Page 44 of Moonlight Feels Right
For the first time in years, she felt a glimmer of hope that perhaps she could find a way to have a relationship with her mother. But she also knew that her mom was a weak person who didn't always keep her promises, so only time would tell.
Chapter Thirteen
Time moved both incredibly slow and incredibly fast with a six-year-old, Hunter thought as he fed Olivia spaghetti for dinner Monday night and tried to engage her in conversation. Since he'd picked her up at three o'clock, she'd been up and down in her mood, complaining one minute, laughing the next. He'd taken her for a walk on the beach and thrown a beach ball around with her, which had been fun for a while, but as soon as they'd returned to the apartment, she'd started asking him when her mom was coming back. The only thing that had distracted her was the show he put on the television. Maybe it was bad to put her in front of the TV, but there was only so much he could say when she asked about her mom.
Now, he still had the evening to get through, and he had to tackle homework in the next hour, too. He'd put that off because she'd been in such a bad mood, but he couldn't let her go to school tomorrow without doing the spelling words and very easy math problems she'd brought home.
A knock at his door brought a wave of relief. He'd once dreaded the friendly knocks from neighbors wanting to invite him to things. Now, he was ridiculously happy about the interruption. He was even happier when he saw Emmalyn on his doorstep.
His stomach clenched at the sight of her pretty eyes and warm smile. She got more attractive every time he saw her. He'd missed her today, too, which was ridiculous since they'd spent most of the weekend together. He should have been relieved to have a break, but he wasn't.
"Oh, you're eating," Emmalyn said as she came into the apartment and saw Olivia at the table.
"We're pretty much done," he said.
"Hi, Olivia," Emmalyn said.
He was surprised to see Olivia barely mutter hello and then start playing with her fork again. If even Emmalyn was getting the silent treatment, he was in big trouble.
She gave him a questioning glance.
"I think Liv is having a bad day," he said quietly.
"Well, we all have bad days." Emmalyn moved to the table and sat down in the chair next to Olivia. "Want to talk about what's bothering you, Liv?"
He'd asked Olivia to talk about what was bothering her at least ten times, so he didn't think Emmalyn would get an answer. To his shock, Olivia suddenly burst into tears, words pouring out of her.
"I have to draw my family for homework," Olivia sobbed, getting out of her chair to press herself into Emmalyn's arms.
"Okay," Emmalyn said as she hugged her. "What's the problem?"
"I don't have a family anymore. My daddy is gone and so is my mom. But if I don't do it, I'm not going to get a star," she added, sobbing and hiccupping in between her words.
He felt a stabbing pain at her words. He'd had no idea that was what was bothering her, but it made perfect sense. No wonder she'd been sad all day. She'd been reminded of everyone she'd lost.
"Oh, sweetie," Emmalyn said in a soothing voice. "It's going to be okay. You can still draw your family."
"But they're not here."
Emmalyn put her hand on Olivia's chest as she gazed into her eyes. "They're here in your heart. And it's not just your mom and dad who are your family. You can draw your grandparents."
"Mommy said Nonna and Papa can't take care of me anymore. They're gone, too."
He drew in a sharp breath, his heart aching for her.
"Well, family is not just about parents and grandparents; it's about people who love you, who take care of you." Emmalyn tilted Olivia's chin up, gazing into her eyes. "And you get to choose who else you want to be in your family."
"I can choose?" Olivia asked, her eyes wide.
"Absolutely. Some families are born, and some families are found. Like when I moved here to Ocean Shores, I found a new family in my friends: Lexie, Kaia, Paige, Josie…everyone who lives here."
"So, they could all be my family, too?" Olivia asked. "What about you and Hunter?"
"We can absolutely be your family," Emmalyn replied, her gaze moving to him.
"I am so glad you're here with me, Liv, that your mom brought you to stay with me. I was really sad when your dad died, and I think your mom must have known that. She knew I needed some company. I needed a sweet, smart little girl like you to be in my family, just like your dad was."
"I guess I could draw everyone," Olivia said.
