You will be mine

Epilogue

Epilogue

"Ava, be careful when you feed the pony." I say in a rush. "Mom, it's Cracker. He loves me." Ava admits with her honest smile. "Still, be careful, tough." I tell her with a small smile. "You know animals can be naughty as well." I add gently. "Not my Cracker." Ava sings cheerfully.

"I love you my little Ava." I admit and kiss her on her hair. "Love you too, and daddy." She says determined, taking another carrot out of my hand. I brush my hand over her small skull and think about how much she has grown up lately.Ava is our little miracle. She's brave, sweet and resilient.

Ava is just three years old and the years we got with her are the most precious moments in my entire life. I can't imagine a life without her."That's enough carrots for Cracker. Do you see his belly grow?" I ask her softly.

"Yeah. Oh no, now he will he get stomach pain." Ava says with a sad expression on her little face. "No, I think we stopped just in time to prevent that." I assure her, brushing my hand over her long brown locks.

"Let's go back to the house. We definitely need a bath." I chuckle at her little face turning mad. "But mommy, don't you see Cracker will miss me?" She says agitated.

I try to contain my upcoming smile and hold my bearings for a moment. I breathe out and kneel in front of her. "Ava, Cracker also needs some time alone with his friends." I point toward our other animals.

"You can come back later today with daddy, Okay?" I add quickly. Seeing the sad expression on her face made it even more difficult to withdraw her from her little friend.

Ever since she was born, Ava could wrap all the animals around her little fingers. They adored her like she's a God. And I have to admit, she has the same effect with us as well.

"Okay," she pouts her lips in protest. "Only if you promise daddy will go with me." She orders me, already debating at such a young age.

"I promise you." I assured her, and she takes my hand in hers. "Bye, Cracker. I'll come back with daddy." She counters, her mood changing into the happy child again.

I settle myself in the bathtub in front of her, Ava already busy playing with her toys. "When can I see Ty again?" Ava asked suddenly. "Do you miss him?" I ask her softly.

I know she and Ty are best friends already, but Tessa and Tom bought a house in Oregon just like we did. But it was further than just around the block. "Of course I miss him and Aunti Tessa." She blurted like she's the smartest one of the both of us.

"I'll call her after bath to ask if they want to come in the weekend." I inform her. "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!" Ava splattered with her hands in the water. I giggle at her outburst. Seeing my daughter happy makes me the happiest mom on earth. A mother lives for her children, and now I understand how all those years must have felt for my mother.

You never, ever stop worrying about them. About their safety, their health, their happiness. Everything is connected with my overprotective heart. With Michael, it's just the same as me. How many times he had hold of his breath when Ava started playing on the playgrounds was countless.

With his so-called father in jail, Michael still has a hard time to trust people. It's a little better, but when it comes to keeping his daughter, he's psychotic. That's the reason I don't work anymore and take care of her until she's ready to go to school in two months.

I'm showering off the soap in my hair when I hear the door cracking. "Daddy!!!" Ava yelled, the sound penetrating my ears. I laugh at her overwhelming laughter when Michael lovely kisses her cheeks. "Did you make sure mommy washed herself properly?" Michael says, eyeing me with hungry eyes.