Page 113 of Healing Fate
I swooped her up into my arms and swung her around the room.
“Wow, you are a big girl now.”
She giggled.
“Want to help me make some special birthday pancakes?”
“Yes, pease.”
Maybe it was selfish of me, and I should have made her a special breakfast before I woke her up, but I couldn’t help it. I loved our morning time together and especially on this day wanted to share that with her.
I set her down on the counter and pulled out a bowl and spoon. I poured in the ingredients for pancakes while she stirred for me. No, they weren’t perfect. Sometimes they were a little lumpy, but it was okay, because we made them together.
She sat there watching and giggling as we chatted, and I flipped pancakes in the hot skillet.
I loved being her dad and I couldn’t believe my baby girl was three years old already.
“So, what do you want for your birthday today?” I asked her.
“A baby brudder,” she proudly announced.
I nearly choked. “What?”
“A baby brudder. I gonna be a big sister.”
I smiled. “Maybe someday. But what do you want today for your birthday?”
She huffed and asked to get down. I lifted her off the counter and set her on the floor before turning back to the pancakes.
Vada ran down the hallway.
“Don’t wake Mommy yet,” I whisper yelled after her.
Vada returned a little while later dressed in jeans in a pink T-shirt that read ‘Big Sister’.
She grinned up at me and handed me a gift bag.
I squatted down to her level.
“Where did you get that shirt?”
“Open it,” she said instead of answering.
“Sweetie, today’s your birthday. Presents are for you, not me.”
“Open it,” she insisted.
Slowly I did, first pulling out an envelope.
Vada’s face lit up as she nodded.
I opened it and read the letter inside.
My breath caught in my chest.
“Vada? Where did you get this?”
She giggled. “It says you’re my daddy now.”
