All I Want For Christmas Is You

“Alright bug, let’s go to school like mom said,” I told Val who was still crying in my room. “C’mon girl,” I said, going upstairs and lifting her up and setting her down on the other side of the bedroom. She didn’t speak. I knew she was scared and didn’t know what to expect. Besides… She had a different dad than me anyway, but we had the same last name because mom never told her about my dad. She didn’t know what I was going through with what happened with my dad so long ago when I was about her age. In fact, I never told her about my dad.
I crouched down to her level and smiled at her, wiping the tears from her cheek away. “Everything is gonna be okay,” I reassured her. She sniffled and gave a faint smile. “Are you sure?” she asked, wanting to know if her mommy was okay. I nodded and gave her my “famous” bear hug she loved so much.
“So are we gonna go to school now?” she asked, jumping down the stairs to grab her backpack. I nodded and she grabbed my hand as soon as I got down there. “I’m ready,” she said with a tilted head and a high-pitched voice. I giggled and took her out the door.
We raced down the street to where the bus would pick us up, and we hopped on. I sat down in the very front seat by the door and Val sat right next to me. “Cat, does mom know that we rode the bus?” she asked, looking over me to stare out the window. I nodded and placed my arm around her to hug her. She snuggled into me and took a short nap until we got to her school.
“Bye Cat!” she said as she galloped into the elementary doors. I smiled at her and gave a little wave as her smile turned away from me. I loved her so much. In fact she had been my favorite part of life ever since she was born.

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