Everlasting Love

Chapter Three

Saturday morning...

"Izzy pancakes are ready" I called and Izzy rushed through to sit to the table. We covered them in fruit, jam and I admit one too many sprinkles. After breakfast we opened her presents, she is such a lucky girl toys and clothes. I left her to play in the living room whilst I went and got ready. I pulled my favourite top out and paired it with jeans.  I quickly did my hair as I wandered back through to the living room. "Right Missy, shall we get you out of PJ's and dressed". "Can I wear this?" she held up one of the outfits that my Mum had gotten her. I smiled and nodded. She looked so cute with her dress and tights on and little pink trainers to match. It was a pink dress with two unicorns on the bottom side and multi colour stripes on the arms. Kids clothes were so cute, just damn expensive with the rate she is growing at.

We arrived at the zoo five minutes early. I tried to stall at the entranceway. It wasn't going well as she was begging to go in. She loves animals. I picked up a map of the zoo and gave her it to try and distract her. She sat on the bench trying to read it, but mainly looking at the pictures. "Mummy I want to go see the Tiggers". I giggled. "Tigers, not Tigger's sweetie". I stood behind her and looked round. Nothing. I glanced up at the clock tower. 11am - just after. I sighed, saddened. "Right, shall we put this away and head in?" I folded the map up and put it in my bag and looked up. I couldn't believe it. He was here. Bone's. "Mummy, come on!" I looked down as Izzy tried to run on. I gently grabbed her arm stopping her. I knelt down to her level and held on to her. "Izzy, hang on. Do.. do you remember the other night you told me what you wanted for your birthday?" She looked to the sky swaying a little thinking. She smiled and looked back to me. "Daddy" I smiled with a tear rolling down my cheek. "Well, he wants to meet you. And.. and he's here" She didn't say anything, I glanced to Bone's. He looked calm. Wearing jeans and a blue polo. When I looked at his hands, fidgiting. Less calm, nervous. I nodded for him to come over. He moved hesitantly. "Daddy's right behind you sweetheart". Her bottom lip began to quiver. Bone's kept a few paces back. "You can turn round when your ready" I looked from her to Bone's. I felt sick. What if this was a bad idea, what if he changes his mind. Before I had to think of any other ideas Izzy turned round to face him. I placed one hand on her back and one on the ground supporting myself. Her head tilted to the side staring at him. He smiled and knelt down. "Hi Izzy, I hear it's your birthday" breaking the silence. "I'm five" she whispered. "A big girl eh?" He didn't stop smiling. I took a deep breath. "This is for you" he held out an envelope to her. "Go on, take it" I whispered in her ear and pushing her gently forward to encourage her. "Can I open it?" "Of course, it's your birthday". She opened it and something fell out. I was given the envelope. "What's this?" "It's a gift voucher to build a bear" "Yaaaay" she yelled out.  Her favourite place apart from the bakery. "What do you say?" I encouraged. "Thank you". "Izzy can you read the card?" I asked. She opened it up. "To Izzy...." She stopped. "Do you want me to read it?" Bone's asked. Izzy stepped closer to him and showed him. "It say's To Izzy, happy fifth birthday, I hope you have a magical day. Love Dad xxx" I glanced at Bone's who looked so nervous. Not something I was used to seeing with him. I took the card and voucher and popped them in my bag.

