The Binding of the Halo

Kayla closed the trunk of the car then looked over at her daughter who was waiting by the rear passenger door. The pain on her young one's face was enough to drive her to tears. But she held her sadness back and approached her daughter.

"Zaria, we can't stay here," Kayla told her.

"Because I did something bad. Because I scared people," Zaria mumbled. She glanced over at the house across the street where she'd spent many fun hours then looked down at her small shoes.

"No sweetie," Kayla said. Squatting down, she gently grasped Zaria's tiny face and kissed her forehead. Kayla brushed one of her daughter's long plait aside and peered into large blue-green eyes that were welling with tears. Eyes similar to his. Eyes that conjured such wonderful and horrible memories. "You did nothing bad. You are perfect in every way."

Zaria sniffed then said, "If I am perfect mommy, why do we have to move and I have to have a new name? Why are all my friends scared of me?"

"Baby, I know things are confusing right now but I promise that you will love the new house and you will make so many friends."

Zaria smiled. "You promise?"

Kayla smiled as she thought, I swear on my life. . . "You will be the happiest little queen in the entire world." She wiped Zaria's tears off her face then pinched her nose. "So, how about we use your new name from now on, okay?"

"Ok," Zaria said, then she sniffed again. "But will daddy remember to call me by my new name?"

"I sure will, Buttercup!" Joseph said as he walked up, lifted Zaria in his arms, and spun her around. When he put her back down, he winked at Kayla.

"Thank you", she mouthed. Kayla watched as Joseph pulled open the back passenger side door and strapped their daughter in the car. The love he felt for her and her daughter gave Kayla the strength to do all of what she needed to do to keep Zaria safe. Most men would think it was crazy to move across the country just because their wife claimed to have had a vision. Some may have even filed for divorce. But not Joseph, who married her knowing that she could never give him a child of his own and that she and her daughter came with 'special effects'. Joseph even knew about him.

If only she could forget him.

Kayla shut down her thoughts. It was better not to think of him at all.

"How about we grab some pancakes from the diner before we set out?" Joseph suggested.

Kayla forced a smile. "We can, but my homemade pancakes are ten times better," she bragged as she walked around the car and pulled open the front passenger door, and slid inside.

"True," Joseph said as he rested his arms on the roof of the car, "but we won't judge them."