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daria
I’d satin board meetings for some of the wealthiest companies in the world, looked their CEOs in the eye, and told them they were being fucking idiots and would be the reason they’re company went under.
And I never broke a sweat.
But I was in a near panic over sending my daughters to Disneyland.
Sure, I sent them to their dad’s every weekend, and all four of us had gone to Disneyland together when I was still married to Joe and the girls were younger. But this time he was taking them to the park by himself.
I stood in the middle of the living room, their luggage in front of me, and resisted the urge to check their suitcases a third time, to make sure we hadn’t forgotten to pack anything.
Harmony was dancing around me, singing something that had started off asBippity, Boppity, Boo, segued toA Whole New World, and was nowBe Our Guest. She stopped immediately in front of me, eyes wide, and expression somber. “Mom. What if Cinderella isn’t there when we go to her castle?”
“Then you’ll have to check back later.”
“But I’ll be busy later.” Harmony had an entire schedule of where she wanted to go and when, in all the parks. What five-year-old did that?
Mine, apparently. And she’d probably learned it from watching me. “If you ask Alana, she’ll make sure you can move your schedule around, okay?”
Harmony scrunched her face up, then grinned. “Okay.” Before she could start singing again, a car pulled into the driveway. “Dad’s here,” she shouted, and ran to the front window.
He was five minutes early. I was impressed. It wasn’t that Joe was specifically irresponsible. The opposite in fact—if work called, all else was second priority.
I liked to think I wasn’t that bad, but there were days I was just as guilty. I was trying, though. My girls deserved one parent who was there for them.
“Mom.” Alana’s cry came from upstairs in reply. “I can’t find my navy capris.”
“You already packed them.”
“Notthose. The other ones.” Alana appeared at the top of the stairs.
Right. I did a quick mental inventory of the house. “Are they in the dryer?”
“Maybe.” She ran into the basement, footsteps heavier than should be possible for a thin thirteen-year-old.
Harmony opened the door as Joe reached the front step, and hugged his legs. “Hi, Daddy.”
He ruffled her hair. “Hey, short stuff. You ready to meet Cinderella?”
“Yeah.” Harmony clapped.
He looked at me. “I’m sorry about this.” He wasn’t really.
I’d rearranged my schedule and the girls’ specifically to make sure I could take them to Hawaii this week. I didn’t believe for a moment that it was a coincidence Joe scheduled a Disneyland trip at the same time, especially when he let me know by asking them to pick which one they preferred.
I gave him my sweetest smile anyway. “I understand. The girls are looking forward to it, and I’m glad they have the chance to go.”
“Found them,” Alana said from behind me.
I handed Harmony her backpack. “Take this and help Dad load your stuff into the car.” I nudged the heaviest suitcase toward Joe.
Joe grabbed the bag, and followed Harmony outside.
When they were out of earshot, I turned to Alana. “Promise me you’ll keep an eye on Harmony.”
“Mom. You already know.” Alana huffed.
