Sunlight filters through the window blinds of the trailer, casting a warm light over the tiny bedroom.
Daisy sits up in the bed she shares with her mom and throws back the blankets before jumping onto the floor. She runs into the next room, skidding to a halt right in front of the small table.
Mom is standing at the stove, her back to Daisy as she fiddles with something on the stovetop.
"Mom!"
Mom turns around and smiles. "There she is! I've been looking for a certain birthday girl, got any idea where she might be?"
"I'm right here!" Daisy says, jumping up and down with excitement.
"Really? Are you sure?" Mom strokes her chin in mock thought. "I'm looking for a six year old, but you can't be her!"
"Mommy!" Daisy laughs.
Mom winks and pulls Daisy into a tight hug, kissing her forehead.
"Just messing with you, bǎobèi. Ready for breakfast?"
Daisy nods eagerly and takes a seat at the table.
"Close your eyes!"
Daisy screws her eyes shut and waits, hearing Mom walk over to the stove and carry something to the table. Opening her eyes, she gasps as her mom puts a cake in front of her. It's a real birthday cake with icing and candles, the kind she's seen on tv but rarely ever had herself. Last year they didn't have money for a birthday cake, so she got a cupcake instead.
"Happy birthday, Daisy." Mom smiles, ruffling her hair. "Make a wish!"
Daisy takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, concentrating intensely before she opens her eyes and blows out her candles.
Mom removes the candles and cuts them both a slice, giving Daisy the bigger one. Upon taking a bite, Daisy realizes it's chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, the absolute best kind ever. She finishes her piece in a few big bites, closing her eyes and savoring the sweet taste.
"Can I have more?"
Mom laughs and cuts her another slice. "Of course, baby. Just don't eat so fast, okay? You don't want to feel sick on your birthday."
Daisy nods resolutely and takes a bite of her second slice, a bit slower this time.
"So, are you ready for your presents, birthday girl?" Mom says, standing up to put her plate in the sink.
"Yeah!" Daisy sits up eagerly, taking one last bite of her cake.
Mom disappears into the bedroom, emerging with several wrapped presents in her hands.
Daisy reaches for the presents and unwraps them to find a Ninja Turtles action figure, a pack of colored pencils, and a new sweater.
She gets up from her chair and runs to hug her mom, wrapping her arms around her waist tightly.
"Thank you thank you thank you!"
Mom laughs and hugs her back tightly. "I'm glad you like them, bǎobèi."
"They're the best ever!" Daisy declares, smiling so much her face hurts.
Mom kisses her cheek and lifts her up onto her lap with a groan.
"Wow, you're getting to be such a big girl! Soon I won't be able to lift you up anymore."
Daisy winds her arms around Mom's neck and leans against her chest.
"That's silly, Mommy. You're the strongest ever!"
"You think so?" Mom asks, smiling.
"I know so." Daisy says, cuddling close. "Wǒ ài nǐ."
Mom squeezes her tightly. "Wǒ ài nǐ, bǎobèi."
They sit together for a few minutes at the table, listening to the birds chirp outside. Finally Daisy pulls away and looks up at Mom.
"Can I go play now?"
"Of course, baby. Just rinse off your plate first, please."
Daisy nods and slides off of Mom's lap, walking over to her side of the table to grab her plate. She quickly rinses it and puts it on the drying rack before running back to the table and picking up her Ninja Turtles toy. She rips open the packaging to free Leonardo from his plastic prison, tossing the box aside.
Daisy runs into the bedroom to collect her Ariel barbie and her green army men before sprinting outside and sitting on the grass. This is a very important moment for Leonardo. After all, she has to introduce him to Ariel and to the soldiers, otherwise they'll never be able to work together to defeat the evil aliens!
Mom comes outside to join her after she's finished cleaning up the kitchen, and listens patiently as Daisy explains the next step in the fight against the aliens.
"Leonardo's and Ariel are inventing a potion that's gonna make them super strong, and the army men are gonna find the magic stuff for the potion."
"I see." Mom says seriously. "And where are they going to find it?"
Daisy shrugs. "Dunno yet. Probably in the evil guy's lab, cause they always have lots of stuff that's good for magic."
