Chapter 79 – I promise, Kira!

KIRA.

Given all the excitement, I couldn’t believe I got any sleep at all. I had a premonition that something was going to take place today. It turned out that my assumption was correct.

Two knocks at the door brought me with my feet on the ground, as I was still in a dream world.

When I opened the door, Gabriel was there, and our daughter, Maddie, was standing beside him. As soon as I saw the delight in her expression, I realized that something amazing was about to happen. As Gabriel spoke, I could feel a sense of anticipation and excitement growing within me as I realized he had something special in store for me.

“Hey Kira,” he said with a smile. “I am sorry to barge in like this, but I need your help. I’ve got a business meeting in the afternoon, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to spend the day with Maddie like we planned. So is it alright if I leave her with you for the day?” he asked with a grin on his face.

When I initially heard the news, it shocked me. However, upon looking into Maddie’s eyes and seeing the enthusiasm radiating there, my surprise quickly dissipated. I had a feeling that this was going to be a day that we would remember for a long time, and I was proud to take care of her needs.

“Of course, Gabriel,” I said with a smile. “Don’t worry about anything. Maddie and I will have a great time together.”

I turned to Maddie and asked her if she wanted to go to an amusement park. Her eyes widened, and she practically jumped up and down with excitement.

“Yes, please!” she exclaimed.

I felt an immense amount of love and joy bubbling up inside of me as I watched Maddie’s enthusiasm. I realized this was going to be a day that we would both remember forever.

As Gabriel left, I hugged Maddie tightly and whispered in her ear.

“I’m so glad you’re here with me today, Maddie. I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Mommy!” she answered back and my heart melted.

Even after all this time, I was still having difficulty processing the fact that Gabriel had entrusted me with Maddie for the entire day. I was determined to make the most of it and savor every second of it. My movements were very awkward, and I was feeling really uneasy. Being away from Maddie was taking a toll on me emotionally.

“Darling, before we go, I’d like to give you some presents,” I said, leading her to the coffee table in the living room. Her eyes widened in amazement when she saw the many beautifully wrapped boxes.

“All these are for me?” she exclaimed happily.

“Yes, love. All for you,”

Her eyes lit up with each new gift she revealed.

“I love them all, Mommy!” she exclaimed, hugging me tightly. “Thank you so much!”

I couldn’t help but show my delight with a wide-reaching grin as I felt a sense of satisfaction come over me. The amount of time I put into selecting the ideal presents for Maddie was immense, yet it was worth it when I saw the joy on her face.

“Some of those presents are from Aunt Alana,” I explained. “She wanted to make sure you got the right number of gifts,”

Maddie nodded, still beaming. “Now, let’s head to the park”

“I can’t wait to go on all the rides!” she exclaimed.

We hurriedly got ourselves dressed and rushed out the door. The sun was beaming down from the sky and the birds were singing joyfully, and I could feel my anticipation growing more and more with each step I took closer to the park. When we arrived, Maddie was so excited that she could hardly contain herself and practically leapt out of the car. She sprinted in the entrance’s direction, and I attempted to follow her as best as I could.

It overwhelmed Maddie with admiration as she crossed the threshold of the park. She had difficulty deciding which attraction to go on initially, however, she eventually took a spin on the roller coaster. My heart was pounding in my chest as we fastened our seatbelts and ascended, filled with a nervous excitement. Maddie was making a tremendous amount of noise out of pure excitement, and I joined in on her laughter.

We spent the rest of the day enjoying every single ride and playing every game available. Buying cotton candy on the stick was a delight, and we had the pleasure of winning some plush items in the target shooting game. Maddie was in a state of pure joy throughout the entire experience, and I was the luckiest mother in the world to have the opportunity to share it with her.

As the sky slowly shifted to a deep orange hue, signaling the end of the day, Maddie and I made our way out of the park towards the car. Despite her fatigue, she was still filled with energy and excitement.

“Thank you for taking me to the amusement park, Mommy,” she said, yawning. “I had the best day ever.”

I smiled, feeling my heart swell with pride.

“Anytime, sweetie,” I replied. “I’m so glad we got to have this adventure together.”

As I drove to the house, Maddie was already asleep.

Gabriel was already there, waiting for us the instant I drove up and parked the car in front of the apartment. An overwhelming sense of emptiness filled my heart as I realized he was going to take her away.

“Kira, how was your day?” he asked.

“Shh, be quiet! Maddie fell asleep. She crashed after all the fun she had in the amusement park,” I said smiling at him.

“Oh, I am sorry. Let me take her inside. Do you mind if I enter for a cup of coffee?”

“Not at all. Please come in!”

After he placed Maddie in what had been her room, a feeling of longing swept over me. Even though I was feeling so overwhelmed, I still mustered up the courage to go into the kitchen and make two cups of coffee, letting out a few deep sighs while doing it.

“Did you have a good time?” Gabriel asked again.

“Yeah, we had an amazing time at the amusement park. Maddie loved it!” I said remembering everything.

“That’s great to hear! What did you guys do there?”

“Well, we went on this really exciting roller coaster. Maddie was nervous at first, but she loved it so much that we went on it twice! We also played some games at the shooting range and won some prizes. Maddie was really proud of herself. And I was too,”

“Wow, that sounds like a lot of fun! Did you girls do anything else?” Gabriel asked again, like reading my mind.

“Oh yes, we went on a few other rides as well, like the spinning teacups and the Ferris wheel. We also had some yummy snacks and watched a fun magic show.”

“That’s awesome! I’m sure Maddie had a great time with you.” he said, locking eyes with me.

“She definitely did! It was really nice to spend some quality time with her and create some wonderful memories together. And that was thanks to you, Gabriel,” I said and my eyes filled with tears.

“Hey, please don’t cry!” he said and came closer. His embrace was so healing. “From now on we would be a family, I promise, Kira,”

I felt a strange combination of confusion and thankfulness as I gazed into Gabriel’s eyes, standing there in that moment. For such a long time, I had been dreaming of this moment, the moment that our family would be together again. And here we were, in my very own house, with my wounds not only closed but healed.

We had traveled a long way and faced many difficulties in order to get to this point. I had filled the journey towards my goal with so many challenging obstacles, and many times I felt like I had no other choice but to give up. Despite the difficulties we had faced, I had stayed determined and with Gabriel’s support we had ultimately succeeded.

Inhaling deeply, I gave Gabriel a grateful smile in appreciation for everything he had done to make this special moment to be real. This moment would always remain in my memory and I would never forget it. It would be something that I carry with me for the rest of my life.