As the massive TV in the den crackled to life, casting a fuzzy blue glow over the room, Sunny leaned closer to the phone.
“All under control, Mr Anderson,” she said, keeping her tone light. “We’re starting withFrozen, thenWish, if anyone is still awake by then!”
A grunt came from the other end. “You’ve got this handled?”
His concern was palpable.
Sunny rolled her eyes internally but quickly reminded herself that this was his first night away from his children since losing his wife.
“Like a well-oiled machine!” she replied cheerfully. “You don’t need to worry about anything.”
Her gaze swept over the chaotic scene: toys and clothes scattered everywhere, Maddie shoveling fistfuls of popcorn into her mouth before the movie had even started — most of it ending up on the floor — and Hailey frantically jabbing at the remote control, trying to start the first movie.
“Easy-squeezy,” she said, using a phrase the girls loved.
Liam paused for a moment on the other end of the line. “Well, if you need me, you know how to reach me.”
“Yep, understood,” Sunny replied.
After another lengthy pause, Liam said, “Goodnight, girls!”
“Night, Daddy!” they both chorused.
Liam hung up.
Goodnight to you too,Sunny thought, but soon redirected her focus to the task at hand.
The next few hours flew by in a flurry of coaxing a squirming child into pajamas, dishing out snacks, engaging in silly singalongs, and struggling to play a battered DVD. By the time the closing credits ofWishrolled, Hailey was nestled on Sunny’s lap, strands of popcorn tangled in her wild curls.
As the TV faded into static, both girls were unusually quiet, lost inthought. Sunny gently rubbed Hailey’s back and then reached over to do the same for Maddie. An air of sadness hung around them.
“Want to talk about it, loves?” Sunny asked softly.
Maddie shrugged one slender shoulders, nervously toying with the ends of her hair.
“It’s just… I miss when Mom did movie nights. She always made them so much fun.”
“With naughty snacks and showtune singalongs!” Hailey chimed in, a small wistful smile forming on her lips.
Biting her own lip, Sunny pulled them in for a group hug.
“Tell me more about your mom. What was she like?”
That question opened the floodgates.
Maddie animatedly recounted stories of Kate’s signature nacho spreads, while Hailey chimed in with imitations of her dancing and yoga poses. That was just the beginning. Their faces lit up with each cherished memory they shared, filling the room with renewed energy.
As the giggles began to fade, Sunny brushed the last wisps of hair from their bright eyes.
“She sounds like an incredible woman. I’m so glad you had those wonderful times with her.”
“I wish you could’ve met her,” Maddie said, a hint of longing in her voice. “You would’ve been friends. She knew how to make everything fun, like you.”
Maddie’s innocent sincerity, reflected in her wide eyes, caused Sunny’s heart to ache. Gazing down at the two motherless girls, a wave of familiar sorrow washed over her, a poignant echo of the untimely loss of her own father.
“You know, I never got to meet your incredible mom in person,” she murmured, holding them close. “But I feel like I know her through both of you. In a way, she lives on through you two, and I know shewould have been so proud of her girls.”
The words hung in the air as the three of them basked in the moment, enveloped in their warm embrace. It seemed that their physical closeness momentarily filled the vast emptiness left in each of their hearts.
