"Mommy, I'm hungry!" Elicia proclaimed, bouncing into the kitchen.
"Dinner's almost ready sweetheart. I just have finish the potatoes and set the table." Gracia told her, bending down to ruffle Elicia's hair.
"I can do it!" Elicia informed her. "I'm a big girl."
Gracia smiled "Yes you are." she told her as Elicia scampered off to collect the dishes. She would be alright; everything she needed was in low cupboard so she didn't need to worry about breaking anything.
"Done!" Elicia called to her mother just as Gracia finished preparing the last dish.
"Good job Elicia!" Gracia told her as she wiped her hands and walked from the kitchen into the dining room with the milk and potatoes. Her eyes first saw Elicia's beaming face as she stood in the doorway, waiting for her mother. Then she took in the dinner table. Her hands started to tremble slightly as she quickly counted again and again to make sure she wasn't seeing things. She felt tears beginning to well up in her eyes as she quickly set the bowls in her hands on the table so she wouldn't drop them.
"Mommy? What's wrong?" Elicia asked, pulling gently on Gracia's sleeve as Gracia wiped the tears rolling down her cheek on the edge of her sleeve, trying to hide them from Elicia.
"Nothing's wrong Elicia. You did a very good job that's all." Gracia told her, kneeling down beside her daughter to gather her in her arms, turning her back on the table with three settings.