An unexpected wish

The next morning when Andy met Lia at school, her whole demeanor reversed to her cheerful self. She inquired for a plausible reason, and Lia chirped to announce her joining the stage play for the school festival. Andy felt down for losing a fellow audience member, but she did honor Lia's decision. It was better this way as Lia no longer sulked alone.

However, during lunch came to Andy's expected spectacle. She saw Stephanie and Jessica, again drowned from the practice. She exhaled to welcome them to their table. Sharing the good news made the two sloppy faces express a frail of joy from learning Lia entering their side- the side of participants.

With Lia's returning good mood, and along with Andy, the two cheered for the lazy lads and ate their lunch.

Lia spent the whole day at school going over the ideas and finally coming up with a concrete design for her handmade invitations. Her streak continued even after returning home. She used the papers her mother provided to make those personal invitations.

***

Giselle came home early that evening and got welcomed by the happiest smile on her child's face. Glad to see such sight, Giselle's stress eased. However, the face disappeared in an instant when the jolly little lady ran back to her room. Giselle couldn't even finish her phrase and found the living room empty within a few seconds.

"Yesterday, she was all over me, but today she doesn't even look at me!" Giselle mumbled to enter. Without Lia following her, Giselle had time to decompress. She slumped into the couch for a few minutes, went to take a quick shower, returned to the kitchen to bring snacks to the sweetest little girl.

Even the few knocks on the door did not distract the lively worker. Giselle entered Lia's room with a bowl of potato chips.

"What are you doing so busy- even ignoring your mother?" Giselle announced with a subtle tone.

"I'm not ignoring you, mother," Lia groaned with a whimsical smile.

Placing the bowl of chips on the bed, Giselle sat by the edge to watch what Lia was doing.

The little one filled a sheet of white paper with a roughly drawn sketch of a giant Christmas tree with bells and candy cans and added a big star on top, accompanied by bumpily drawn school building with windows and sticky figures that represent kids. In the middle were words in bold letters of bright colors that spelled the event name, and below were a few lines of a kind message to invite the respectful guest receiving this card.

Giselle looked around to find already finished ones nearby. Lia added colors to the rough drawings, enhanced it with glow pens, focused on writing neatly, letter by letter, to complete the working card.

Once finished, she placed it open to let it dry before adding it to the pile. As if given a break from her work, Lia lifts her head to find her beautiful mother with a bowl of chips. Giselle gestured, and Lia opened her mouth, inviting her mother to feed while her busy hand took another fresh white sheet to repeat the process.

Giselle fed her the chip, one by one, while taking a look at the stack.

"Who are you inviting?" she inquired.

Lia glanced by the bundle of cards to reply to her list of guests.

"Mother, Father, Grandmama, Grandpapa, Aunty Gigi-"

"Your planning to give everyone a copy?" Giselle exclaimed, halting the travel of the chip from the bowl to the little one's mouth.

"No, Grandpa and Grandma get one, and Aunt Gigi gets one-" Lia explained to see the chip approaching her again.

"That's good!"

"I thought I would give each one copy, but this is very tough, and I have to make more for the other-"

Lia said to pause, staring hesitantly at her mother.

"Mom, I would like to invite Aunt Anna and Uncle Jake!" she expressed worriedly, knowing that it needs her mother's notice.

Giselle, startled from hearing the names, couldn't believe Lia would think such favors. She thought about it. Though it may seem a great idea, she worried if Anna and Jake had planned on their own, or occupied with work.

"Honey! They could be unavailable!"

Giselle tried to persuade the child's heart, but Lia never gave up, strangely holding on to her proposal.

"I will invite them myself in the phone," she submitted to her witty sense.

Giselle paused to reconsider.

"Darling, but-"

"Mother, please-"

Giselle couldn't say no to those earnest eyes.

"Alright!" she caved in to agree.

"I will give them a call, but if they say no, you shouldn't force them, got it?" Giselle appealed.

"I promise!"

Lia returned to make her fifth invitation. Giselle let her do her work silently. She left the bowl of chips in Lia's room, retired to prepare for dinner.

***

Dinner ended splendidly, and having cleaned the dishes already, Giselle sat with Lia in the living room as they chose to give a call to Anna. As per Lia's wish, the little girl would try to invite the couple to her school festival and will hear about the results.

The call connected to Anna's reception, and after exchanging a few words, Giselle informed Anna about Lia's sudden request before passing the phone to the child.

Lia acquired the device to dash to her room against Giselle's yelling call.

Before shutting the door, she looked at her mother, pleading for some privacy in conversation.

Giselle blinked from the weird way Lia just behaved.

Why would she run to her room to speak privately? - Giselle wondered. Nonetheless, she let Lia be.

**

Shutting the door locked, Lia stood near the door and used her regular voice to say her greetings. She went to reveal about the school festival before Christmas and invited the couple to join her on the day.

"It'll be fun!" Lia appealed.

Anna was away from Jake, but she gave it a thought, considering the dates and if they had any work.

Regardless of Lia's sweet plea, Anna couldn't give an affirmative answer to the call.

"Sweetie, I am honored that you invited us, but I can't say for sure now. However, I will definitely give you an answer soon- see if we could come or not!"

Despite her mother's warning and the anticipated simulations, Lia did exhibit sorrow from hearing Anna. She accepted to their understanding.

Anna waited mute in the line, but she heard no voice of the child followed and worried if her response saddened the little girl.

"Lia, I'm sorry, honey-"

Lia declined the concern to stutter.

"I- I have another r- request!" she struggled to say.

Anna waited on the line to listen.

"I want to visit Ms. Lillian at her home to give my invitation."