Home, February 10, 2049, 2:06pm

"Happy Birthday, Abigail!"

"Mommy!"

Abby shuts the door on her way in as she excitedly ran towards her mother and smacked full send into her stomach.

"Heya, you gotta be careful with the person who has a big cake in her hands!"

"Hihihi, I love you mommy!"

"I love you too!"

Danielle pat her daughter's head affectionately while simultaneously running her fingers through her hair, suddenly, a bright idea came to mind.

"Mommy, I wanna go on a date."

Danielle feels her heart skip a beat; and not in a good way.

"Huh?! Why?"

"Because people who love each other go on dates! I heard it from someone in school."

"Okay... but who are you going with?"

Danielle suddenly felt her heart in her throat. She stands up and walks to the kitchen to set down the cake. Since when did my little girl want to go on dates? She was bound to learn about romance sooner or later but I can't handle this! Why can't you just stay a cute girl forever? WHO'S THE BOY?! Mommy needs to-

"I wanna go on a date with you, Mommy!"

"Huh?"

"Hellooooo, can you hear meee? I said I wanna go on a date with you!"

"Oh."

Danielle felt her face redden as she covered it with both hands. Jesus... I should stop making bad presumptions. It ain't good for my heart. The lovely mother regained her composure and faced her child.

"Hmm, I like that idea but are you sure you don't wanna take a bite outta this cake 'ere?"

"I want cake to be the last part of our date!"

"Hmmm okay, we can go to the park first and somewhere after. I'm not busy right now."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am. I'm finished with school!"

"I don't like seeing Mommy cry because of me... " Her posture drops as she averts her eyes.

"Baby, it's never because of you, 'kay? If it's for you, I feel like I can take college all over again."

Danielle bends down and cups Abby's cheeks in her hands, wiping them affectionately. Even if no tears dropped, the sensation was still something Danielle absolutely cherished.

"But I'm glad you feel that way. You're so young but you're so thoughtful. I'm glad you're my daughter."

"Mommy... stop. I don't wanna cry right now."

"Me neither, but I just wanted to tell you that. Now just sit tight, Mommy's jus' gonna dress up, mhmm?"

"I wanna dress up too!"

"Wowww... You're so pretty, Mommy!"

"Just you wait; when you're older, you'll be even prettier." Danielle replies with a warm smile, albeit one that's a bit sad. When you're older... Danielle stood in front of her mirror with a little twirl. She was sporting a beige turtleneck sweater over a black jumper skirt. She also wore a matching beret over her dark brown hair in a bun directly behind her head; purposely letting strands of hair fall to the sides of her face.

"Your outfit is so mature!"

Mature, huh? Only a kid would call a 23-year old that in this day and age.

"Why, thank you. Dressing up n' feeling pretty is an important part of dates."

"Can you pick my clothes for me?"

"Sure!"

Abby smiles as wide as humanly possible. Danielle grinned and chuckled. All that saved money from all those part time jobs really paid off. I get cute clothes and my daughter gets to do the same and smile like every little girl should... That smile is something I will always want to protect.

Park, 4:11pm

Abby stands still as she watches a man and a woman playing around with a little girl. They look like they're having so much fun... I wish-

"Abby?"

"Huh? Oh, Mommy look at what I can do!"

The little girl runs up to the monkey bars and uses her legs to suspend herself in midair. All while laughing a bit too hysterically.

"Mommy, guess what I am!"

"Hmmm... upside down?"

"Ehhh... you're no fun!"

Abby pouted and crossed her arms. Hair gets into Abby's face and reaches into her mouth.

"PfftPWEH! Ah, this hair!" Abby complains as she attempts to swat her hair out of her face.

"That's why you oughta tie your hair before doing things like this. Do you remember how to do that?"

"Uuuu... of course I remember!"

Abby gets down from the monkey bars and continues to pout, though she doesn't make eye contact.

"Look at me, sweetie... "

"If I look at you, you'll read my mind... "

"Wha- who said I could read minds?"

"You did!"

"Eh?"

Danielle didn't necessarily remember when she specifically told her that, but she ran along with it anyways.

"Oh. Yeah, o'course I can read minds!"

"Can I learn to do that when I'm older?"

"You can try later when we get back home. For now, you wanna go to the mall?"

"Okay! But, can we sit first? I'm tired... "

Abby walks over to the bench but is interrupted by her mother's coughing.

"Mommy?"

"I just read your mind; you don't remember how to tie your hair."

