𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐎𝐋𝐃, 𝐍𝐎𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐈, 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐃 through her medium-size toy box, trying to find a toy to play with but she failed. The little girl sighed as she stood up off the wooden floor. Noelani walked over to the bookshelf, where Graham placed all of their board games.
As Lani scanned through the games, she noticed CandyLand. She smiled at the sight of her favorite board game. "I want to play this," Noelani thought to herself as she began pulling it down from the shelf.
"Gam!"
The thrilled girl ran through the small trailer, looking for her daddy. Graham sat on the couch staring at an old picture of him and his ex girlfriend, Selene Brown, Noelani's deceased mother. Tears filled his eyes as Noelani ran into the living room. "Gam can we play CandyLand today," she asked, sitting down beside him still holding onto the box.
Graham immediately wiped away his tears praying she didn't notice him crying. "Of course Lani Bear," he says. He tries his best to put on a happy smile for his daughter.
Noelani looked down at the portrait of the beautiful couple. "That's you and momma right," she questioned. Graham examined the photo, running his finger across it. "It is baby," he nods his head slowly.
She smiled and replies, "She looked pretty in this picture."
"I agree, she does. But what about me." Graham jokes. Noelani laughed, leaning her head on her dad's arm. "You look handsome too!"
"Thank you, I'm just messing with ya'."
It was silent for a moment as the two of them stared at the photo. "What happened to momma," she asks. Graham heart dropped at the question. He didn't expect her to ask that.
"Um..." Graham was completely speechless.
He took a deep breath before looking down at the little girl. "I wanted to wait and talk about it when I felt you were ready," he told her. Noelani nods. She was five when her mom passed so Graham only told her that her mommy moved to Heaven to help the angels. It may seem a bit dramatic now but at the time he felt it was the easiest way to explain to a five year old.
"I'm a big girl, I'm ready Gam," was all Noelani could say. Graham smiled at her as he rubbed her back, "I know you are."
Graham cleared his throat while Noelani was looking up at him. "Listen Lani Bear... your momma decided to leave this world to go rest peacefully," he says. Remembering the day he found her. Selene became very suicidal a year after her and Graham got together. She started cutting herself, staying in her room, and not communicating with anyone. Graham noticed and suggested she go to the doctor or talk to someone but she refused. And it only got worse from there.
"And don't think for a second you were the reason for her choice because she loved you so much," Graham says to her.
Noelani looked down at the ground, fiddling with her fingers."And you," she asked. Graham smiled weakly. "We were in love Lani, no one could keep us apart. She wrote us a... a goodbye letter but when you get a lot older I'll let you read it ok?"
"Ok.. I'm glad she's happy now but I miss her," she says.
Graham just nods. "I miss her too Noelani," he thought in his head. He's thankful she took it well especially since he wasn't expecting this conversation. "Now are you ready to play CandyLand or what," Graham changed the subject.
Noelani looked at the board game in her hand, forgetting her reasoning for coming into the living room. She started smiling, "Yes, get ready to lose!" She placed the box on the table and took the lid off of it.
Graham laughed at Lani, shaking his head. "Nope not if I win first," he says confidently. Noelani pulled out all the pieces and set up the game. Noelani sat on the floor and picked up the red pawn, setting it down on the board. She then picked up the yellow pawn, handing it to Graham.
"Thank you." They played this game so much that they both had a pawn they played with.
Graham picked up the deck of cards and began shuffling. Lani put her hands on her hip and spoke, "Don't forget I go first Gam." He chuckled at her comment, hating the fact that he told her about that rule cause she never lets him live it down.
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𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘦. 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦.
