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    35 A Child’s Gaze, A Mother’s Heartache


    35 A Child’s Gaze, A Mother’s Heartache


    ra’s POV


    I clutched the shower curtain tighter, my heart pounding against my ribs. “Damien, I’m


    in the shower!”


    His silhouette remained motionless for a moment before he spoke. “I brought you fresh towels.” His voice was t, devoid of emotion. “Didn’t realize you were in here.”


    He ced them on the counter and left without another word, closing the door behind him. I released the breath I’d been holding and stepped out, wrapping a towel around myself. My hands trembled slightly.


    After changing into my pajamas, I tiptoed back into Coco’s room. She was fast asleep, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. I pressed my hand against her forehead -cooler now, thankfully. The medicine was working.


    I slipped under the covers beside her, careful not to wake her. The twin bed wasn’t meant for two people, but I didn’t mind. I’d sleep on the floor if it meant being close to my daughter when she needed me.


    Sleep eluded me as my mind raced with thoughts of the preserved bedroom, Damien’s sudden appearance at my door, and his continued silence about Vivienne. Eventually, exhaustion won, and I drifted off.


    Morning arrived too quickly. Sunlight streamed through the curtains, painting the room in soft golden hues. Coco stirred beside me, her feverpletely gone.


    “Mommy?” she mumbled sleepily.


    “I’m here, sweetheart.” I smoothed her hair back from her face. “How are you feeling?”


    “Better.” She yawned, stretching her small arms above her head. “Can I have pancakes?”


    I smiled, relieved by her appetite. “Of course. Let’s get you dressed first.”


    After helping her into a fresh set of clothes, I headed downstairs to prepare breakfast. The kitchen was empty-no sign of Damien. Perhaps he’d already left for work.


    01:14


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    35 A Child’s Gaze, A Mother’s Heartache


    +35


    I found eggs, flour, and milk in their usual ces. Nothing had changed here either. I mixed the batter while Coco set the table, cing three tes down automatically.


    “Is Daddy eating with us?” she asked.


    “I’m not sure, sweetie. He might already be at work.”


    Just as the words left my mouth, footsteps sounded behind us. Damien entered the kitchen, dressed in a crisp charcoal suit. His hair was still damp from the shower, and the familiar scent of his cologne wafted through the air.


    “Good morning,” he said, his gaze moving between us before settling on Coco. “Feeling better, princess?”


    She nodded enthusiastically. “Mommy’s making pancakes!”


    I kept my focus on the stove, flipping a perfectly golden pancake onto a te. “There’s coffee in the pot if you want some.”


    He poured himself a cup without responding. The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken words.


    Breakfast passed in much the same way. Coco chatted happily, oblivious to the tension between her parents. I answered her questions and smiled at her stories, while Damien checked his phone between bites.


    After finishing myst pancake, I stood and collected the tes. “I should be going. I


    have a meeting at ten.”


    “But it’s Saturday,” Coco protested, grabbing my hand. “Can’t you stay longer?”


    “I’m sorry, sweetheart.” I knelt beside her chair. “I have an important meeting I can’t miss. But I’ll see you soon, okay? Maybe we can go to the park tomorrow.”


    Her lower lip trembled slightly. “Promise?”


    “Promise,” I kissed her forehead and stood up. “Let me clean up first.”


    “I’ll handle it,” Damien said unexpectedly, rising from his chair. “You should get going if you have a meeting.”


    I hesitated, surprised by the offer, “Thank you.”


    01:14


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    35 A Child’s Gaze, A Mother’s Heartache


    I hugged Coco once more, breathing in her sweet scent, before gathering my purse and heading for the door. Damien followed me into the hallway.


    “Thank you for staying with her,” he said, his voice low. “She needed you.”


    I nodded, unsure how to respond. “She’s my daughter. I’ll always be there when she


    needs me.”


    Without waiting for his reply, I walked out, closing the door softly behind me.


    Later that afternoon, my phone rang as I was reviewing some files for YodaVision. It was ra Hayes, my neighbor.


    “ra, I hate to ask, but could you possibly take Lily to kindergarten on Monday? I have an early meeting I can’t reschedule.”


    “Of course,” I replied without hesitation. ra had helped me numerous times in the past. “What time?”


    “Eight would be perfect. Thank you so much!”


    Monday morning arrived, and I found myself driving to school with an excited five-year-old beside me. Lily chattered non-stop about her friends and the art project they were working on.


    “Miss Thompson says mine is the best because I used all the colors,” she informed me proudly.


    I smiled at her enthusiasm. “I’m sure it’s beautiful.”


    The kindergarten parking lot was packed when we arrived. I circled slowly, looking for a vacant spot, when Lily suddenly pressed her face against the window.


    “Look! It’s Cora!” she eximed.


    My eyes followed her pointing finger, and my stomach dropped. There, by the school entrance, stood Damien, Vivienne, and Coco. My daughter was smiling brightly, holding Vivienne’s hand as she talked animatedly about something. Vivienneughed, bending down to Coco’s level and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear—a gesture I had done countless times.


    01:15


    35 A Child’s Gaze, A Mother’s Heartache


    Damien stood beside them, a small smile on his face as he watched their interaction. They looked like…a family.


    I gripped the steering wheel tighter, feeling like an outsider looking in on a scene I should have been part of. The pain was immediate and sharp, lodging itself beneath my ribs.


    “Mrs. Vance?” Lily’s voice broke through my thoughts. She was looking at me with innocent curiosity. “Is thatdy Cora’s mom too? Does Cora have two mommies?”


    The question hit me like a physical blow. I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. How could I exin this to a five-year-old when I could barely make sense of it myself?


    “Lily…” I finally managed, my voice barely above a whisper.


    But she had already moved on, distracted by something else. “Oh! There’s a parking spot!”


    I mechanically steered the car into the empty space, my eyes still fixed on the trio at the entrance. Coco looked up then and saw me. For a moment, her face lit up with recognition. Then, she simply waved casually before turning back to Vivienne, tugging on her hand to lead her into the school.


    Lily unbuckled her seatbelt. “Come on, Mrs. Vance! We’re going to bete!”


    I forced myself to smile. “Right. Let’s go.”


    As I walked Lily to her ssroom, the innocent question echoed in my mind: “Does Cora have two mommies?”


    In Coco’s eyes, maybe she already did.