“Maybe. Someday. But we’ll always be together, I can tell you that for sure. Why?”
The corners of her mouth turned down. “When you get married, you won’t want me hanging around anymore, right?”
My eyes narrowed at Victoria. Sara couldn’t be that cruel to poison her mind like that, could she? I bent down so we were eye level and shook my head. “Whether Josh and I get married or not, we’ll always want you around. We love you. Both of us.”
Her lips curved into a relieved smile as she looped her arms around my waist. “I love you, Bri.” She lifted her eyes to mine. “Don’t tell Josh, but this is the best day ever.”
I chuckled and kissed her forehead. “I promise I won’t tell. Because it’s my best day ever, too. Now, let’s go get that shake.”
“This is so cool!” Victoria eyed the stuffed animal in her arms.
Before we left, we passed one of those build your own teddy bear stores and wouldn’t you know it, they had a special edition Wonder Woman version. Victoria’s eyes were saucer-wide when she noticed, but she never asked. I pulled her by the hand inside and bought it on the spot. It was blue with white stars and came with a matching outfit—complete with lasso. If buying her this one gift was so much fun, I was giddy thinking about her birthday and Christmas this year.
I parked in our driveway and dug my keys out of my purse. When I pressed the button on my phone to see if I had any messages, it was dead. I guessed I was having too much fun to remember to check it—the true mark of an amazing day.
“Anybody home?” I called out after I unlocked the door and pushed it open.
“How dare you take my daughter out for the day and not even answer the phone!” I swiveled around to the rage in Sara’s voice. What was she doing here?
“Easy, Sara.” Josh grumbled. “I only texted her a half hour ago, and she was probably driving. Maybe you should calm yourself.” He scolded and motioned with his head to Victoria. “We had no idea you wanted to pick her up early.”
Poor thing was clutching her new toy and probably thinking she was in trouble. I dropped my hand to her shoulder and pulled her into my hip.
“Well, I had no idea she was going to be withheralone.” Sara scowled at me. “This wasn’t our agreement.”
“You want an agreement?” Josh huffed. “I can get one made, really fast.” He leveled his gaze on her as he stopped in front. “Unless that’s what you want . . . Calm. Down. I had to go to the shop for an emergency and Brianna took Victoria to the mall. No harm, no foul. Brianna isn’t a stranger,” he growled as his chest heaved.
She stalked to us, her eyes narrowing at the blue bear in Victoria’s arms.
“What is this?” She pulled it away from Victoria and threw it on the couch. “What did I tell you about asking for things while you’re here? Let’s go!”
“Wait just a minute!” Josh’s eyes darted from his daughter’s quivering lip to her mother’s reddened face. He stood before Sara with a rage that trapped even me where I stood.
“She is my daughter. She can ask foranythingshe wants while she’s here. Brianna can buy her whatever she wants. You don’t have a say in that. I’ve been trying to take into consideration how hard you’ve had it over the years, but I won’t let you take anything away from her. She’s a kid, for God’s sake, Sara. Don’t you think she should get to act like one?”
Sara’s nostrils flared as she said nothing in reply. She came up to me with a simmering hate in her eyes.
“She is notyourdaughter, and she never will be.” Sara pointed a shaky finger at me. “Stop trying to act like her mother because you aren’t. My daughter, my rules, and that toy isn’t coming into my house. You can take it back.” She crossed her arms and dropped her eyes to Victoria, now crying with her hand over her face. I was too upset for her to register the stab in the gut from Sara reminding me I’m not Victoria’s—or anybody’s—mother.
“Hey, don’t cry.” I knelt down and wiped the tears from her eyes with my thumbs. Josh shot over to us and crouched on the other side of her as he rubbed her neck.
“I . . . I didn’t ask for it, Mommy. I swear.” She looked over at her still seething mother.
“I bought this for you because I wanted to.” I handed her the bear and cupped her cheek. “Because we had the best day ever, remember?” She gave me a slow nod as she held up the bear for me to take back.
Josh pulled it out of her hand. “We aren’t taking this back. We’ll leave it here on your bed for when you come back next week. Don’t cry, sweets,” he crooned as he kissed her forehead. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
She sniffled and dropped her gaze to the carpet.
“Say goodnight, Victoria.” Sara’s voice was small. Maybe she felt bad for upsetting her daughter with no other cause than her own bitterness and jealousy, but I had zero sympathy. She’d gone from being protective to downright cruel.
The look Victoria gave us as she left was so heartbreaking it drained my lungs. I worried about all the horrid things Sara would say as they traveled back home. It seemed to be her mission to make Victoria hate us, and it was pissing her off that it wasn’t working.
Josh squeezed my shoulders and kissed the back of my head. “Are you okay, Cupcake?”
“Yeah.” I waved him off as I broke away from his hold. “I’m sorry I let my phone die—”
“Stop; she raced over here when I told her she was with you for the day, so she would’ve flown off the handle regardless.” He cocked his head to the side and cupped my cheek. “This isn’t your fault, either. Sara has issues that now she’ll have to deal with. I’m calling the lawyer tomorrow.”
