Chapter 6 Mia's Pov

Days passed. Days that felt longer than when I sat at the office desk sending countless long reports to Sophie, seconds slower than three and more breaths.

I struggled through time back then but now, it was much harder.

With each passing day that went by, I grew even more attached to the child than I had ever done with someone in my life. Even my own parents.

Lily liked me too, she told me her secrets, her dreams, her little fantasies of visiting a real life Disney museum when she was older and the time when she wished she was a fish so badly.

I laughed harder than a jackass. The child was funnier when she didn't even know it.

“I wanted to be a princess too.” I told her at some point.

“Really?” Her eyes turned brighter than a torchlight. “You wanted to be a Barbie princess who is also a mermaid.”

“Uhmm.. not exactly.” 

Her eyelid lowered like she was disappointed we did not share the same dream. “What kind of princess did you want to be?”

It was hard to tell her the kind I wanted. Not because I couldn't but because she wasn't old enough to hear it.

“One who has a knight and shining armored knight to come rescue her when she's in trouble.” I answered with a smile. That was my best way to put it.

Silence filled the living room we sat in for a while and then she turned to me, curiosity evoked in her eyes. “Were you in trouble when you were a child?”

My jaw dropped, I realized she had taken it out of context. I would too if I was a child like her. I parted my lips to correct the impression but ended up blurting out with laughter.

“No. Goodness, no.” I laughed.

“Then why did you need a knight to save you?”

Good question.

“Because I saw it in a movie. I liked it and I wanted to be like that.”

“What movie?”

“Uhmmm.. sherek?”

“Oh. I saw that one too. I don't like him, he's rude for an ogre, I would have preferred if Fiona married the real prince meant for her.” she explained.

“Oh okay.” I blurted out abruptly, anything to end the conversation about why I needed saving as a child.

“Still…” she continued, “I'm glad you're here with me now. Daddy said the snow is worsening so our snow vacation is still on.”

“I guess so.” I shrugged casually, “Hopefully, the lights come up even if it's for a little bit”.

“It won't." His deepened bass entered as his presence came in before he did. Ethan was back inside the house after his snow inspection. In the last few days, he made it a habit to spend his mornings mostly outside watching the snow levels.

Or maybe that was what he wanted me and Lily to think, I believed he was avoiding me. Rebuilding the very walls I collapsed that night when I leaned on his shoulder, shared a moment with him and muttered those very silly words at the end that cost me his withdrawal.

“How's the snow?” I asked after I greeted.

“It's not as bad as I expected it would but then again, it's getting worse.” He answered while he took off his coat, his shoes and his gloves. He dunked them into the rack there and turned to me and Lily. 

His eyes met my gaze first, he tore away like it was a sin to look at me first before his daughter.

“Lily.” He called.

She peeled off me quickly and ran into her father's arms for a hug. He lifted her to his face, placed a kiss on her forehead, spinned her around twice and then lowered her to the floor.

“Mia and I were talking about princesses. I told her I wanted to become a mermaid at some point, like the Barbie princess mermaid, you remember that one, don't you Daddy?”

He nodded. His expression shifted between confusion. “I thought you said that was our little secret.”

“Not anymore, daddy. Now that Mia is part of the family, I think it's fair I let her know my dreams too. She told me hers as well.”

Our eyes met when she said family, Ethan gave me a face I understood.

The ‘Don't steal my daughter away from me’ face. 

But to his daughter, he gave half a smile. “Oh really? What was her dream?”

“Oh. It's nothing.” I tried to stop her from talking, my hands slid over her lips playfully as I leaned in her direction.

Lily was adamant for a child, terrible at taking notes. Sophia would have hated working for her if she was in my company. She swiped my hand off and went on to snitch.

“She said when she was younger, she wanted to be a princess rescued by a knight and shining armor, Daddy can you believe that?”

My cheeks warmed, before Ethan could face me, I looked away. 

“Oh really.” His voice was lighter now.

“Yes daddy”

“Did she get her dream to come through?” He asked, I sensed laughter somewhere there, I just couldn't prove it.

“Im not sure. Let me ask her.” Lily turned to me, “Why are you covering your eyes, Mia? Are you crying?”

I wished I could cry but the tears wouldn't come out. The ground couldn't swallow me either. Those things never worked when you needed them.

She peeled my fingers from my face. When the light hit my vision, I smiled. “I was just overwhelmed.”

“By what?” She innocently asked.

My lips quivered, my gaze shifted to Ethan. His curved at the side. He looked like he was enjoying this.

“The snow.” I lied. “I was thinking about the snow and how it'll take a while to clear so I closed my eyes.”

Ethan could tell it was a lie, but the child couldn't. Thank goodness.

“Oh.” She bellowed. “That's sad. But there's no need to worry. You always wanted to be a princess saved by a knight. My dad is here. My father can be your knight for tonight…”

A knot formed in my throat.

How did kids even come up with the darnest things to say?