THE BELL RANG OUT, signifying the conclusion of the class.

Isabella, who was thirteen at the time, rushed out the door, stuffing her items into her school bag. She almost falls down the stairwell, but she regains her balance and races back to the school gate.

She was looking forward to seeing her mother, who was waiting for her outside the school. Her mother texted her in the last hour of her class, saying she would pick her up today and they would have supper together. Since then, Isabella has been delirious with delight.

Her mother works as a flight attendant and has been busy for the past few days. As a result, they don't see each other too often.

Isabella is enamored with her mother.

Elizabeth Miller, her mother, assumed the duties of both father and mother from the day she was born.

Isabella's biological father abandoned her before she was old enough to understand what was going on in the world.

Isabella is perplexed as to why her father abandoned her and her mother. Isabella had no desire to trace her biological father as she got older. Isabella witnessed her mother's struggle to raise her alone, not that Elizabeth refused to let her see her father. As a result, Isabella's heart had a hole that said, "I don't care who he is."

Isabella would deflect the conversation when Elizabeth tried to bring up her biological father.

Isabella adored her mother and was overjoyed to spend time with her.

Isabella was nearing the school gate when she noticed her mother's car parked nearby. She accelerated, seemingly unconcerned about colliding with anyone.

She made her way to her mother's car. Elizabeth opened the passenger side door when she spotted her daughter.

Isabella waved to her mother with a gummy smile.

"Come on in, baby," Elizabeth replied with a smile to her daughter.

Elizabeth was pleased to see Isabella, who was always so adorable.

Elizabeth kissed her daughter on the cheek as soon as she stepped inside after Isabella opened the car door.

Isabella pushed her mother away, saying, "Mom... Mom... Stop." On the other hand, she appreciated her mother's attention and gestures.

Elizabeth mocked her daughter, "Why? Are you worried that your classmates may notice?"

"I'm a big girl now," Isabella reasoned, "and it'd be embarrassing if my classmates saw you treating me like a child."

"You are a child, Belle," Elizabeth stated emphatically. She continued to tease and tickle her.

Isabella cried out in pain, yet she couldn't stop laughing. Her mother is aware of the weakness of her daughter. "Stooopppp!!!" she cried out, unable to take her mother's tickling any longer.

"If you quit acting like an adult around mama and start saying, "I'm a baby," I'll quit."

"Mooommm!!!"

"Say it loudly."

"All right, then! I'm a baby!" Isabella cried out, sulking.

"That's my baby," Elizabeth exclaimed as she kissed Isabella on the cheek after stopping poking her. Elizabeth can't stop smiling as she looks at her lovely daughter, and she reminds her, "Wear your seat belt, Belle," before starting the engine.

Isabella smiled brightly again after complying.

Elizabeth kissed her daughter's small hands and murmured, "I love you, baby."

"I love you, even more, mama," Isabella said with a gummy smile.

When Isabella watched her mother healthy, joyful, and completely loving her, she believed it was the finest day of her life. This was sufficient for her till her mother married.

~*~

MY MOTHER will always take me to a beautiful restaurant and lavishly feed me. So it was no surprise when she took me to one of the city's greatest restaurants today.

I was so used to it that I didn't think of it today as a special occasion or event.

My fourteenth birthday is next week, but I suppose Mom has other plans.

I have no idea.

Regardless, I'm ecstatic to be able to see her today after a week apart.

That's one of the reasons I admire her: she was always willing to make amends after her demanding flight schedule. My mother wasn't always around, but our next-door neighbor, Aunt Darlene, was always keeping an eye on me. Aunt Darlene was like my nanny when Mom got accepted as a flight attendant. At the time, I was five years old.

My mother was twenty years old when she gave birth to me. My grandparents were furious because she was too young to conceive. My mother's parents did not support her after that.

My grandparents finally welcomed us when I was three years old and financially assisted my mother in continuing her studies.

My mother took advantage of the opportunity to study while providing full-time care for me. Mom often claims that having me was the best decision she ever made. I was a blessing, and I played a role in shaping her into the woman she is now. I never quite got it, but the looks Mom gave me whenever she said those words made me happy.

We live in a condo close to school, so it wasn't a problem if Mom wasn't around. I observed how my mum raised me on her own and didn't want to bother her in any way.

So I made it a point to relieve her of the strain of raising me by becoming a good student and maintaining decent grades. I'm not as bright as my mother, but I put in a lot of effort to study.

When one of my classmates in grade school lost both of her parents in a car accident, I realized that I was still fortunate to have a mother at such a young age. I'll never understand her pain, but the prospect of losing my mother makes me question if I'll make it.

Anyway, I was holding Mom's hand as we walked back to the restaurant when we came across a lovely man with his cute little girl alongside him.

Mom interrupted me just as I was going to ask who the individuals in front of us were.

"This is Gary and her daughter Gianna," Isabella explains, "and they will be our soon-to-be family."

I'm not sure if I heard him correctly, but Gary, the man Mom addressed, just spoke the words which I don't know how to react to.

"Hello, Isabella," the man says," my name is Gary, and I'm going to be your soon-to-be-father."