"I don't want to go. Make Mommy stay," she insisted.
"Sweetie, even though you don’t understand your mom’s decisions, she will always make the best decision for you because she loves you so much. Okay?" he asked, searching her eyes.
She nodded sharply, the tears making tracks down her cheeks. He fished the handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped the streaks away.
"Can I call Mommy?"
"Sure, sweetheart. Then we can go home," he promised.
She finally smiled at him, which was reminiscent of the past, and his heart ached at the sight.
"Well, hello there," Miranda turned around to find the owner of the voice.
Michael smiled at his grandfather as he explained with relief to Trinity on the phone that Miranda was safe with him.
“Opa,” Miranda said as she ran over to Michael’s grandfather. The old man was quite fond of her.
“What are you doing here, honey, and how did you get here?” His grandfather asked looking down at the girl with downcast eyes.
"I'll explain in the car," Michael said. "I have to take her home."
?TRINITY?
The call blunted the edge of fear running through her, but only tapered the panic. She knew she wouldn’t be completely happy until her daughter was in her arms. The sound of the car in the driveway jolted her to her feet and she flew down the halls to the front door.
"Miranda!"
"Mommy!"
The little girl who ran towards her was happy, healthy, and pleased with herself. Trinity wrapped her arms around her daughter and savored the fact that she was well and safe.
"Oh, thank God," she murmured as she kissed her forehead. "Why did you leave school Miranda, you scared me half to death!"
"I wanted to see Daddy."
"Oh, honey," Trinity said in a low voice
"I have not seen him since forever, and I wanted to ask him if he was leaving too," Miranda explained.
The words drove all rational thought out of her mind, and Trinity blinked at her daughter.
She wondered if Michael had left her too.
What sort of mother was she to not realize that her little girl was fighting feelings of abandonment?
"I am so sorry, honey, daddy never left you I promise," she replied softly.
"He told me already."
"That's right, baby girl, I'm never going to leave you ever!" Michael promised emphatically as he bent down into their little hurdle.
Trinity turned to him sharply, the words stunning her for the second time in seconds. It was more than mere words, Michael was not saying them to pacify a child. She knew that determined look — it was the same one that had prompted her to listen to him while she was in her hospital bed. If only she was as brave as they were.
"That is no reason to scare all of us and skip school. We were worried. I just talked to your school principal and we even called the police," she soldiered on.
"I'm sorry, Mama," Miranda answered with a smug smile. "I just wanted to see Daddy."
"I'm just happy you are alright."
