A Parental Proposal

New mother

How much life can change in the span of just 5 months is just astounding!

Yesterday Leah was unmarried and a loner. Today she was married with 2 kids. 7 year olds at that.

Leah sat on the chair in a corner, feeling blank and anxious all at once.

"Hi," a slow, soft voice penetrated through the room.

She didn't have to turn to know who was standing at the door.

"Hi, Haley." Leah smiled at her and waved her in.

Haley swiftly ran to Leah and cast a wide smile at her.

"Grandma asked if you needed anything."

Leah smiled. "No honey. I'm good."

Haley nodded and stayed silent for a minute.

"I'm glad you're here, Miss Leah."

That meant so much to Leah cause she wasn't sure if anybody else here was. She wasn't sure if even she herself was glad to be here. But here she was and everything is done. So...

"You don't have to call me Miss Leah anymore, honey. Or at least not at home."

Haley stared.

"I don't know if you're ready to call me 'mom' yet, so take your time. Meanwhile, you can call me Leah. Or anything else you'd want to."

Leah couldn't imagine what it felt to be in Haley or Sally's place. Being an adult, she herself felt confused and lost. They were just kids.

One day it was just them and their father and suddenly here Leah was and they had a new mother.

Leah took Haley's hand in hers and tucked some loose hair behind her ear.

"Did you have fun today?" Leah asked. "At the wedding."

Haley nodded.

"You looked very pretty, you know! You and Sally."

Haley blushed sweetly. "Thank you," she said.

"How is Sally?"

"She's fine. She's with dad."

She rubbed Haley's hand with a finger absently. She had never connected with Sally as a teacher. And she wasn't at all strict. Kids loved her at school and Leah had always taken a little bit of pride in that.

But Sally didn't much like her. Well, in Leah's defence Sally didn't like anybody. She never spoke much and preferred silence more than company.

"How are you?" She asked Haley after a beat.

Haley looked puzzled. Of course. It was a loaded question and she was too young to understand what she meant.

"I'm good," she said and smiled politely.

Leah kissed her cheek. "Good night, Haley. See you tomorrow."

"Good night," she said and left the room.

For a brief second Leah wondered if Haley understood that her birth mother has been replaced by Leah and that she was going to be here for good. And she was partly scared if Haley would get tired of seeing her everyday. Haley was the only person that liked her presence here right now.

She heard a knock on the door just then and saw Eric at the door. She tension skyrocketed in a fraction of a second.

As fake as their marriage was, this minute this place felt all too real.

And there was no escape.

*******

Author's note: Thank you for reading this story. Please vote if you liked this chapter ❤️

********