Under Her Wing

Chapter 114

**** 1 WEEK LATER ****

Danielle POV

I'd woken up before Stefania and smiled seeing her still asleep, looking all peaceful. I felt something under my back and sighed happily when my fingers felt the soft fur of Amalia's Eeyore stuffie that had somehow ended up in our bed.

I pulled it up and rested it on my chest. Reaching over to my bedside table, I grabbed my phone and unlocked it.

I checked my emails first, noticing one to tell me one of Amalia's birthday presents was due to be delivered today.
When I finished checking the other mostly irrelevant emails, I opened my notes app to update the secret birthday list I had for Amalia.

I then opened the other note with the list of things from Amalia's therapy session. I lay back in bed and stared at the list, trying to think of the things I could naturally do that would seem organic. Not wanting Mali to feel pressured or embarrassed, I wanted to create some childhood memories for her without her even realising.

We hadn't mentioned to Amalia that we'd seen it, when Stefania and I woke the following day it had been moved from the coffee table. We guessed that Amalia had hidden it.

I turned to face Stefania and leant down, softly placing a kiss on her forehead. Pulling back the duvet, I climbed out of bed, taking Eeyore with me.

I expected to find Amalia still asleep when I entered her bedroom, instead, I found her sat up and typing away on her laptop.

"Morning bubba, what're you doing awake this early?" I asked, climbing into her bed.

I scooted closer to her and rested my head down on her shoulder, our roles reversed.

"What's this?" I asked, staring at her laptop.

"School stuff," she shrugged.

"This early?" I questioned.

"I wanted to get it all done so I didn't have to worry about it all day," she explained.

"I just need mama to help with the last part of my Italian lesson, then I'm finished," she added.

"Well done baby, are you not tired though?" I checked.

"No I'm okay," she smiled.

"Stefania's still asleep bubba but I'm sure she'll help when she's up," I assured her.

"So we can cuddle now?" She asked.

"Why do you think mommy's here?" I winked.

She closed her laptop and placed it on her bedside table before snuggling back to lay down in bed.

"Look who I found," I smiled, holding Eeyore up.

"Hey that's where he went. Winnie and I were all alone last night," she playfully pouted, reaching for her Winnie the Pooh.

"Mali?" I said, moving to place my arms around my small teen.

"Yeah?" She asked, getting settled against me.

"So I've had a few sessions with my therapist now," I began explaining, her eyes locked firmly with mine.

"And you know how mama and I had to start by leaving you with Carla for a short period?" I added, hoping she'd be okay with where I'm going with this.

She nodded against my chest while I ran my fingers through her hair.

"Well mommy needs to try and do the same thing but for me," I told her.

"You're leaving me?" She asked anxiously, pushing up off my boobs to stare at me.

"No no Amalia,"

"No that's not what I mean,"