"Uuuuu... ."

Mall, 4:59pm

"Mommy, why was that man shouting at us?" Abby said as they were walking away from a home appliance store.

"He's not really shouting. He just wants our attention."

"So why did you ignore him?"

"Uhhh, I didn't wanna talk to him."

"That's rude!"

Danielle facepalmed. Those marketing teams and their heckling... She's not supposed to be taught about these things yet; have mercy please!

"I'm sorry." Danielle said. "I'll do better next time!"

"Ohhh, so I can also teach mommy new things?"

"Of course you can. There's things that I don't know but you do and there are things that you don't know but I do."

"So then I can be helpful to Mommy?"

"Mhmm!"

"Yay!"

Abby hugs her mother's forearm and continues walking. Danielle smiled warmly. So damn cute!

"So," Danielle said. "Anything happen in school?"

"I made a friend!"

"Oh? Who was it?"

"His name was-"

Danielle's sixth sense tingled. Did she just say 'his'?!... Wait wait wait... shhhh calm down... She's only 6... It's not like when you look away for 5 seconds, she'll turn into an adult. Wait-"

"Mommy... you're not listening... " She says with a big pout.

"Sorry! What's your friend's name?"

"Uuuu... his name is Jimmy Yang."

"Okay, how did you meet him?"

"Well, he was all alone and I don't think some of the other people like him so I went up to him and asked if he wanted to play. He said yes."

"You're friends already?"

"Yes!"

Simpler times...

"What made you say other people didn't like him?"

"Well, the teacher never really paid attention to him, and the other kids kept making fun of how he looks. They were saying something about his parents or his eyes."

Damn idiots... I guess the strained relationships we have with China don't really help, either.

"I'm proud of you, dear." She said with a soft smile.

"Huh?"

"You really are a sweet girl."

"What do you wanna have for dinner?" Danielle asks Abby, who seems preoccupied staring at a distant table. What's she so distracted by- oh. Danielle notices. Abby was looking longingly at a table with a full family; mother, father, daughters...

"Darlin'?" Danielle says.

"Huh?"

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing!"

Danielle sighs. Time and place, Danielle.

"So what do you wanna order?"

"Everything!"

That ain't how the world works, y'know . Danielle thought. She stares at Abby, waiting for her to notice.

"Mommy?"

"Darlin', you gotta choose one, okay? If you order everything, you won't be able to finish it all! Aside from that, won't you feel bad for the chef who cooked all of the food you can't finish?" How about those people who wash the dishes?" She cups her face in her hands and rests her elbows on the table, leaning towards Abby.

"Uuuu... "

"I ain't got that much money either, y'know... " She says while pouting innocently at her daughter.

"Fine..."

"Hmmmmmmm?"

"Fine... " She says poutily while looking to the side.

"Good!"

Hehe, you're not the only one who can be cute!

Home, 10:03pm

"All that cake really put you to sleep, huh?"

"Yeah... "

"Well, how was our date, darlin'?"

"Hihihi... I loved it!"

"Me too, sweetie. Well," Danielle plants a kiss on her daughter's cheek. "Goodnight."

"Mommy, you're forgetting something... " Abby said as she got tucked into bed.

"Hmmm?"

"Teach me how to read minds!"

Danielle laughed as she walked back over to Abby's bedside, resting her weight on her hand as she leaned towards her daughter.

"Okay, here's the trick; look into my eyes."

"They're pretty."

Danielle blushed slightly but chuckled it off.

"Mhmm, what words do you think of when you see my eyes?"

"Cake."

"Take this seriously!" Danielle says as she chuckles.

"Hehehe... Smile."

"Mhmm... " Danielle nods in response.

"Pretty."

"Hihihi."

"Ummm... scared?"

"Huh?" She replied in a bit of shock. "Be careful not to confuse your feelings with mine."

"You said to say the first words I think of! Well... I think I am scared, too."

"What's wrong, hun?"

"I'm scared for you, Mommy... "

"Well, now you're scarin' me; talkin' all weird n' stuff, hehe... "

Danielle shifted uncomfortably in her place.

"I'm scared that you're always focusing on me and won't have time for like, friends or something." Abby retreats into her blanket a bit, hiding her nose and mouth under while averting eye contact. "I'm scared when I see you cry when you don't think I'm looking... Mommy, please tell me if you're scared, okay?!" Abby's voice starts breaking, yet Danielle can't find the strength to form a single word or thought.

