Summer Nights

67: 'Epilogue...'

I curse silently to myself as I feel the scorching heat from my curler connect with my neck, I hear tiny footsteps behind me, I turn my head to see Violet standing there with a bright grin on her face, her dark curls waving wildly as she jumps up and down.

My heart completely combusts as I see the pure happiness etched into her facial features.

'Mommy!'

'Yes baby?'

'I did it!'

I slowly raise my eyebrow as I put my curling iron down, 'What did you do?'

She bounces back and forth on her heels, 'I went potty.'

I let out an awkward laugh as I stand up and slowly advance towards her, 'Where did you go potty?'

She shrugs, 'In the corner of my bedroom.'

'What?' I ask in disbelief, 'What do you mean in the corner of your bedroom?'

'I squatted down in the corner of my room and went potty.'

'But why did you do that sweetie?'

'Because Sunny does that!'

I pinch the nose of my bridge, 'But baby Sunny is a doggy, you are a human.'

'So?'

'So humans' got to the potty on the toilet, not the floor.'

She huffs loudly as her bright green eyes begin to narrow, 'That's stupid!'

I laugh softly as I scoop her into my arms, 'I know baby but that's the way that the world works.'

'Where's daddy?'

A soft smile graces my lips as I gently stroke her hair, 'He's gone to visit Pop-pop.'

'But I wanted to visit pop-pop! I have new drawings to put on his garden!'

My heart aches wildly as I hear the desperation in her voice, 'We can go take them tomorrow, I promise. It's just that today is a very special day for daddy and he really wishes that pop-pop could have been here.'

'Does it make daddy sad?'

I nod slowly, 'A little sad yes but that's just because pop-pop was so special.'

'Is Uncle Sammy coming today?' She asks she begins to wriggle out of my grip.

'He is coming today and he's very excited to see you, he bought you a present back from Thailand.'

She claps her hands excitedly, 'I love it when Uncle Sammy comes here because I always get so many presents!'

I gently place her on the ground and absentmindedly rub a hand over my stomach, 'Let's get you ready and...clean baby, shall we go and find you a pretty dress?'

'Mommy all of my dresses are pretty.'

...

My eyebrows furrow together as my front door opens, my heart leaps with pure joy when I see a familiar mousy brown-haired man carrying numerous gift bags.

'Sam!' I cry out as I rush towards him, I fling my arms around his neck.

'Fuck I've missed you!'

'Well stop travelling the word so much and you wouldn't have to miss me!'

He rolls his eyes before pulling me in for another hug, 'Something seems different about you.'

My eyes widen as I slowly backway, 'What do you mean?'