Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Today the kids would have pink popcorn treats, pink milkshakes with white and pink sprinkles on the rim like a margarita glass, and star and crown-shaped peanut and butter sandwiches for a very pink tea party. The biggest expense, besides the presents, was the pink castle cake, which we ordered. While Joanna would have baked one, both Patsy and I agreed that we didn’t have the talent for building a castle out of cake and frosting.
Patsy corralled the kids, along with Bella to play a game of find Cinderella’s glass slipper. Other activities included playing Princess Says, a variation of Simon Says, and making magic wands. I suspected I’d get an earful from Mrs. Douglas on the amount of glitter on the floor. I’d once done a glitter craft project with Lily, and I still found some embedded in the jeans I wore that day.
I watched Bella as she joined in the fun at Lily’s insistence. I needed to let her know that she didn’t need to spend all her time with the kids, and yet to watch her with Lily, and to see Lily’s smile light up her face, was a joy. Bella was all woman, this I knew, and yet she could so easily access her inner child. I frowned as I realized that Bella was closer in age to Lily than she was to me.
After the tea party, the group settled down to watch a princess movie and when that was done, it was time for presents.
Her friends bought her princess dolls. Patsy and Jim bought her a princess castle tent and a blow-up throne chair. I bought her an electric Princess Carriage that she could drive through the apartment. It was over the top, and yet to see her smile was worth it.
“What did you get me, Bella?”
Bella smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I hope you like them.” I hoped that Bella didn’t think her present wouldn’t measure up. It never occurred to me that she might feel her present was inadequate compared to mine. I paid Bella well, but certainly not enough to waste on expensive children’s toys for her boss’ daughter.
Lily reached in the bag and pulled out a little kid-sized briefcase. Lily looked at it. “Look, Daddy, you have one of these.”
“I do.”
She opened it and pulled out a pad of paper. Her mouth formed an O and her eyes lit up. “It’s for spreadsheets.”
“Yes.”
“I can put my presents on it.” Lily ran her hand over the gridded paper.
“Yes. It’s good to keep track of your presents,” Bella agreed.
“And you can mark when you send your thank-you notes,” Patsy added.
Bella had also included a variety of pens and pencils. “You can color-code your spreadsheet too.”
“Do you do that?” she asked Bella.
“Yes. Your dad’s stuff is red because he’s the boss. And when there are things I need to keep him on track about for you, it’s in yellow, because you’re so sunny.”
Lily grinned and then frowned. “I like purple.”
“Lily—” I started to chastise her for missing the point.
“Then I’ll change it to purple.”
Next Lily pulled out a notecard-size piece of paper that looked like the French flag.
“What’s this?” Lily asked waving the card at Bella.
“That is an invitation to the Kids Festival at the French Embassy. It’s coming up soon and I thought you might like to go since you’ve never been to Paris.”
“Can I Daddy, can I go?” Lily jumped up and waved the card at me.
I stared in Bella in awe. I’d spent a fortune on Lily’s party, and while I had no doubt that she’d love the gift, Bella had put so much time and effort into hers. She’d done that for my kid.
“Yes, absolutely,” I said.
“Will you come too?” Lily asked Bella.
Bella cast a glance at me, I’m sure out of concern about how it might look.
“We’ll need an interpreter,” I said.
Lily turned back to Bella. “Daddy says we need a ‘terpter. I don’t know what that is.”
Bella laughed. “It’s someone who can explain what people are saying. When someone speaks French, I can tell you what he said. And when you tell me something in English, I can then explain it to him in French.”
“So, you’ll come?”
“Lily is there anything else from Bella?” I decided that maybe Bella didn’t want to be put on the spot.
Lily rummaged through the bag again and pulled out the packs of cookies. Immediately the image of my fucking her from behind in the staff breakroom when she bought them flashed in my head. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep it from flashing something else on my body.
“Cookies! I love these cookies.” She reached over and hugged Bella. “I can’t get them anywhere but Daddy’s work.”
“Well then, I’ll just have to hook you up.”
A little later, the kids were playing and Patsy and Jim sat on the couch trying to read the instructions for the princess castle.