you say your wish was for someone who would love you the most to appear?"
"It's okay. I can wait until I'm seven and make that wish then. I can wait one more year for that person."
Her little arms wrapped around my neck.
Her warm breath brushed my ear.
"I wish that someday you'll have another baby."
"He'll be really good. He won't make you mad or worry you, and he'll love eating the cakes you make. He won't be allergic to cat fur either, so the two of you can have a kitten together."
She paused, then added in a whisper,
"And most importantly, he'll love you very, very much."
"Do you like that wish?"
I cleared my throat and swallowed down the lump there.
"I do... Thank you, Daisy."
"If he's that good, will you still remember me?"
"Of course I will. I love you too."
She wasn't awkward about it the way she used to be.
She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to the side of my face.
"I love you too."