We made our way into the zoo, Izzy ran in front leaving Bone's and I walking side by side. We kept quiet, with the occasional glance to each other. It was so hard to breathe around him. Izzy had stopped at the penguin enclosure. She gazed through the porthole that was made for her height. We both looked in, then glanced at each other again. I smiled. He did too. "Mummy, do you think they're the ones from Madscar?" Bone's looked at her then to me confused. "Madagascar" I corrected her. "And I don't think so sweetie. The movie" "Ah right" Bone's nodded. "I'm a bit of date with kids stuff". I giggled. "I guessed". "If it helps, she loves anything with animals". "Noted". We wandered round a few more enclosures and climbed up the steep path to the bear viewing point. Izzy walked in the middle holding my hand. I noticed she had taken a hold of Bone's. As we arrived into the treehouse she ran letting go of our hands straight to the benches and climbed on one looking out of the window trying to see the bears. I stayed back as Bone's went over to her talking to her. She chatted back. My eyes on them fully, my heart melted seeing them together. Izzy walked on the bench and stumbled. I darted towards her but Bone's grabbed her steadying her. I stopped with a sigh of relief. He glanced to me and I walked over to them. "I'm getting peckish, why don't we go get some lunch?" Bone's smirked. I pulled a curious face to him. "See nothings changed with you and your food". I couldn't help but laugh, it was true. I was generally always hungry. "Shall we?" I asked looking to Izzy. "Daddy?" her lip quivered again. His eyes widened hearing the word Daddy again, he turned immediately to face her. "Yeah?" "Can I...can I have a cuddle?" butter could have melted with how she asked and the face on her. I felt tears welling up inside me. He bent down slowly as they shared their first hug. "Right, I'm too old for bending like this. Hold on tight" He said then picking her up as he straighened himself up right. Her arms wrapped round his neck and feet dangling down. "Mummy why are you crying?" Izzy asked watching me. Bone's turned and her cheek rested against his. He mimed the words *you ok?* I nodded and wiped my tears. "Nothing sweetie, it's just the animals going for my eyes". I smiled at Izzy. I managed to get a photo of the pair of them before we started making our way out. "Now am I going to have to carry you all the way?" Bone's asked raising her up and down and pretending to drop her. She laughed. I gasped forgetting to breathe each time he did so. She was happy. And he carried her all the way to the Bluebird Cafe. We got a table outside, I dumped my bag on the back of the chair pulling my purse out. "I'll go in and order, what do you two want?" "Anything" they both replied at the same time making us al laugh. "Bone's can you take her wee cardigan off?" I asked, he jumped up and did so. I left to it whilst I went and ordered three hot dogs and fries. I stood back waiting to collect our order and watched them both. Today has been so easy in comparison to what I had built up in my head. The server placed two trays down. I picked up the drinks "I'll be back in a sec for the food" I said before taking it out. "Right, one capri sun, one black coffee and one latte" I placed the tray down as Bone's grabbed the cups off and Izzy grabbed her drink but soon quickly passed it to Bone's to open. I quickly disappeared back inside and came back out with the food. "Three hot dogs" I sat down and we all tucked in. "Is there any-" I held up the mustard before he finished his sentence. He smiled taking it and we all ate in silence. "Mummy, I'm done. Can I go play?" Izzy asked looking at the playpark opposite. "Have you finished your juice?" She nodded. "Okay, on you go". "Can Daddy come?" She turned to face him. "Can I speak to Hay- Mummy first then I'll be over?" She nodded and ran over to play. "You having a good day?" I asked picking up some of Izzy's left over fries". He nodded watching Izzy and turned back to me. "You've done an amazing job with her Hayley all on your own". He scooted his chair closer to mine. "I hope so". "No, Hayley. Really, she's so curious about all the animals, and inquisitive and polite and. She's such an amazing little girl and that's all down to you". I felt a tear rolling down my cheek. "She's taken to you so well" I smiled before it turned to a frown of worry. "Though, you better go over there. She's eyeing up the monkey bars and she's not doing them without you underneath". He got up and headed over as she started climing up the ladder. He stood underneath as she climbed across them confidently.

A couple of hours later we made our way to the exit. I'll admit it was a struggle to get Izzy away from the tigers. "Can you two wait here a sec?" "Yeah sure" I replied as Bone's headed off. I took Izzy over and we sat on a bench and waited for him. "Have you had a good day then?" I asked wrapping my arm round her. She nodded smiling. "Do you think Daddy likes me?" her lip quivered. "Of course, I think he adores you sweetheart. Speaking of" I started giggling looking at him opposite us. I pointed over to him and her face lit up as she ran to him. He was holding a stuffed tiger from the gift shop. She took it off him and cuddled it then cuddled into his legs. "I'll call him... Alex!" Bone's and I just glanced smiling at each other. "Daddy" he drew his eyes downwards to Izzy who had raised her arms up. He bent down and picked her up and we made our way to my car. "I have one more little surprise for the birthday girl" I said. "A puppy?!" "No, we're not getting a puppy" She huffed and frowned and hid her face into Bone's neck. "Do you want to come with?" Bone's placed Izzy down and I opened the car as she climbed into her booster seat. He nodded. "Yeah, if that's okay?" "Of course". I gave him the postcode and he headed to his car while I strapped Izzy in. I drove off and glanced to Izzy in the rear view mirror. She couldn't stop smiling.