HE LEFT ME!!

waffles and velvet

Bella

"Mommy!" Allie called from the hallway, seconds before she came barreling into the room. Her long brown hair was messy and her purple teddy bear pajamas ruffled from sleep. I smiled at her as she skidded to a stop in front of me, a tiny frown saddening her features.

"What is it, baby?" I asked, scooping my daughter into my arms. I kissed her forehead lightly as she continued to stare at me. Her small hands reached out and touched the my cut gingerly. I winced.

"What happened, mommy?" her voice was soft as she asked the question she had already asked a hundred times before. It was quite possibly the first sentence she had ever learned. I smiled a sad smile at her, brushing her bangs back to kiss her forehead once more.

"Mommy is a klutz, Allie-baby," I said, trying my best to force a kidding grin on my face. It was difficult, but I think I managed for her, "I fell out of bed in the middle of the night and bumped my face."

"But mommy, both sides of your face are hurt," she urged. I blinked at the brilliance of my daughter. Too often she saw through my lies.

"Mommy is very klutzy," I stuck to my lie. Allie stared at me for only a moment more before the worry on her face disappeared. A bright smile replaced the little frown and she reached up with both hands, pulling my face down to hers. I complied, and she kissed all the injured areas. I choked back my tears, keeping the smile on my face.

"Did daddy kiss it better?" Allie asked. She pulled away after I had flinched at the question. I had a smile when she looked at me expectantly. Such innocence.

"Yea, baby," I said, ruffling her hair, "Daddy kissed it better."

She slid off of my lap and lowered herself to the floor, gripping my left hand in both of hers, tugging me. I stood up and followed her to the door, "Come on, mommy! We're going to be late."

"Go get dressed, baby," I patted her on the back, urging her in the direction of her room. I started towards the stairs as she entered her bedroom, "I'll go get your breakfast started."

I paused on the middle of the stairs, listening to the opening of dresser drawer and the shuffling of clothes, "What do you want, Allie?"

"Waffles!" she called enthusiastically. I heard a bump. She had obviously fallen while dressing. I smiled at how much she reminded me of myself when I was younger, "I'm okay!"

"I know, Allie. I'll go make your waffles," I called back to her as I entered the living room and crossed to the kitchen. I opened the fridge, removing the ingredients necessary before setting to work on her breakfast.

Allie had been born nine months after the prom. I had wanted to name her Alice, but I knew that Mike would never allow it. I took the beginning of Alice's name and the end of Rosalie's name to make Allie's name. It was innocent enough that Mike didn't catch on. I wanted something to keep the memory of the Cullen family. Allie did just that. She had bright hazel eyes that were so light, they almost looked yellow. It was a painful reminder.

Allie was my one true treasure left in the world. She was never a mistake to me, although Mike often referred to her as such. He was graceful enough to never say such things in front of her face. He was quite kind to her, actually. He knew that if she were in danger, I would leave the next day. So he was wonderful. In truth, it was worse. He was the light of her life and he could support her in ways that I couldn't if I ever left. So I stayed. The hell I was in had to be better than never seeing Allie again.

I poured the batter into the waffle machine and followed the instructions I had followed a dozen times. Allie loved waffles and asked for them nearly every morning that she could. Which was whenever I stayed home. Mike would typically only allow a bowl of cereal before dropping her off at preschool.