chapter

After the school meeting, Marilyn walked Gaelle to their car. They had a quick chat with Dr. Palmar, and Marilyn told him to stay strong that she would help him in anyway she could not just morally but also financially. She then left the premise with her daughter and headed to the car. Inside the car, Marilyn saw the gift box meant for Gaelle she remembered that she had to give it to her earlier. she could give it to her now but on second thought she decided it wasn't the right time to give it to her, so she placed it in the back seat. They drove home in absolute silence.

When they got home, the house was quiet. Neither Marilyn nor Gaelle had said much since they saw Jamale crying at school. But Gaelle finally broke the silence with some tough questions which had been on her mind all this way.

"Mom, what's going to happen to Jamale's mom now that she can't walk? Who will make their meals? Who will take him to school?" Gaelle's eyes were filling with tears.

Marilyn hugged her. "Don't worry, sweetheart. God will take care of Jamale and his family. And he'll get to spend lots of time with his mom at home now," she said, trying to comfort her daughter.

Then Marilyn cheered Gaelle up. "Go get ready for a bath, and I'll join you in 5 minutes. Dad will be home by then. Don't you want to see him?" This made Gaelle smile, and she hurried to her room.

Marilyn went to her room, changed into comfy clothes, and sat on the bed, lost in thought. "If I were ever in an accident, what would happen to my Gaelle? Robert is so busy he might never really have time for her. But Jamale will be okay. He has his aunt, and his dad even came to the PTA meeting..."

The door to Marilyn's room swung open, and Gaelle's voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Mom, I'm ready! I've been waiting for you," Gaelle announced, wrapped in a towel like a little cocoon.

Marilyn chuckled at the sight. "Come here, my little angel. Let's get you cleaned up," she said, leading Gaelle to the bathroom.

"I'll let you wash up on your own, but I'll be here to help if you need ," Marilyn told her.

"Yay! That's way better than being babied," Gaelle cheered.

"But you're still my baby. You're only 4 years old," Marilyn reminded her.

"Four years and eight months, Mom!" Gaelle corrected with a grin.

"Alright, big girl. Just remember to wash behind your ears," Marilyn said with a smile.

"Mom!!!" Gaelle protested playfully.

After the bath, they went to Gaelle's room, where she changed into comfy house clothes. Just then, they heard the front door close—it was Robert, home from work earlier than usual.

"Daddy, you're back early today! Mom said you'd be home soon," Gaelle exclaimed, leaping into her father's arms. Robert was visibly tired and seemed a bit stressed, but Marilyn quickly intervened to keep the cheerful mood alive for Gaelle's sake. "Let's let Daddy change first, sweetie," she suggested.

"Daddy, did you bring me something?" Gaelle asked, her eyes full of hope.

"Yes, he did. It's in the car. Let's let him change, and then we can go get it," Marilyn said, cleverly diverting Gaelle's attention.

Robert gave them both a kiss on the forehead before heading to his room in silence.

Seizing the moment, Marilyn presented Gaelle with the dance shoes she had hidden away earlier. Gaelle's eyes widened in awe at the beautiful shoes. "Wow, Daddy is the best! They're just like the ones in your childhood photo, Mom. I'll save these for my graduation," she beamed.

Gaelle was about to dash off to thank her dad, but Marilyn gently stopped her. "How about we set the table for Daddy to show how thankful we are?" she suggested.

Gaelle thought for a moment and agreed, excited to help out. Together, they prepared for a cozy family evening.

Marilyn and Gaelle headed to the dining room, where Marilyn checked the food to make sure it was warm. Then she handed Gaelle some plates and silverware to set the table, just like she had learned in school.

"Perfect! You did it just right. Soon, you'll be able to prepare the table all by yourself, and I'll just come in to eat," Marilyn said, beaming with pride at her daughter's cleverness.

"Mom, I've known how to set the table for a long time. When can you start teaching me how to cook?" Gaelle asked.

"I'll teach you cooking after your graduation, but for now, I'm really proud of how quickly you've learned everything," Marilyn replied.

Once everything was ready, Marilyn called Robert to the table. He joined them quickly, dressed in comfy home clothes. They all sat down, and Robert reached for the bean soup. That's when Gaelle reminded him, "Dad, aren't we supposed to pray before we eat?"

Robert's face lit up with a smile. "Of course, my little angel. I almost forgot. Let me lead the prayer," he said.

After the prayer, they all enjoyed the tasty meal Marilyn had prepared.

"Thank you for the meal, darling, and thank you, my little angel, for setting the table and reminding me to pray," Robert said.

"How did you know I set the table, Daddy?" Gaelle asked curiously.

"I always say I'm a bit of a fortune-teller, right? Do you believe me now?" Robert joked.

Actually, he could tell because Gaelle, being left-handed, had placed the silverware on the opposite sides.

After dinner, Gaelle and Robert went to the living room, while Marilyn stayed back to clear the table. When she finished, she was about to join them, but she saw Gaelle telling her dad about her day over a pretend cup of tea. Not wanting to interrupt their special moment, Marilyn quietly went to the bedroom instead.

Soon Gaelle started feeling sleepy but wouldn't admit it so her father took her to her room so that they could continue their conversation there. When the got to the room her father insisted on telling how his own day was. He did this because he knew she would get bored and sleep off.