“Eat your carrots,” I tell Simi when she pushes them around her plate.
“No.” My daughter pouts, her jaw setting with a stubborn look. “Georgi doesn’t.”
“Carrots are good for you.” I pick one up and hold it in front of her mouth. “Come on.”
She presses her lips together and shakes her head, causing frustration to slither into my chest.
Just then, I hear the elevator doors open, and I hurry out of the kitchen to see who’s here, my heart quickly increasing to a thundering beat.
The sight of Raya lets me exhale an audible, relieved breath.
“Hi. With Georgi gone, I finally get to spend some time with you,” she says, her tone cheerful and a friendly smile easing over her face.
“Hi.”
I glance at Simi, noticing the moment she realizes it’s not Georgi. Her chin begins to quiver, and she looks down at the carrots she’s refusing to eat.
My child was not happy when she woke up the day before yesterday and didn’t find Georgi in the penthouse, and she’s been moody ever since.
“What’s wrong?” Raya asks when she reaches me.
I gesture at Simi. “She misses Georgi, and…and…” My throat closes up as tears threaten to fall. “She’s being difficult, and I don’t know what to do because this is all new to me.”
Georgi would probably set her down on his lap, and she’d eat everything he feeds her. He’s so much better with Simi than me and it makes me feel like a failure.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay.” Raya rubs her hand up and down my arm. “Rome wasn’t built in a day, Nina.”
We walk to the island where Simi is sitting in her kid chair, and when she frowns at Raya, my heart sinks even more.
“Oh my word, is someone in a bad mood?” Raya asks, her tone dramatic. “You know what I do whenever Georgi is in a bad mood?”
Interest trickles into Simi’s eyes as she shakes her head.
Raya lifts her hands and wiggles her fingers. “I tickle him until he laughs.” Suddenly, she pounces on Simi, teasing her sides until my daughter is crying with laughter.
Everyone is better with Simi.
I cover my mouth with my hand, fighting to keep the tears back.
“Now,” Raya glances at me, then asks Simi, “How can we make your mama laugh?”
Simi looks at me, and seeing I’m struggling, she holds her hand out to me. “Come, Mama. Carrots are good for you.”
I move closer and sit down on the stool beside her. She picks up a carrot and feeds it to me. While I chew, I say, “Now it’s your turn.”
When she finally pops one into her mouth, I swear it feels like I’ve reached the top of Mt. Everest. I throw my arms into the air and shriek with happiness. “Yay! Mama’s so happy.”
After that, Simi eats all her carrots.
I give Raya a thankful look, to which she shrugs. “I didn’t do anything. That was all you.” She opens the fridge and helps herself to a soda before coming to sit at the island. “Sooo, you both know I’m Georgi’s sister. I’m younger by four years. Unlike him, I like to stay indoors to chill.” She taps her chin, then grins at Simi. “And I love castles and horses.”
“Me too!” Simi exclaims, trying to wiggle out of her chair. “Georgi bought me lots.”
I help her out, and as soon as I set her down, she runs out of the kitchen to where her castle playhouse stands in the corner of the foyer.
As Raya and I follow, she says, “I’m hoping we can become good friends, Nina.”
Knowing it’s important to Georgi, I ignore any apprehension I have, and a smile pulls at the corner of my mouth as I glance at her. “I’d like that very much.”
