“It looks like a Winter Wonderland!”
Her voice was barely perceivable above the sound of the traffic racing down the highway. But I could understand nonetheless and I was glad to see the precious smile inviting a warm light to the lovely green of her eyes. It was everything that mattered to me, even amidst all the bad things that had plagued the two of us throughout the year.
A duo haunted by the mistakes of the past.
“Mommy!” she shrieked, balling the snow together between her gloved hands. “Can we make a snowman?”
“Of course,” I replied, watching as she started the work the fresh layer of downy softness into the desired shape.
Meanwhile, I could barely focus, unable to ignore the letter burning a hole inside my jacket pocket. A seemingly simple request made by the man who had made it clear he wanted nothing to do with us. This is why I was so confused by his words, his desire to take back the only good part of the relationship we had once shared.
And she was staring back at me now, cheeks crimson red to match the color of her hair. “Is it good?”
I pretended to consider her question. “It’s beautiful.”
She was beautiful, and I couldn’t stand the thought of losing her to someone who wanted to use her as a pawn. A means to punish me for the wrongdoings only he could identify. But the court date was approaching and I had never dreaded anything so soulfully before in my entire life.
But I would continue to fight because she deserved it.
“Do you want to help, mommy?”
I smiled at my daughter. “I’ll do anything for you.”
