Page 9 of Everlasting Love

“You sure did. I can’t wait until they grow so we can eat them.” I tickle her stomach, eliciting giggles—the best sound in the world.

“Me too.”

We spend the next twenty minutes collecting ripened tomatoes, snap peas, and squash, which we take inside and wash, ready to use for dinner. Jasmine manages tosneaksome peas while we work. I’m not about to complain that she’s eager to eat vegetables. So many mothers from playgroup complain about how hard it is to get their little ones to eat their vegetables.We have no such problem with Jas because she’s excited to eat the vegetables we grow. She loves being part of the entire process. Same with Poppy.

Once dinner isover and done with and we’ve cleaned up the kitchen, Jasmine and Poppy head into the playroom for a little while before I start getting Jas ready for bed. As we put Cass’s dinner in the microwave for her to heat when she gets home, I tell Mom about the events of the day and how a poor woman was knocked over by the mountain bikers who were in too much of a hurry to be considerate of the hikers on the track.

Mom’s eyebrows almost fly off her face. “Lucky you and Tristan were close by.”

“I know. I dread to think how they would have managed if we weren’t there to help.”

Mom pats me on the arm. “I’m so proud of you, Vi.” I feel warm all over with her words. She’s always been supportive of me and Cass.

I turn and hug her close. “Thanks, Mom. I’m so lucky to have you as my mom.”

When she pulls back her eyes are a little glassy, and she gives me a lopsided smile. “I’m the lucky one.” She squeezes me tight, then heads off to shower, and I spend some time playing with the girls until Cass arrives home. Jasmine goes to bed before Poppy, so once Cass has finished her dinner, I bathe Jasmine and get her ready for bed.

“…When the first stars of evening appeared in the sky, Koala Lou crept home through the dark and up into the gum tree. Her mother was waiting for her. Before she could say a word her mother had flung her arms around her neck and said,“Koala Lou, I DO love you! I always have, and I always will.” And she hugged her for a very long time.” God, I love this story by Mem Fox. I sigh as I close the book, and Jasmine looks up at me with a sleepy smile.

“I wove Koawa Wou, Mommy,” Jas tells me in her sweet sleepy voice.

I brush her silky hair away from her face. “I do, too.”

“Mommy?”

“Yeah, baby girl.”

“Where’s Koawa Wou’s daddy?”

Oh shit! Here we go. I didn’t even think about that when I bought this book for Jas the other week. I scoot down so I’m able to rest my head on her pillow and face her directly. “He was probably at work.”

“Is that where my daddy is? At work?”

I swallow past the lump in my throat and rub my baby’s back with soothing strokes. “Well, yeah, your daddy goes to work every day.”

“But what about on the weekend?” Her little brows scrunch down over her tired eyes as she thinks. “He was home on the weekend.”

“You’re right. He was always home on the weekend.”

“Why doesn’t he visit us?”

I’m stumped as to what to say to my daughter. I’m supposed to have all the answers, but right now, I have none and no idea how to come up with a suitable response.

“Did he forget about us?”

My mind skips back …

“Wook at all the bubbwes, Mommy.” Jas holds up her soapy hands with an excited giggle.

“So many bubbles. Make sure you get all the dirt off from the garden,” I prompt.

“I wiw, Mommy.” She scrubs and scrubs her hands.

“Thank you for all your help pulling out the weeds.”

“It was fun!” she cheers loudly.

“Shh, remember, Daddy’s still asleep.”

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