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Ariel took a deep breath, trying to figure out what to say to her daughter. "I'm so sorry, Katie.”
Katie nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I just feel so stupid. How could I have been so blind?"
"You're not stupid, Katie," Ariel reassured her. "You trusted him and that's not a bad thing. It's on him that he betrayed that trust."
"I don't know what to do now," Katie said, looking up at her mom with desperation in her eyes. "I thought he was the one."
Ariel pursed her lips. "You know, Katie, I always thought that when you found the right person, it would just click. You'd know right away that you were meant to be together, and things would be smooth sailing. But sometimes, it's not that simple. Sometimes, it takes work, and it takes patience. And sometimes, it takes a little bit of pain to get to the other side."
Katie looked up at her mother, her eyes brimming with tears. Ariel reached over and took her hand.
"But you're strong, Katie. And you're brave. And you'll get through this, I promise you. And no matter what, I'll always be here for you. I'll always love you."
Ariel pulled Katie into a tight hug, feeling the weight of her daughter's pain. She wanted to assure Katie that love at sixteen was often not the truest or longest lasting, but those words weren’t needed now. "I know it hurts, sweetie. But you'll get through this. You're strong."
Katie sniffled, her head resting on her mom's shoulder. "I just wish it didn't hurt so much."
"I know, honey. I know," Ariel whispered, rubbing her daughter's back in a soothing motion. "But you'll be okay. I promise."
Then, an idea struck her. “Hey. What if you decidednotto fight for him and instead focus on yourself? Maybe work on something that will make you stand out from this other girl?"
Katie looked thoughtful. "Like what?"
Ariel smiled. "I don’t know. You’ve always liked being in the kitchen with me. Why don’t you help me develop the kid’s menu at the Seaside? We’ll put your name on the printed versions—Chef Katie’s Kid Creations? We could spend more time together, and you’d get a little bit famous with the little tykes of Leeside.”
Katie's eyes lit up. "That's a great idea, Mom! Let's do it. We can make it boardwalk-themed, right? Like, twists on carnival foods?"
“Oooh, that sounds fantastic.” Ariel smiled, feeling a sense of pride and relief. It was a small step, but it was a start in dealing with their relationship issuesandteaching her daughter valuable life lessons. “We’ll go down to the health department and get your food handler’s license first thing Monday,” Ariel promised.
They sat there for a while, Katie letting out her emotions while Ariel listened and comforted her. It was a moment that Ariel knew would stick with her for a long time—the moment she realized how grown up her daughter had become, and the moment she regretted that this pain had to be a part of that growing up.
Katie pulled back and looked up at Ariel. “Really, honestly. What do I do now?”
Ariel set her lips in a thin line and looked directly into Katie’s eyes. “The only logical thing,” she said seriously. “We give Connor cement boots, and he sleeps with the fishes.”
Katie let out a small laugh, wiping away her tears. “Thanks, Mom. You always know what to say.”
Ariel smiled. “That’s what moms are for.”
After lunch, they explored the carnival and played a few games. Katie rallied from her confession, and she even won a stuffed animal, proudly carrying it around as they continued their adventure. They rode the Ferris wheel and took in the stunning views from the top. Before long, regrettably, they had to return to Leeside for dinner service.
As they made their way back to their car late in the afternoon, feeling tired but happy, Ariel turned to Katie and asked, “Did you have a good day, honey? Really?”
Katie nodded, a huge smile on her face. “It was the best day ever, Mom.”
Ariel’s heart swelled with love. She was grateful that they’d had this time to reconnect, and that Katie would at least know that Ariel was there for her—not just in words, but in seeing her mom show up and spend time with her.
Ariel looked over at her daughter, flung an arm around her shoulder, and pulled her close as they walked.
“It was the best day ever, sweetie. The best.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Ariel woke up early the next morning to the sound of construction before dawn. She knew she had to do something about the mayor's shenanigans, even if only temporarily. She couldn't let him get away with it anymore. Shehadto find a way to put an end to the disruption he was causing.
Something about her conversation with Katie yesterday had nagged at her, and Ariel had woken in the middle of the night with an idea—it had been the food handler’s license that had started the wheels turning in Ariel’s mind. Ever since Stanton had created hurdle after bureaucratic hurdle to stop Ariel from opening her businesses, she had been extra careful to cross every “t” and dot every ”i” at every step—like getting Katie her food handler’s license before letting her cook for the guests.
But had Stanton done the same, or was it possible that he had missed something important in his called-in favors and rushing to break ground on his hotel?
