Page 36 of Poetry of Flowers

“Then why doesn’t he love me in the different kind of love?”

She pulled back with her chair and opened her arms like she wanted a hug.

“Come here for a second.”

Gently, I lay the strings in order on the table, so I could continue later, before I sat down on her lap.

Her warm hands brushed through my hair, playing with one of the curls. She looked at them like I had looked at mister teddy when he needed a round in the washing machine, and I had to say bye to him for two whole nights.

“Your father loves you; I wish everything was different, but then I wouldn’t have you, baby.”

Huh?

“I don’t understand.”

She nodded and pressed my cheek against her shoulder, kissing the crown of my head.

I liked kissing Tillie there too; it made her smile and scrunch her nose.

“I know you don’t. Daddy is just angry with me, and he doesn’t know how to express his anger. Sometimes he lets it out on you because you’re my little baby. It’s going to get better; I promise my sweet boy.”

“But why is he angry at you? How could someone ever be angry at you?”

That made me dislike him a bit more, I did love my daddy, but it was hard.

“I did an awful thing a few years back, and it still haunts me. Some mistakes can never be okay again.” Mommy cradled me against her chest so tight I felt like my bones rubbed against each other.

“I love you so much, Kayden, can you promise me to never forget that?” She placed me on the ground, taking my hands in hers.

“Promise me that you will always love me, no matter what the future holds for us.”

Mommy was being weird today, but I nodded.

“Of course, I will always love you.” I pressed a kiss on her cheek before turning around and continued to braid the friendship bracelet. I needed to finish it quickly.

My door opened again and Daddy’s head poked inside, “Why are you two already awake? It’s five in the morning.”

He sounded tired but nicer than yesterday when I wanted his help. I showed him the bracelet that was almost finished.

“Tillie spends more time with Autumn than with me, so I want to show her I’m the better friend and make her a friendship bracelet!” I told him, already excited to see it around her arm later.

His gaze went from me to Mommy, who smiled at him.

“Isn’t that cute, Patrick?”

Daddy let out something that sounded like “tsk” and shook his head.

“That’s what little girls do for their girlfriends, boys don’t do that, Kayden.” And with that, he walked over, took my bracelet and opened the braid again.

“Hey stop!” I yelled at him, but he had already ruined it and threw the strings in the trash can.

“Patrick!”

“You should stop teaching him this girly stuff and treat him like you treat Nash. Our son, remember?” he hissed at her while I stuck my arm in the trash can, searching for my strings as tears made their way down my cheek.

“You treat him like a princess, why might that be? Mmh you mind telling Kayden why—?”

“Get out of the room, Patrick!” Mommy yelled at Daddy as she stood up.

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