Wish Upon A Star [H.S]

1

Y/n had lost her mother a few months shy of her third birthday. Being so early on in the young girl's life, she never had the chance to experience a true bond shared between mother and daughter. There were no real memories that she could recall of them as a family. All she'd ever known was her dad, and for the longest time, he was all she ever needed.

It was only when she was four and came home with tears streaming down her face that Eric knew his daughter was missing something. Y/n's teacher had told the class to draw pictures of their families. Everyone shared their portraits of stick figures and triangular shaped beings, but it seemed as though her's was the one that stood out from the rest.

***

"Daddy," she sniffles, "Why don't I have a mummy?" Eric feels a lump form in his throat. He had always dreaded the day when his little girl would realize the pain of their loss. If he could take all that sorrow away, he would.

"Oh, sweetheart, of course you have a mummy," he coos, as he wipes away the hot tears that paint her plump cheeks. Y/n looks up at him, another flood threatening to unleash. He holds her closer to his chest, stroking her hair gently. "You remember what I told you about Nana Elsa?"

Y/n nods at the mention of her grandma. "You said that Nana went to heaven and that she's always watching us."

"That's right. Well, sweet pea, your mummy is up there with Nana!" he replies softly. He watches intently as Y/n seems to process this new information.

"You mean Mummy and Nana eat cucumber sandwiches together? Nana loves cucumber sandwiches," the little girl muses. Her father happily nods his head. Y/n thinks deeply for a moment, before sadness is once again etched in her young features. "But you said that we won't be able to see Nana again...does that mean I won't ever see Mummy again?"

Eric lets out a deep sigh, this time nodding his head regretfully. He notices his daughter's lip begin to quiver again. "Here, let's go outside." Taking Y/n in his arms, he carries her out to the front porch. The sky is decorated with a number of stars. Eric searches and searches, before finally finding what he had been looking for. "You see that star right there?" he points out.

Y/n follows the direction of his finger, her eyes landing on the brightest star in the night sky. "It's so bright!" she admires. Eric smiles, pushing some stray hair that had fallen onto her face behind her ear.

"That star is Mummy. Whenever you look up at the sky, she'll always be there," he says. The little girl keeps her eyes fixed on the star. "You know, they say that some stars can grant wishes, maybe Mummy can grant you a wish."

She remains silent, but Eric can practically see the gears churning in her head. He doesn't want to push her, she had been through too much today.

Suddenly, she speaks up. "Daddy?"

"Yeah?"

"Will Mummy be mad if I wish for a new mummy?" His little girl's eyes are filled with an uncertainty.

It's as though his heart has stopped beating. He looks up at the star he'd designated in the memory of his late wife before turning back to face the helpless child in his arms. All he manages is to give her an enthusiastic smile as a response, but just that seems to be enough for her. Y/n buries her face in her father's neck and he can feel her drifting off to sleep. Eric remains silent, not knowing what to say. However, if there is one thing he knows he has to do, it's give his daughter a proper family.

***

When Y/n turned six, she was aware that her dad had been dating (whatever that means) a lovely woman named Anne. Y/n took an instant liking to the older woman, feeling at ease whenever in her presence. She loved it when Anne would braid her hair, and they had even baked cupcakes together the other day––she even licked the spoon! Eric was pleased with how things were turning out, and soon enough he bent down on one knee and proposed to Anne. Y/n had been elated when she heard of the engagement. She had heard romantic stories of weddings, most from the storybooks her dad would read her before bed.