"Of course." Mom nods. "Sounds like they have a mission to complete."
Daisy nods, handing Mom one of the army men. "You can be this guy. I'm Leonardo and Ariel."
"You can count on me." Mom says, ruffling Daisy's hair. "Where to, commander?"
They play until lunchtime, and Daisy takes Leonardo and the others inside, putting them on the couch while she and Mom eat soup dumplings.
After lunch it starts to rain, so they make a blanket fort on the floor next to the couch and Mom lets her watch a movie. Then they play some card games, and they play Pictionary with Daisy's new colored pencils. Mom's really good at drawing, but Daisy's better at guessing, so they're usually pretty evenly matched.
For dinner Mom puts a pizza in the oven, a rare treat for her birthday, and while they eat they play the post-it note game. Daisy figures out she's Belle pretty quickly, but it takes Mom a bit longer to figure out she's Aladdin.
After dinner Daisy gets ready for bed and Mom comes into bed with her to read the next chapter of the Hobbit. They borrowed it from the library in town last week, and every evening Mom reads her exactly one chapter.
After storytime, Mom kisses Daisy good night and leaves the bedroom door open a crack, just so no monsters can get in. She falls asleep to the sounds of Mom making tea in the next room, listening to her soft footsteps and the whistle of the tea kettle.
…
It seems like only minutes later she's waking up as Mom lifts her from the bed. She blinks and opens her eyes, shifting in Mom's arms.
"Mommy?"
"Shhh. Go back to sleep, bǎobèi." Mom whispers, settling Daisy on her hip.
"Wha's goin' on?" She mumbles, resting her head on Mom's shoulder.
"Nothing, baby, go back to sleep." Mom carries her out of the bedroom and through the front door of the trailer, walking towards the car and settling her in the backseat.
It's not the first time they've left a place in the middle of the night, so Daisy just curls up and leans against the window as Mom covers her in her duvet and puts her toys on the seat next to her. She disappears for a few minutes, before returning with a duffel bag with their clothes and their plastic tote of kitchen supplies. Those go in the trunk, and Daisy watches sleepily as Mom puts the key to the trailer in an envelope with a short note to the landlord before getting behind the wheel.
They drive down the small dirt road and get on the highway, leaving behind the trailer they've called home for the last few months.
"Mom?" Daisy asks, peeling her cheek away from the window.
"What is it, baby?"
"Where are we going this time?"
Mom is silent for a few moments, her grip tight on the steering wheel.
"It's late, bǎobèi." She says finally, looking back at Daisy in the rearview mirror. "Try to get some sleep, okay?"
Daisy sighs and leans back against the window.
It's been like this ever since she can remember. They stay somewhere for a few months, sometimes even half a year, before Mom packs up their stuff and they leave suddenly in the dead of night. They go from trailer park to trailer park, often in remote areas away from towns or main roads. In between trailers they sleep in the car, or sometimes in a motel room, if Mom can find a cheap one that isn't too seedy. Mom does odd jobs here and there, cleaning houses and repairing clothes so they have money to pay for food and rent.
Sometimes when things are tight Mom gets a job for a little bit, working somewhere like a gas station in the middle of nowhere where they pay in cash, and Daisy usually will come along and sit on the floor behind the counter, doing schoolwork or playing quietly. Mom homeschools her, and when she's not working all day they sit down and do several hours of schoolwork a day. When Mom has to work, she teaches Daisy in between customers.
They've lived in so many different places, Daisy's lost count. She was born in China, and Mom said they lived there for a bit, but they moved to the United States when she was a baby. They lived in Arizona and New Mexico until she was two, and Texas and Oklahoma when she was three. In the year she was four they were in Arkansas and Missouri, before going back to Oklahoma. She had just turned five when they went to Kansas, and after several months there they went on to Iowa. Three months ago they drove from Iowa to Illinois and moved into the trailer in the woods, and now they're leaving that too.
Leaning against the window, Daisy closes her eyes and pulls the duvet up to her chin.
She doesn't know where they're headed next, but she has Mom and Mom has her. No matter where they go, Mom is always there.
Daisy lets the sound of the car's engine wash over her as she curls up against the door, the familiar soft rumble lulling her back to sleep.