Sweet as a Strawberry One-Shot - More Than Enough

More Than Enough (SAAS one-shot)

Sweet as a Strawberry one-shot

Lottie's Mother

More Than Enough

I watched as Charlie gently touched one soft finger to the photo frame, the glass acting as a barrier between her and the face of the young, happy, alive me.

Her lips parted slightly, and one silvery tear slid slowly down her face, wet, cool and salty. She swallowed and I knew that she wished I was there.

I was. I was with her forever. I was in her heart.

My little Charlotte. Dear Charlie. My daughter.

I watched as Delia approached Charlie's bedroom, completely unaware that my girl was upset. I bit my lip, nervous and curious. How would Charlie take this? Would she tell Delia about me?

I spared a glance at Delia, and then another. I had to admit it, she was pretty. Was I jealous? Deep down, no. I was happy that Charlie had more than one person to fall back on if something went wrong. More than just her father. Two people on whom she could depend. And if it couldn't be me, I would have wished another woman, someone, who, like Delia, loved my husband, Charlie's father, but also loved Charlie. I could see it in Delia's eyes that she did. Ever since the hospital scare, they'd become much closer. I doubted Delia noticed it, but her lips quirked into a smile and her stride lengthened as she neared Charlie's room.

She couldn't wait to see her.

I smiled a little secret smile to myself, pleased that Charlie had turned out to be the little angel I had always dreamed she'd be, and still did, sometimes. I dreamed while she dreamed, I hoped that her future was a good one, I wished that she would succeed in everything that she would want to, and most of all, I dreamed that she would be happy.

Charlie heard the approaching footsteps and immediately straightened up, brushing her stray tears aside. She carefully placed the photo frame on her bedside table and gave it a small, delicate, sad smile before she turned her attention to the door and fixed a happy, serene look on her face. It took effort, but Charlie was firm about what she wanted and God forbid that her face wouldn't do it! Swallowing, she blinked once and waited for Delia to knock.

Delia did not.

Instead, the woman opened the door without so much as a slight hesitation and fixed Charlie with a cheeky grin. Her hair tumbled freely around her shoulders and her eyes sparkled.

"There's someone here to see you!" she sang at the surprised Charlie.

"Who?" she chirped, suddenly curious and alert. She straightened the skirt of her dress and stood up from her bed, smoothing out the slightly wrinkled duvet cover before raising her eyebrows at Delia.

It did not escape my attention that Charlie took a deep breath before she dragged her eyes from the now smooth bed cover to Delia, as if she was still struggling with her emotions.

Delia didn't seem to have noticed. Instead, she smiled even wider and beckoned for Charlie to follow her out of her room.

My chest puffed with pride as Charlie took another deep breath before following Delia from the room, her eyes lingering on the silver framed photograph of me and her. The frame had birds and roses and hearts all around it, and I love you inscribed into the polished metal.

My Charlie was still smiling despite everything. This thought made me swell with happiness, with relief, with pride, with comfort and with joy. Charlie wouldn't forget me, but she would still be happy. She would change the world with that starry smile of hers, rather than let the world change it. Charlie chose the present rather than the past, and this made me happy.