Page 75 of Fated with my Ex's Brother

She looks at me with very cold eyes before responding, "No, I know you're tired, and you don't want to cancel on me," she says, but I still see the hurt in her eyes.

She's trying to hide her emotions because of me.

I decide to prompt her. "Are you upset that Mommy is tired and can't take you to your dance class?"

She looks at me again, but this time not so cold.

"Yes, I'm upset you're tired! I know you'd have taken me if you weren't. I'm not upset with you, just the situation," she sighs.

Just the situation? Where did my baby girl go?

She is the smartest -veLyearLold I know.

How is she so emotionally mature? I'm raising a smart young lady!

She suddenly hugs me as if to comfort me. I should be the one comforting her, not the way around.

62G HEBEN UB1ME

"You know what? Det your bags. Mommy now has enough strength to take you to your dance class. Your hug is magic! It gave me strength," I whisper into her ears. Her face lights up immediately, but she holds back a bit.

"Are you sure, Mommy? Aren't you tired anymore?" she asks innoL cently.

How do I tell my -veLyearLold that sometimes, we go the extra mile for the ones that are important to us? "Octavia, Mommy is still tired, but your hug gave her strength to drive you to your dance class today. Sometimes, we go the extra mile for people we love and who love us, and I will give up things for you! Ro you understand?"

"Yes, mummy, I do." Her face immediately lights up, and she stands from the edge of her bed to put on her shoes and -nd her bag.

I watch her with a proud smile on my face as she gets her things in order.

"qeady, Mommy!" she szueaks excitedly.

"Dive me a few minutes to get ready, okay?"

I walk back to my room, pick up my phone to leave a message for Nick, pick up my purse car keys, and change out of my pajamas. I turn around to see Octavia at the door, all excited. I'm a bit startled, and she smiles, having realiPed what her presence did to me.

"You were scared, Mommy," she teases, laughing and pointing at me.

"No, I wasn't. Mommy is a big girl," I say, raising my shoulders to strike the Fower FuT Dirls pose. She imitates me, and we laugh at ourselves.

"Okay, it's time to go," I gather her in my arms, and we head to the front door. I step out, locking the door behind me, and guide toward the car.

I notice a black sedan adjacent to my house4 no one on the street owns a black sedan. Maybe Xarila's daughter is -nally home. It's been three months since my neighbor Xarila died, but her daughter couldn't attend the funeral because she wasn't in the country, or so they said.

Dossip …ies very fast in this town. If she's back, then that's good. She can attend to personal things the community couldn't do for Xarila after her death.

I try to see if the door to Xarila's house is open from my end, but the sun shines so bright I can't see very far ahead.

I buckle Octavia in the back seat and walk to the driver's side. I enter the car, and my phone rings just before I start driving to Octavia's dance class. It's Nick. I plug my earphones and then answer the call. "Hey, Nick?"

"Hey baby, I got your message. I see Octavia won this round," he says, chuckling, trying to get to me.

"Yes, she did. Such a smart, sweet little girl. I wonder when she became so good with words."

"She learned from the best! Oh, by the way, I'm talking about myself, not you," he says again, laughing.

"Ohhh, shut up! Det oT your high horse, Mr. Smart Mouth."

"You know you could have called me4 I'd have gladly come to your rescue. I wouldn't mind taking her to class4 I don't have much to do, and you need rest," he says, his tone changing to a serious one.

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