Tyler shook his head and kissed Kaiya on her forehead. “My point is every parent make mistakes, but great parents learn from their mistakes.”
Lili bounded out the front door with a small pink gym bag, “I’m ready!”
“Are we there yet?” Lili asked as soon as she was settled in the backseat. Tyler and Kaiya shared an amused look, “No sweetie we’re not.”
She groaned and kept quiet for a whole of five minutes before piping up again, “Are we there yet?”
Kaiya smiled at her, “Lili darling, you’ve been to my home, you’ll know when we get there.” Lili nodded, placated.
The car finally pulled up next to her condo building and Lili was out of the car before it fully lurched to a stop. “Lili! Be careful.” Kaiya felt her heart fly to her throat before settling back into her chest.
Lili stood the building’s front door, giggling and tapping her feet in an impatient manner. Kaiya got out of the car and asked her daughter to return to the car to tell her father goodbye. Lili obeyed and shuffled back to the car.
Kaiya saw as Tyler got out of the car and reprimanded Lili for running out of a moving car. After Tyler was satisfied with Lili’s responses, he lifted Lili off the ground in a hug and placed kisses all over her face. Lili shrieked with glee. Tyler set Lili on her feet.
Tyler looked back at Kaiya and smiled and she waved as Lili rushed back to where Kaiya stood. Tyler got back into his car and called out to Lili, “I love you Pumpkin. Listen to your mom.”
He drove off looking very happy. For a moment she wondered if he was heading out on a date. Her heart constricted at the thought and she had to breathe through her paranoia.
She looked down at her daughter, feeling a bit awkward. She had been alone with Lili plenty of times, but this was the first time they were alone since she had found out she was Lili’s mother.
She took hold of her child’s small hand and opened the door over her head. Lili rushed in and they headed towards the elevators. In the elevators, Kaiya instructed Lili on what number to press. When they finally entered her condo unit, Lili heading straight for the cats lounging around the house. She grabbed Lady and cuddled her so hard that Lady yowled.
Kaiya laughed and told Lili to be gentler. Kaiya went about making dinner – kraft dinner for herself and Lili. She kept Lili busy by allowing her to fill the cat bowls with food and water. Her daughter seemed to enjoy the task even though she made a mess.
Kaiya learned more about her daughter as they sat and ate their steaming plates of food. Kaiya subscribed to Disney plus and mother and daughter watched The Parent Trap.
Bedtime came too soon, and she tucked Lili into the bed in the spare bedroom and read the little mermaid to her. Halfway through, Lili fell asleep, a serene smile on her face.
Kaiya smiled at her and whispered softly, “And they lived happily ever after.” She kissed Lili on her forehead and tiptoed out of the room, closing the door softly. She rested her head on the door and sighed.
She thought it was surreal, two months ago, she was grieving the loss of her son, and in a way the loss of her heart. Now she had a beautiful baby girl.
The next day came early, the sun streaming through her windows and waking her up. She padded to Lili’s room – the guest bedroom, but in her head she had started calling it Lili’s room. She would redecorate the room so Lili would be more comfortable any time she came over.
The little girl was awake and full of boundless energy, already asking what her plans were for the day.
“Well,” she spared a smile for the grinning girl as she whisked eggs, “I was thinking of going shopping and wanted to invite Milania and your Aunt Kalilah. What do you think?”
Lili squealed, running over to hug her mother, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” Kaiya laughed, deriving joy from her daughter’s happiness.
Two hours later Kalilah came by to pick them up with her driver. Kaiya opened the back door of Kalilah’s car so that she and Lili could climb into the car. Both Milania and Lili squealed when they saw each other and proceeded to have disjointed conversations that Kaiya and Kalilah found hard to keep up with no matter how hard she tried to listen in.
“You’re glowing sis… You aren’t pregnant, are you?” Kalilah whispered to her sister after Kaiya was seated.
“Of course not, I’m just happy to be spending time with my daughter!”
“Hmm.” That was the extent of Kalilah’s response.
“Where are my nephews?”
“They’re with the nanny. I really needed this break.” Kaiya squeezed her sister’s hand knowing how much of a handful the kids were.
They arrived at Angrignon mall and both little girls were enthusiastic. The quartet went from store to store. Unashamed to admit it, Kaiya bought everything Lili wanted. She had so much to make up for and getting Lili’s heart’s desire was a small dent in the debt she owed her daughter.
The group ate a small lunch and Kaiya learned from Kalilah that their mother was still broken hearted over what happened. Kaiya couldn’t bring herself to feel sorry for her mother. Her mother should have told her the truth. After that thought, Lili asked that they go to Claire’s next and Kaiya obliged her daughter.
“Kaiya, we can keep all the clothes you bought me at your house. When I come over for a sleepover, I won’t have to pack anything.” Kaiya kissed her daughter’s forehead as she paid for the last of their purchases at Claire’s.
