Across the table, Beth was telling a story about her grandson’s latest antics, Hailey laughing in delight while Liam helped Ethan cut his pancakes.
But beneath the surface of this idyllic morning, she sensed the current of tension — in Maddie’s too-careful movements and in the way the girl’s eyes occasionally drifted to Kate’s photo on the wall. After three years, Sunny had learnt to read these subtle signs.
There was also the matter of her own secret, the one she had been harboring for two weeks now. Her hand drifted unconsciously to her abdomen.
“Sunny?” Liam’s voice broke through her thoughts, concern evident in his eyes. “Everything okay?”
She forced a smile. “Everything’s perfect.”
Breakfast dishes clattered into the sink as the family dispersed to prepare for the day. Beth supervised Ethan’s attempt to dress himself — a new streak of independence that resulted in backward shirts and mismatched socks — while Hailey chattered about the butterfly habitat her class was building at school.
Sunny was wiping down the counter when she noticed Maddie lingering in the doorway, fidgeting with the hem of her jersey.
“Need something, sweetie?” Sunny asked, setting aside the cloth.
Maddie hesitated, glancing over her shoulder to ensure they were alone. “Can I ask you something, Sunny?”
“Always.” Sunny patted the counter stool beside her, giving the girl her full attention.
Maddie climbed up, her legs swinging slightly. Despite her growth in the past three years, she still couldn’t quite reach the floor from these stools. “It’s about… Mother’s Day.”
Ah. Sunny had suspected as much. The school’s annual Mother’s Day tea was approaching, an event that had always been navigated with particular care in their household. “What about it, love?”
“Mrs Harrington says we can invite our mothers and grandmothers this year.” Maddie’s eyes remained fixed on her lap. “Emma says she’s not goingbecause her mom left, and she says it’s stupid.”
Sunny chose her words carefully. “Everyone has different feelings about these kinds of events, and that’s okay.”
“I want to go,” Maddie said in a rush, “and I want you to come. But…”
“But you’re thinking about your mom,” Sunny finished gently.
Maddie nodded, finally meeting Sunny’s eyes. “Some of the kids asked if I have two moms now, and I didn’t know what to say. And then Jamie said you’re not my real mom anyway.” Her voice trembled slightly. “But you are real. You’re real to me.”
Sunny’s throat tightened with emotion. After three years, these moments still had the power to blindside her, reminding her of the delicate nature of blended families and children’s hearts.
“Come here,” she said, opening her arms Maddie slipped off the stool and into her embrace, no longer the resistant six-year-old who had once held herself so rigidly. “First of all, Jamie is wrong. There are many ways to be a real mother, and love is the most important one.”
“That’s what I said,” Maddie mumbled against her shoulder.
“Good for you.” Sunny stroked the girl’s hair. “And remember, you can feel however you want about this. You can miss your mom and love me too. Both things can be true at the same time.”
“Can I bring something of Mom’s to the tea? So she’s there too?”
“That’s a beautiful idea,” Sunny said, her heart swelling with pride at Maddie’s thoughtfulness. “What about her locket? The one with her picture inside?”
Maddie nodded, pulling back slightly. “Would you help me polish it? It’s getting a little dull.”
“Absolutely,” Sunny promised. She hesitated, then asked the question that had been worrying her. “Maddie, are you okay with me coming to the tea? If you’d rather have Grandma Laura instead, that would be completely—”
“No,” Maddie interrupted firmly. “I want you. You’re my…” She paused, searching for the right word. “You’re my Sunny-mom.”
The term, so simple yet so profound, nearly undid Sunny completely. Three years of careful navigation, honoring Kate’s memory while building her own relationship with the girls, distilled into those two perfect words: Sunny-mom.
“Then I will proudly be your Sunny-mom at the tea,” she managed, blinking back tears.
Maddie’s shoulders relaxed, the worry that had been shadowing her for days finally lifting. “Can we still visit Mom’s grave today? I want to tell her about the tea.”
“Of course we can.” Sunny squeezed Maddie’s shoulders gently. “That’s one promise we’ll always keep. We’ll go right after hockey practice.”
