Sweet Little Girl

Fourty

Hanaina's POV

I walk into Nollani's room after looking for her everywhere. Her room is the last place she goes to so I know something's wrong. I see her lying on the bed staring blankly at the ceiling, her little nose a bright shade of red. She sees me and wipes her tears quickly. "Hi mommy." She giggles nervously. I climb on the bed laying beside her.

"Hi lovebug." I respond, running my finger over the bridge of her nose, making her close her eyes. I don't want to ask her what's wrong, because she'll probably start crying all over again but I need to know so I can help her. "What's the matter baby? Tell mommy what's hurting you." I coo. She looks at me with sad eyes, then tears start run down her face making my heart clench. I pull she closer to me letting her rest her head on my chest. She grips the onto the neckline of my dress, crying silently, her tiny body shaking. I rub her back letting her cry as much as she needs to.

"He doesn't call!" Nollani says. He doesn't call? Who doesn't call? "He doesn't even know where I am, whether I'm alive or...dead!" She continues, slightly raising her voice. Her dad, I'm guessing. "Isn't he supposed to love me?" She asks lifting her head up to look at me. She sits up, looking at me, eyes full of tears. "I might be a burden but I didn't ask to be here!"

"You're not a burden sweetheart. Remember what I said about being kind to yourself?" She covers her face nodding her head. "That's right." I rub her back. "Its not your fault that he's such a terrible father. It's honestly a pity he doesn't realise how precious you are. It's his loss. You're the sweetest, most beautiful, little girl ever and I'm so glad you're here and that I get to have you as my baby. Your father takes it for granted that he got such a sweet baby girl and got to see her grow into such a big girl." I tell her. Lani lays back down next to me plopping her face into my chest, typical for her to do. "I love you so much sweet-thing. I might not be so great sometimes but I'll continue trying my best to be the best mommy I can be to you and give you all the love you need and deserve." I say kissing her forehead. "You're really not a burden.You're my...sugarplum, my squishybun, my tinytot, my ooglyboogly,"

"Mommy stop!" She whines covering my mouth to stop my teasing. She turns away trying to hide her little smile from me.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." I chuckle holding her hand and giving it a kiss. "Mommy doesn't like seeing you upset like this. I only want my happy baby." I say patting her bottom. "Do you think if you spoke to your father and told him how you feel, it would make you feel better?" I ask her.

She shrugs says.  "He never takes accountability, he always wants to be right. I could talk to him but it would be of no use." She responds. "But I also don't wanna see him again! So don't make me talk to him!" She pouts. "I love mommy only! And only mommy makes me so happy, I only want you! I don't even need that-"

"Noo!" I stop her little rant before she says something she shouldn't be saying.

"But Mommyyyy! You don't even know what I was going to say." Lani says sitting up, giving me a little cheekily grin.

"No, I don't but I can almost guarantee it was going to be naughty." I tell her.

"Nu uh! I was only gonna say-"

"Nollani!" I warn tilting my head with a raised eyebrow.

"Fine!" She pouts. "Why does it matter what I call him anyway. He doesn't care about me so it really doesn't matter what I choose to call him." She says all pouty.

"Pumpkin, I don't care what you call him as long as I-"

"Asshole!" She yells cutting me off. Then she has the nerve to look at me with the biggest smile ever. The hubris this little girl has to curse while she's right beside me. I swat her bum, getting a little whine. "Owie Mommy!" She pouts at me. "But you said you don't care what I called him!" She says hiding her face against my chest, her cheeks flushed.

"I wasn't done speaking. I was going to say, I don't care what you choose to call him as long as I don't hear you."

"But you didn't say that!" She lifts her head, frowning at me.

"Because you didn't let me finish and you knew what you were doing when you interrupted me." I say.

"Not true," she says biting her lip, to hide a little smile. I shake my head, giving her bum another swat for good measure. She whines giving me puppy eyes.

"You never miss an opportunity to be naughty, do you?" I ask, sitting up with my back resting against a few pillows.

She shrugs grinning at me. "I wasn't being naughty, just having a little fun. It's a shame you're always doing your boring office work that you can't even tell the difference between being naughty and just a bit of fun." She says smiling at me.

"Oh, you're being very mouthy. Would you like a few more smacks on your bottom? I have all the time in the world to tend to you right now." I sternly glare at her over my glasses.

"N-no Mommy." says covering her her face with her hands.

"Mhmm..." I hum holding my hands out towards her. She moves closer and throws herself in my lap. "Can you look at mommy and promise me something peanut?" She nods looking at me unsure. "Promise me that next time you're having big feelings, you'll come talk to me instead of hiding yourself in your room and suffering alone." I say holding my pinky out. She looks at me pinky for a while before wrapping her pinky around mine.

"Promise." She says shyly, her eyes looking glossy.

"That's it." I smile at her. "I'm here for you baby and I'm here to take care of you, to take care to your needs sweetheart. It's a promise I made to you when we started this relationship." I tell her wiping the tears that are now on her cheeks. "Mommy's never going to be upset at you for needing her. I'm all yours, baby. You're more than just my little." I tell her. "I felt terrible, and I felt like I hadn't done enough to earn your trust, when she walked in here and saw you crying." I say.

"I sowwy." She says sniffling.

"You're okay sweetheart. You don't need to apologise. I just need you to communicate with me more and I need you to be more open about your feelings. I want you to show me that you trust me. Can you that for me?" I ask making me look at me.

"Yes." She nods.

"That's a good girl." I say bouncing her on my lap. "Now no more crying." I prop her up, giving her a kiss on each eye. I lean back dramatically staring at the ceiling. "I would love to watch Tinkerbell but who's gonna watch it with me?" I pout. Lani straddles my lap bouncing excitedly.

"I gonna watch it. Me mommy!" She yells raising her hand. I chuckle before pouting again.

"And I really want to have some ice cream while I watch, but I wanna share it with someone...but with who?" I sulk.

"Share with me. No be sad Mommy!" Lani says giving me kisses making me melt. She jumps off the bed and tries to pull me by my feet but fails. I cover my mouth laughing at her. "Come on Mommy, lessss goooo!!!" She jumps eagerly. I get up deciding not to make her wait any longer.