Chapter 95

Chapter 95
I could hear the gentle sounds of Cleo's breathing as I tucked her into bed, her small body curled up under the soft, cozy blankets. She had been so tired that she fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

I watched her peaceful face. Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly in her dreams, and her little chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm.

The events from a while ago played back in my mind.

Cleo seemed to genuinely like my brother. On the other hand, my brother was equally mystified by the little girl.

I leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, whispering a quiet "I love you" into her ear.

The love I felt for her was overwhelming, a fierce, protective force that filled my heart to bursting. I wanted nothing more than for her to be safe, happy, and loved, for her to always know how special she was to me. My only regret was that I could not grant her deepest wish—for her father and me to be together again.

I stood up from her bedside and let out a heavy sigh. Despite my attempts to fall asleep, I found it impossible, no matter how much I forced myself to try.

My eyes found Cleo's suitcase, and I decided that instead of wasting time forcing myself to fall asleep, I needed to tidy up her things.

Everything inside the suitcase was in disarray after Cleo rummaged through it, looking for the photo album.

I began to organize her clothes and toys.

There was a big pink box nestled within the suitcase.

Intrigued, I couldn't resist the urge to uncover its contents after spotting the sticky note addressed to me.

When I opened the box, the first thing that I saw was a neatly folded letter. I instantly recognized Crimson's familiar handwriting.

Dear Lizzie,

I know that you have missed so much of our daughter's growth over the years. We can't turn back time, but I still have Cleo's baby pictures with me. I know it's not enough to make up for all the time you've missed, but I wanted to share them with you so you can see how much she has grown and changed. I hope that looking at these pictures brings you some joy and comfort.

Overwhelmed with emotion, I fought back the lump in my throat as I marveled at the fact that he had remembered to send me baby pictures of our daughter.

Tears filled my eyes when I saw my daughter, a tiny newborn baby.

I flipped through the pictures and saw Cleo's first smile, her first steps, and her first birthday. Each photo captured a moment in time, a fragment of her growing up that I had missed.

Beneath the photos, I discovered a new letter and a lock of blonde hair. Instantly, I recognized it as Cleo's. It was from her first haircut.

In the letter, Crimson had put down all the details he could think of, like what the first word our daughter said, the toys she loved playing with, her favorite bedtime story, and how she would always giggle when he made silly faces at her.

He detailed when Cleo first injured her legs because she was running, when she first had a high fever and was sent to the hospital, the time she learned to ride a bike and fell off, and how proud he felt when she finally learned to tie her shoelaces on her own.

It was evident from his words that he had taken great care of our daughter and had been there for her every step of the way. I was grateful that he had kept track of everything for me.

I dried my tears and carefully closed the box before placing it on the nightstand. I decided to wait until tomorrow to look at the pictures again.

I went back to the bed where my sleeping angel lay. The warmth of her small body pressed against mine brought a sense of peace and comfort. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to finally drift off to sleep.

—

The sun was just starting to peek through the sky.

I sat in the comfortable armchair, sipping my coffee and enjoying the quiet morning on the balcony.

Soft footsteps gradually grew closer behind me. "Mind if I sit with you?" It was Sam.

“You don't have to ask!” I smiled, gesturing for her to take a seat in the chair next to me. "Of course you can! Coffee tastes better with company.”

We sat there in comfortable silence for a few moments, just taking in the beautiful view before us. The sounds of the city waking up in the distance mixed with the chirping of birds create a serene atmosphere.

"It's so nice to have a moment to relax like this before it gets hectic," Sam said, breaking the silence.

“You said it.” I nodded in agreement. “How's the wedding preparation?”

"There are a few major changes regarding the wedding..The wedding will be earlier than planned,” she announced.

“Why?” I shot her a curious glance.

"My husband's sister unexpectedly received a job opportunity that will take her out of the country sooner than expected. We've decided to move up the date to accommodate her absence."

“So when will the wedding be?”

“Next week.” She replied.

“I will surely be there….” I assured her. “No matter how busy things are in the hotel.”

—

Upon waking up, Cleo and I headed downstairs for breakfast at the restaurant. Afterwards, we returned to our room to give her a bath.

Today, I had plans for us to spend quality time together and create a special mother-daughter bond by going somewhere that she would enjoy.

Soon she would be returning to the Phoenix Mansion and I needed to make our time together memorable and worthwhile.

I watched as my daughter twirled around in front of the full-length mirror, her emerald eyes wide with excitement as she admired herself in the pretty pink dress I had chosen for her.

Her curly blonde hair bounced as she moved.

"Where do you want to go today, sweetie?" I asked her, kneeling down to be at eye level with her. "Anywhere you want; it's just you and me, having a special bonding day together."

"I want to go to the zoo, Mommy!" the child finally declared with an infectious smile. "I want to see the lions, the giraffes, and the monkeys!"

"The zoo it is, then! Let's go have an adventure together."

“Yay!”

I quickly dressed in comfortable clothing, a t-shirt and jeans and ushered Cleo out of the room. We headed to where I had parked my car, hand in hand.

The sun was shining brightly overhead, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves on the trees. I could already tell it was going to be a perfect day for our outing.

We hopped into the car and drove to the nearest zoo.

The thought crossed my mind that this moment would be even better if Crimson were here. Startled by that idea, I quickly pushed it away.

Why was I suddenly thinking of him?

This was meant to be a special day for my daughter and me, a day to focus on our bond. I needed to push any thoughts of Crimson aside and concentrate on the present moment.

Cleo sighed sadly, her eyes losing their sparkle. "It's a shame that Daddy can't be here because he has to work."

"Don't worry, sweetie. You can always go with your father next time."

"But it won't be the same if I can't be with both of you at once,” she murmured under her breath.

Upon noticing her expression, I realized that I needed to uplift her spirits before it dampened her entire mood. "Next time, your mom and dad will be there to accompany you to the places you want to visit!”

She brightened up at my words, a smile returning to her face. "Okay, Mommy! I can't wait for our next family outing together."

Finally, we arrived at the zoo, and Cleo practically bounded out of the car.

Cleo was full of questions about every animal we saw, and I did my best to provide answers to each one. We grew tired from walking after a few hours, so we stopped to rest on a nearby bench.

"Mommy, look! They have ice cream for sale! Can I have one, please?”

I bought Cleo her favorite strawberry flavor, while I chose cookies and cream. We then sat back on the bench and enjoyed our delicious treats together.

“Did you have a good time, Cleo?”

“Yes, Mommy! This was the best day ever. Thank you for taking me to the zoo.”