Hold a Smile (Demi Lovato) COMPLETE

Forty-Six:Nothing Like Her Mother

Demi's POV

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" I asked as I walked over to Avery. She hid her face, not answering me. "What's the matter?" I placed a hand on her back, which made her flinch a little.

"Are you going away?" Avery asked quietly.

"What? What do you mean? Where would I be going?"

She shrugged before replying. "Whenever Momma met a new guy, she'd be gone for over a week sometimes."

"Oh, Avery," I began.

"I just didn't want you to leave me alone for that long," she said, lowering her head and refusing to make eye contact with me.

"Avery, honey, listen. I'm not going anywhere. I've told you so many times, I'm not leaving you." I put my hand under her chin so she'd look up at me, her eyes filled with tears threatening to fall. "I mean it. I'm not leaving." A tear finally fell, and I wiped it away with my thumb.

"You won't let him hurt me, either?" She asked with a shaky voice.

I frowned as anger and hurt built up even more inside of me. "No, of course not. Wilmer is a great man. He's so sweet. I promise." She bit her lip and nodded in response. "It's late. Let's get you into bed."

I tucked her into her own bed and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Goodnight, sweetie. I love you."

"I love you, too."

I smiled and kissed her forehead. I was almost out the door when I heard her voice.

"Wait," she said suddenly.

I turned to face her direction again. "Yes?"

"You absolutely promise you aren't leaving? You swear?"

"With everything I have, I promise I won't leave you. You mean too much to me."

"And... He's not going to hurt me?"

"Of course not. Don't worry about anything."

She still had a small amount of doubt in her mind, I could tell by the look on her face. I walked back over to her and sat on the bed. "Avery, I'll be who you need me to be. But I can promise you, I am nothing like your mother."

Suddenly, she leaped into me. She had her arms tightly around my waist, her head settled on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her little body. I never wanted to let go. "I wish you were my real mother," she admitted.

I gave her a final small squeeze before pulling away. "I wish I was, too. You would have never had to go through this." She looked down into her lap. "But you know what?" She looked back up at me and waited for me to continue. "I'm going to be here for you like a mother should. Remember? Momma's take care of their kids."

I smiled at the memory of Avery calling me Momma. Before she was kidnapped.

"Okay, Momma," she said hesitantly. I smiled and pulled her into a hug again. "Can I sleep with you again tonight?"

I've been trying to get her back in her own bed again, but I guess tonight's a special night.

"Sure." I picked her up and carried her to my room, her head resting on my shoulder the whole time.

I went to sleep smiling that night.