the journal - h.s.

76

[amber’s pov]

I laughed softly at the sight of Daisy trying to crawl onto the high bar chair at the kitchen island. With a quick movement I lifted her and made her sit on my lap instead, which was probably more safe. She immediately got hold of a crayon and started doodling on some brochure, which already had been stained with circles.

“Anyway you haven’t even gotten the chance to tell me how your D-A-T-E went last time?” I smirked up at Aria, while I turned the brochure over for Daisy, so she had more space to draw on. Aria narrowed her eyes at me but couldn’t hold back the smile. Her lips were sealed though - for now. “You got home pretty late,” I noted innocently.

I couldn’t hold back the wide beam, as she rolled her eyes at me, while grabbing four platters from the cupboard.

“Alright, alright. It went fine - really good. But it’s not going to turn into anything serious; he’s just a really good friend now. That’s all,” I watched her closely, while trying to pick up on elements of sadness, which she could be hiding - but I found none. She was calm, collected, and just seemed happy.

I could feel Daisy start stretching in over the counter in a try to get hold of the wooden spoon; I held her back gently and reached over to catch one of her other abandoned toys for her to play with.

“Friends are nice for sure,” I stated as an obvious fact to give her time to feel comfortable with whatever she felt like getting off her chest.

She chuckled and nodded, while filling a can with tap water and adding the dark cordial, “I guess it’s still just hard to move on. I mean I know it’s been years - it’s probably stupid of me.”

I shook my head softly, “of course it’s not. You should take your time.” I had always been curious as to who Daisy’s father was. I knew only a minimum about what had happened between Aria and him. If there was anything I was sure of it was - you should listen to yourself. If Aria wasn’t ready, then that was perfectly okay.

The beautiful muffled sound of the water falling from the shower head in the next room filled the silence mixing with the jingle from Daisy’s toy, and the buzzing sound from the gas burner heating the water with spaghetti.

“Thank you love. I really appreciate that - it’s just so hard to forget about him with all this new trouble; you know with my half brother or Harry's dad, whom you would probably know him as and such. It brings everything back from that time; everything I’ve been trying to pack away. I guess I really just loved...” A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she couldn't finish her sentence and instead smiled nervously. It was so clear now - the hurt she had felt and the memories that still haunted her.

“Mummy don’t be sad,” Daisy stated stretching out her arms towards Aria, who seemed to completely lit up at the sound of her daughter’s voice.

Aria crossed the small distance to where I was seated with Daisy and picked her up in her arms, “it’s okay to be a little sad sometimes baby. Otherwise you won’t appreciate what makes you happy too.” Aria placed a gentle kiss on Daisy’s forehead, while the little girl had wrapped her arms tightly around her mother’s neck.

“What makes you happy, mummy?” Daisy’s voice sounded muffled against her mother’s neck, while Aria’s eyes locked with mine and a soft grin spread on her lips.

“You do; my beautiful little girl,” Aria told Daisy with that soft and loving tone, while placing a kiss on her tiny shoulder.

“What makes you happy, Amber?” Daisy let a little go of her mother to turn and look at me with her brown beautiful curious eyes, which were so wise already considering her age. Without thinking I replied her honest and curious eyes with the first answer that felt especially warm and right in my heart to state, “Harry does.”