The Wishlist (Complete)

Wish #19

“Pia? Would you like to go away for the summer with Arlo and your brothers and sisters?” I tried to remain calm, my mom was just the messenger and Mr. Simmons was probably too afraid to ask me himself in case I started yelling at him...like I had when he called around the night of my birthday.

He had brought me sixteen gifts exactly and I had yelled at him for his error, of course, he didn’t know or see it as an error and had explained that it was a gift for each year that he had missed my birthday.

My mom had refused to let me yell at him and instead had ordered me down to my room while she had apologized and chatted to Mr. Simmons before he left. After he had gone my mom had told me how disappointed she had been with my behaviour, but she didn’t know what I was feeling and that I had felt Mr. Simmons was trying to buy my love.

The gifts he had dropped off sat, still wrapped in the corner of my room. “Mom, why couldn’t you just tell him no for me? I don’t want to go.” I whined from my room, my mom had been standing at the doorway but was now standing right next to my desk where I had been studying.

"Pia, I really want you to get to know Arlo. He really is a nice guy and he's trying his damnest to involve you with his family and be part of your life...I thought you wanted to get to know him?" Sighing loudly I tore my gaze away from the screen and looked at my mom, I had forgotten the promise I had made Nate, Seb and Colton about trying to get to know Arlo and my siblings.

"Fine mom, if it will make you happy I'll go away with them for a few weeks." My mom brightened almost instantly at that, I think she didn't want me sitting at home alone all summer as she had to work harder now more then ever.

"Thank you for trying honey, why don't you open your gifts? You might be surprised by what is in them." Rolling my eyes I allowed my mother to kiss the top of my head and give me a quick hug before she left the room. I really hadn't planned on opening the gifts and was going to take them back to Mr. Simmons as soon as I could.

But now, after what my mom had said I guess curiosity got the better of me and I stood from where I had been sitting, moving cautiously towards the pile.

Honestly, I had no idea what I thought might happen. Maybe a creep would jump out and kill me or I would find a bomb, but when I picked up the first gift, I looked it over carefully and read the tag. 

Messy scrawl that I recognized as belonging to Mr. Simmons spelled out a message: 'To my darling daughter, a gift for you on your first birthday.' 

Scoffing at the message, I haphazardly tore through the pink unicorn wrapping paper and stopped when I unravalled a wooden box. Opening it carefully I almost laughed, inside sat a small planetary mobile accompanied by a folded note. Putting the box down on the floor I unfolded the note and felt a smile form on my lips.

'Happy first birthday Pia, if I could I would have hung this above your crib. It was one of the first things I ever whittled by hand and I took great pride in having made it. It has hung above the cribs of all three children and now I hope that you hang it somewhere in your room.

Love always, A.S.'

Dropping the note I picked up the next gift and opened it quickly, it was a hand made wooden toy car with opening doors and turning wheels. It was painted a peach colour, my name sat inside perfect circles on the doors and I smiled, running my hand over the door.

'Happy second birthday Pia, here is something that I made especially for you. I didn't make it on  your second birthday, but I would have if I could.

Love always, A.S.'

Realizing that all sixteen gifts might potentially have been home made by Arlo I felt extremely guilty for having yelled at him and accusing him of trying to buy my love. Realizing that I had misjudged him from the first time I had met him I resolved never to judge him again and realized that he was a dad that loved working hard for his kids...if all sixteen gifts were anything to go by.

At sixteen I had never felt so loved by both parents and wished for nothing more then to keep hold of both parents for as long as I possibly could.