Page 28 of Wrapped in Winter
My heart is thundering in my chest. This guy has a line for everything, and I love our teasing back and forth.
“Eh, you’re growing on me.”
“I knew I would. Go have a cookie for me. Make sure it has extra icing. That’s my favorite part.”
Lily and I grab a round table and dig into the tray of assorted cookies. We’ve got two hot chocolates with extra whipped cream, and it shouldn't make me blush, but it does when I remember Drake’s words.
“I think this is my favorite.” Lily bounces in her seat, taking a bite of a chocolate chip cookie that crumbles on the table.
“Use your napkin, baby.” I grab the raspberry chocolate chip, reminding myself to bring some home. “I like the raspberry the best.”
She scrunches her face up in disgust. “Yuk! Drake likes these ones too.”
“He does? How do you know that?”
“Do you know if the cows at the ranch like the snow?”
Her abrupt change in conversation makes my head spin. “Um, I know they don’t mind the cold, but I don’t know if they like to be in the snow.”
“I bet their feet get cold.”
I nod and take another bite. “I bet you’re right.”
“When Drake brings me a chocolate chip cookie, he’s been putting a raspberry one in the bag too.”
The whiplash is strong today. “But you don’t like raspberries. You should tell him so he doesn’t waste it.”
She shrugs. “I like Drake, Momma. Do you like Drake?”
This line of questioning is not where I want to go today. “Sure, baby, he’s very nice.”
“Is he the one you went on a date with?”
“Why do you ask?”
She shrugs her shoulders again. “Because he’s nice, and if he wasn't the one, he should be the one.”
I close my eyes. What a profound statement for a three-year-old, even though I’m reading more into it than I know she meant. “You don’t have to worry about things like that, baby. Aunt Meadow should not have said adult stuff in front of you. Your only job is to get ready for school. Are you excited?”
A bit of the excitement that was just on her face drops at the mention of school. “I don’t know anyone there.”
“Well, no one knows anyone yet. It will be everyone's first time in school.”
“I’m scared.” She says it quietly. I almost miss it.
I lean across the table and cover my hand with hers. “Oh, baby, starting anything new is always scary. But you don’t need to be afraid. I’m always right here. And so is Aunt Blossom, and Aunt Meadow, and Uncle Lief.”
She worries her bottom lip and won’t look at me. “What's wrong, Lily? Tell me what you're thinking.”
She looks at me with glassy eyes. “I heard you telling Aunt Courtney you don’t like change and everyone leaves. I don’t want to go to school and have everyone leave me.”
My heart clenches because I didn’t realize I was going to have to explain this at such a young age. Courtney’s words about showing Lily what a healthy relationship is play over in my head. To be fair, I didn’t know she was listening to my conversation, but I need to be better for her. I need to show her happiness and stability. Stability that withstands change, change that brings good. And it starts today.
“Not all change is bad, sweetheart. I know this is hard to understand, but I’m going to tell you a little adult stuff right now.” Her eyes are wide and she perks up a little. She’s as bad as Miss Trudy thinking she’s getting some gossip. “Uncle Jack is living with Courtney and Joey again. That was a good change, right?” She nods her head exaggeratedly. “And when Joey goes to school, Jack is still at home waiting for him.” She nods again. “We went through change too, leaving New York and coming here to live with Grandma and your aunts and uncles.”
“That was fun!”
“It was. So see? Change can be good, and sometimes it's really needed in order to move onto better things.”