My Ex-wife, My Destination

Daisy’s P. O. V.

“Hopi baby, Mommy is sorry for shouting at you. Mommy was irritated because of some work. Please have lunch.” I’ve been mollifying Hope for a few minutes, but she isn’t ready to listen to me. She’s still upset with me, and I can’t blame her. I should have controlled my temper, especially in front of her.

She sits on the bed, arms folded across her chest, her face turned away from me. Her lunch sits untouched in front of her. It breaks my heart to see her like this.

“Okay, don’t talk to Mommy.” I pick up the sandwich and bring it closer to her mouth. “At least have lunch. You’re Mommy’s good girl, right?”

“No, Mommy.” She pushes my hand away. “Today, Hopi won’t listen to you. You shout at your Hopi. I’m super duper angry.”

“I must do something.” Sighing, I murmur before coming to the kitchen to prepare her favourite chocolate shake.

***

I return to the room. “Who wants a yummy hot chocolate shake?” Hearing my words, Hope immediately looks at the glass in my hand with sparkling eyes, licking her lips.

I think my plan is working.

“Hopi won’t have it because she’s angry, right?” I ask, sitting beside her.

“No, Mommy. I’m not angry with you.” She snatches the glass from my hand, causing me to chuckle.

I knew she wouldn’t be able to say no to her favourite shake. I know my daughter so well.

As she drinks her shake, making a sound, I stroke her hair with a smile on my face. “Are you feeling better now, my little Hopi?”

She nods. “Yes, Mommy. Hopi is super duper happy now.”

A smile spreads across my face as I see her mood lifting. “I’m glad, sweetheart. Mommy is really sorry for shouting at you earlier.”

She nods again. “It’s okay, Mommy. I love you so much. She can’t stay angry with you for long.” She sits on my lap and places a soft kiss on my cheek. Tears of joy prick my eyes at her words.

I lean in and plant a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Mommy loves you too, more than anything in this world,” I say, embracing her close to my chest.

I just pray Luke doesn’t come between us and snatch you from me.

For the next two days, I don’t send Hope to school because I can’t take the risk of Luke meeting her again. When I told Hope that she had a one-week holiday, she danced in overjoy for the entire day. We spent the two days watching her favourite movie, painting, and playing games.

What if Luke tries to contact us again? What if he discovers the truth about Hope? And what if he snatches her away from me? These questions torment me every second.

I know I can’t keep Hope sheltered forever, and eventually, I’ll have to face Luke. However, there’s the possibility that he may leave after a week.

It’s evening time, and Hope sits happily at the dining table, munching on cookies, while I work on my laptop, sitting beside her.

“Mommy,” she calls, catching my attention. As I shift my eyes from the laptop to her, she looks at me with puppy dog eyes. “Hopi wants to meet Uncle. Will you take me to him?”

I freeze, listening to her request. She has only met him three times, why can’t she get him out of her mind? What spell has Luke cast on my daughter?

“Mommy.” She shakes me, bringing me back to reality.

“Hmm?” I give her a blank look.

“I miss Uncle, Mommy. He is really nice. Hopi wants to meet him.”

“Hope… Hopi,” I stammer, fiddling with my necklace. “Your uncle doesn’t live here.”

“Means? Where does he live?” She asks, pouting at me in confusion.

“Far away. He came here for work, and he left two days ago.” I just say whatever comes to my mind.

I don’t know why Hope is getting so attached to that monster.

A voice in my head reminds me, “You’re forgetting, Daisy, that monster is Hope’s father.”

As the realisation hits me once again, my entire body trembles with fear. The thought of Luke being Hope’s father and the possibility of him returning to claim his daughter sends shivers down my spine.

“Mommy, why did Uncle leave without meeting Hopi?” Hope’s innocent question brings me back to the present, and I struggle to come up with a convincing answer.

“Um… because he had to go back to his own home, Hopi,” I reply, forcing a smile. “But don’t worry, we’ll see him again someday.”

We’ll never meet again.

She shakes her head. “No. Hope wants to meet him now. Take me to him right now,” she says stubbornly.

I can’t take her to Luke, not now, never. But how do I explain this to her?

I compose myself and caress her hair, my heart racing with anxiety. “Princess, Mommy can’t do anything. She doesn’t know where your uncle lives.”

Hope’s lower lip trembles and tears well up in her eyes, aching my heart. “Mommy, please do something. Hope misses Uncle so much.” She gives me a pleading look, tears trickling down her cheeks.

I wish I could fulfil your request, Hopi. But I can’t do this. I have to protect you from that monster. That person can never bring happiness into our lives. He is a destruction.

Somewhere, I know Luke is her father, and no matter how much I try to keep them apart, their bond is undeniable. But I can’t let her go to him. I can’t risk losing her to him, not after everything he’s done to me.

After taking a deep breath to steady my trembling nerves, I pull Hope into my warm arms, holding her close to my chest. “Hopi, Mommy will do something. Please don’t cry.”

Hope buries her face in my shoulder, her sobs shaking her tiny body. “Mommy, Hopi wants to meet him. Please find him.”

My heart breaks at her pleading words, and I curse myself for ever letting Luke enter our lives. But I can’t change the past. All I can do now is protect Hope.

“Okay, Hopi. Mommy will do her best to find him. Please stop crying,” I request, wiping her tears. “You know Mommy hates tears in her Hopi’s eyes.”

She sobs. “I can’t control it, Mommy. Hopi is sad.”

“If Hopi doesn’t stop crying, Mommy will also start crying. Do you want that?”Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

As I ask her, she immediately shakes her head and hugs me. “No, Mommy. Hopi can’t see you crying. I promise I won’t cry.”

As I wrap my arms around her tiny figure, a smile spreads across my face upon listening to her words. I kiss her head, praying to keep our bond protected from Luke.

***

The next day, we sit on the floor in the hall. Hope is engrossed in colouring, and I’m busy completing my work on my laptop.

Thank God! Since last evening, she hasn’t talked about Luke. Maybe she’ll forget with time. And I’m relieved that Luke hasn’t tried to contact me.

The doorbell rings, pulling me back to reality. I place my laptop beside me on the floor and go to open the door after glancing at my Hopi.

As I open the door, I freeze in place, seeing Luke. I stand, clutching the doorknob, staring at him, deadpan. My fear comes true; he’s returned to snatch my daughter from me. My chest becomes heavy with pain at the thought of losing my daughter.

Don’t cry, Daisy. Just don’t. Close the door in his face.