finding wanda: a tale of discovery and trust

"Tangled and tangled love"

I glanced up, my heart skipping a beat as I recognized the figure standing a few feet away. A wave of excitement washed over me. A woman with honey blond hair, green eyes, and a petite stature stood there, waving at me as I walked towards the house.

"Mom!" I called out, sprinting towards her with a huge smile on my face. It felt like an eternity since I last saw her, and my excitement knew no bounds. We had always shared a special bond as mother and daughter. however, instead of hugging me like she always used to, she now patted on my back before letting go.

A wave of confusion and a bit of pain rushed trough me, but I kept smiling at her.

Besides my mother's weird behavior, I found my self smiling. I've waited for this for so long.

That night, I went to bed feeling excited. My birthday was coming up soon, and I couldn't wait to spend a few days with my mom. We could have breakfast together, paint each other's nails, and play some games. Even though I wasn't a little girl anymore, I didn't care, I missed her and her company. Longing for the old good days, I fell asleep.

However, when I came downstairs the next morning, my excitement turned into disappointment. There, in the living room, was my mom packing her bags.

"Mom, why are you packing?" My voice clearly carrying a hint of disbelieve. "Lucas always makes a mess when packing, so I'm helping him." My mother answered, "He's coming with me for a while, and we're leaving tonight." She then added, giving a kiss on my forehead.

 "You can come next time, okay?," Without looking at me, she made her way back upstairs towards Lucas' room.

"But you just got here?," I said in disbelieve. "So you're leaving the day before my birthday?," my voice now clearly upset, but she didn't hear me anymore.

That night, when my mother left, I found myself in tears in my bedroom. My father hardly had time for me, my mother was rarely around, and now even my brother, Lucas, wouldn't be there for my birthday the next day. It had been ages since I felt special on my birthday. I sighed. Finding myself emotional, I wiped my tears away and drifted off to sleep.

As the sound of my dad walking up the stairs woke me up, I walked out of my room.

"Ah there you are, happy birthday," he said, and a quick kiss appeared on my cheek. I smiled. The sad feeling I felt from yesterday was now replaced with affection.

Thought, my smile faded again as soon as I realized my dad was getting ready for something. 

"oh, you're leaving already, where are you going?," I asked, hoping he would just pay a quick visit to the local store or something.

Waving a quick goodbye, he made it clear he wasn't going to return home anytime soon. I sighed. At least I got my happy birthday moment.

As I reached the forbidden sign, I knew I needed a distraction from all the thoughts and feelings. So if that meant spending time with my favorite witch, I'd take it.

I walked past some low-hanging branches and pushed aside a few leaves, I was surprised to find Wanda waiting outside for me with a warm smile on her face. It was odd, but I didn't think much about it.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Wanda said warmly. My eyes widened in surprise. "How on earth did you know?" I managed to ask before Wanda chuckled and placed her hands on my shoulders. "Oh, just a quick peek into your mind during our last meeting," she explained with a warm smile.

She then wrapped her arm around me and led me inside. "I've got something for you," she said, as she handed me a small gift with an even bigger smile.

I gasped in surprise as Wanda handed me a little gift. "You really didn't have to," I mumbled, touched by her thoughtfulness. "Nonsense," Wanda replied with a smile. "Now, open it!" 

As I carefully unwrapped the gift, I found a tiny box, and my heart skipped a beat. Inside was a small statue: a personalized representation of me. "You made this?" I giggled, delighted that Wanda had remembered my secret love for Tangled.

Wanda explained, "It's nothing big, but I wanted to give it to you anyway." With a loving smile on my face, I assured her, "No, it's adorable, Wanda. Thank you!" I truly meant it, and her smile widened in response.

I placed the gift on the table and smiled, but soon, thoughts of my mom showed up in my mind. The realization that she hadn't bothered to stay even one more day hit me hard.

Meanwhile, Wanda approached me from behind, noticing the tears that were streaming down my cheeks.

I tried to wipe them away, but it was too late. Concern filled Wanda's expression.
"Is everything alr-"

I couldn't help myself and immediately turned around to give Wanda a big hug. I wasn't a fan of hugs and Wanda was taken aback at first, because she knew that, but quickly wrapped her arms around me in a warm embrace. I felt a wave of gratitude wash over me. "I'm just so grateful for you, for this." I explained.

Wanda smiled gently. She pulled away, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Oh Sweetheart, you deserve every bit of it,". She replied gently and placed a kiss on my forehead.

That night, I had the best birthday I'd experienced in years. Wanda and I spent the evening together, baking a cake and watching Tangled, even though we both knew we were too old for it.

The simple pleasure of spending time with someone who cared about me, made my birthday truly special; I felt special. Something I didn't think was possible. But Wanda made it happen. She did and I felt so grateful.

Time passed by, and I found myself snuggled up on the sofa wrapped in a blanket. My eyelids grew heavier by the minute, and I started to yawn from time to time.

Eventually, I hesitantly laid my head on Wanda's shoulder. She smiled warmly, turning off the movie as she sensed my tiredness.

"Would you like to stay here tonight, sweetheart?" she almost whispered.

Knowing I wouldn't even be able to walk home even if I wanted to, I nodded. "Yes, that would be nice," I mumbled. another yawn escaped me.

Wanda prepared a resting spot for me, laying down a pillow and closing the curtains to ensure a peaceful sleep. Before leaving the room, she gave me a gentle kiss on my forehead and wished me a good night.

With that, Wanda made her way to the hotel bedroom, leaving me to rest and relax in the quiet room