"Grandpa, I asked Santa for croquetas," Willa explained as she held onto Mike's back, allowing him to walk her through the crowded party and towards the beverage table.
Willa was overwhelmed with the number of people like last time, but she was doing slightly better seeing as she had more family around whom she trusted. All the girls had their families over, as well as their management team, Simon Cowell's family, famous friends, non-famous friends, and friends of friends (most of which none of the girls knew of). But it was Christmas Eve, and it didn't matter who was at the party so long as everyone was enjoying themselves and the festive energy stayed alive all evening long.
"Do you think Santa knows how to make Cuban food?" Mike asked, grabbing a beer for himself and a cup of pop for Willa.
"Dunno. I'll tell you tomorrow when I'm eatin' croquetas."
Mike laughed at that, moving back towards the living room where he left the group of people from the party that he knew and was having a conversation with.
When he got there Lauren instantly approached him, extending her arms to Willa.
"I can keep her with me," Mike said, confused why his daughter was swooping the little one away when he just got her.
"I know. But I want Willa to meet some of the kids from the party," Lauren explained, placing Willa on her feet and helping the child fix her dress.
"But mama, I don't wanna," Willa said nervously, looking over at the outside where kids were running around.
"Let's just go say hi. Maybe you'll have some fun," Lauren said. It wasn't that Lauren didn't want her daughter around. It was simply the fact that the words of her cousin from over a month ago still bothered her and she wanted to prove to herself and to her daughter that there were things that Willa could do without having an adult beside her. Like playing.
Willa begrudgingly moved with her mama through the crowd, crossing her arms once they got outside and Lauren released her hand.
"Hey, Maya, can you come here a second?" Lauren called over to one of Ally's cousins, the little girl stopping her game to look at Lauren and nod, hurrying over to the woman. Maya was five, just like Willa, and was about as bubbly as Ally, making it her an easy start for the skittish daughter of the singer.
"Willa, this is Maya. She's Ally's cousin. Can you say hi?"
"Hello," Willa said after a short second of contemplation.
"Hi! I'm Maya! Do you want to play with us?"
Willa looked nervously at the small group of kids. There were at least ten kids total at the party – all under the age of ten. Eric (Simon Cowell's son), Regina and Seth, Maya, and some of the managements kids – Carson, Tina, Quinn, Henry, and Bella.
Willa didn't really want to play with that many people and decided not to answer, instead looking to her mama. "Can I go back to grandpa?"
"Willa, don't be rude. Why don't you try playing for a while? Maya is really nice and I'm sure she'll teach you how to play," Lauren said, looking to the other five-year-old who nodded happily in agreement and bounced on her toes, ready to run back to the game.
"Fine," Willa sighed, following Maya to the grass where the others began to talk about the game rules.
Lauren watched for a while, keeping her eyes trained on Willa who at first awkwardly watched the kids run around her before she slowly joined in (mainly because Seth grabbed her hand and began to drag her around to show her how to run away from the person who was it).
YOU ARE READING
Piece Of My Heart - Fifth Harmony Adoption
Fanfiction"This world isn't as bad as you have been made to believe." From the moment Willa was born her world was like a dark cloud. She was born into the hands of those who wanted to inflict pain. She never knew what it felt like to be loved. Maybe it wa...