"Darlin'... " She said shakily as she cupped Abby's face and stroked her cheek.

"When we were in the park, I saw a man and a woman play with their child. In the mall, there were so many adults with their kids... In the restaurant! I'm scared that you feel sad because I never met my dad... W-why don't I have a dad?! I thought a dad was s-supposed to be with their family!"

"I d-don't know."

"Mommy, It's not fair! I want to be a family!"

Abby's nasally tone soon turns into a full cry. Danielle, still totally unsure of what to do, opens the blanket and crawls into position; laying beside her daughter while affectionately stroking her hair.

"Mommy... does daddy hate us?" Danielle's heart shattered in two.

"I don't know... "

I wish I could say I was lying when I said I don't know, but the truth is I might be more confused than she is. The day he left, he was painfully vague. All he said was he found his purpose and that it would be impossible for a family to be a part of that. He said it wasn't because he didn't love me although I don't think I ever really believed him. I even threw a tantrum as he was about to go! 'If he did really love us, he wouldn't have left'; is it really as simple as that? Maybe he never really loved me as I thought he did; teenage brain and all. I wouldn't expect him to make a snap decision for something so heavy... Everytime I replay that scene in my head and think of ways it could've gone, I could never properly express whatever it was that I felt. Was I hurt that he left? Glad? Doesn't matter now... Maybe the best answer is the one I couldn't accept; that he left because he didn't love us enough to take responsibility for a family. Give me time and I can accept that, but just how the hell am I supposed to tell that to Abigail?

"Abigail?"

"Hmm?" She hummed softly.

"I always tell you to do your best, right? Even when you aren't sure you're gonna win, you have to do your best. That right?"

"Y-yeah."

"I taught myself that after your dad said he was leaving."

"But you still don't know why he left?"

"The truth is I'm not sure but what I said still works; even if I didn't know what your father felt or about me being a parent, I still decided I would do my best to raise you. Yes, I was scared, so it looks like you can read minds too!"

"Mhmmm... " Abby managed a soft giggle.

"I know it's sad to know that other people have things we don't have, but even if you think we're not a complete family, I don't think that's the case. We'll just have to be the best 2-person family we can be. I love you and you love me, right?"

"Right."

"So even if we don't know or are scared of something, you should still find a way to do your best. It's okay to be scared or sad, as long as someone is there for you."

"Okay." Abby's voice seems to have regained most of its normal warmth.

"I promise you I'll always do my best for our family."

"I also wanna be like Mommy."

"Okay, so what will you do?"

"I-I'll also do my best in school and in my chores! I want us to be the best family ever!"

"Promise?"

"Yeah!"

Danielle smiles warmly and steps out of bed, but feels a tugging sensation on her sleeve.

"Abby?"

"C-can you stay with me for tonight?" Abby asks shyly.

"Sure." She replies as she crawls back into the bed.

"Umm... you sounded so cool when you were saying all those things."

"Uhuh."

"I'm still a bit scared and confused, but you said that's okay."

"Mhmmm."

"I also wanna read your mind again!"

"Ahaha, sure."

Abby softly bunted her mother's forehead, closing her eyes and melting into their shared warmth.

"You're supposed to open your eyes when you do this, y'know?" Danielle remarked.

"I know but I made a new style! Your thoughts will go into my head so I can read them!"

"Alright, alright." Danielle closes her eyes in response. "Well? What's it like in there?"

"Hmm... Brave"

"Mhmm... "

"Cool. Awesome; s-stronggg... " Abby says with a yawn afterwards. "Love... "

With that, Abby seemingly drifted off into sleep, one hand finding itself intertwined with her mother's. Danielle smiled and chuckled softly. Did I say the right things? Who knows if a child could ever get over a parent leaving them behind... I did my best and those were the words that came out. No point in beating myself up over it.

Danielle looks down at her daughter, observing her breaths while running her hand through the tangles in her hair.

I know it's a selfish and stupid wish, but I'll sing it anyway.

"See the pyramids along the Nile

Watch the sun rise on a tropic isle

Just remember, darling, all the while

You belong to me"

...

"I'll be so alone without you

Maybe you'll be lonesome too, and blue"

"Fly the ocean in a silver plane

Watch the jungle when it's wet with rain

But remember darling, till you're home again

You belong to me."

Danielle planted a soft peck on her daughter's forehead, drawing an unconscious smile out of the girl.

"You will always be my Darling."