It was sunset already and Kaylee was done delivery the parcels. After reporting to the post office, she received her wages before she returned to New Brunswick and assisted her mother in the restaurant.
It wasn't long as night crept into the world. Mrs Ashton closed the restaurant for the night when it was already getting late as she returned home with her daughter and granddaughter.
In the small dining table, Kaylee and Ellie were done singing birthday songs to Mrs Ashton.
"Happy Birthday Mom." Kaylee wished her mother.
"Happy Birthday Grandma." Ellie wished the old man, smiling widely at her.
Mrs Ashton fondly patted Ellie's head who sat next to her. "Thank you, Ellie." She looked up at Kaylee. "Thank you, Kaylee."
Kaylee chuckled softly. "It's nothing Mom. I'm happy you are still healthy to be by my side till this day and I want you to always be by my side. That's all I could ask of you today."
Mrs Ashton smiled sweetly. "You don't have to remind me because I told myself I have to fulfill that part of my responsibility." Mrs Ashton said while her eyes met with Kaylee's.
Kaylee smiled back. "Thanks, Mom."
On the other hand, Ellie was already jealous about mother-daughter chats. Sometimes she also feels jealous, sharing her grandmother's love with her mother.
"What about me,Grandma? Won't you stay by my side forever?" Ellie questioned abruptly, staring at the woman.
Mrs Ashton chuckled softly before answering. "Sure I will stay by your side until my time is up. But your mother will stay longer and protect you than me who is now old."
"Alright!" Ellie felt at ease. "Grandma, it's time to blow out the candles!" Ellie reminded them in the short silence.
"Yes. It's time to blow out the candles Mother." Kaylee said.
"That's right." Mrs Ashton leaned her face to the cake and was about to blow out the candles when Ellie stopped her.
"Wait, Grandma. You didn't make a wish yet."
Mrs Ashton, who appeared to forget she hadn't made a wish yet, nodded to what Ellie said. "Oh, Then I should make one now." Mrs Ashton closed her eyes and made her wishes inwardly before blowing out the candles.
After blowing out the candles, Mrs Ashton cut the cake while her daughter and granddaughter fed her some cake while she fed them some cake. They celebrated the small birthday party among themselves until it was time for bed.
Mrs Ashton retired to bed while Kaylee took Ellie to bed. Kaylee sat on the bed next to Ellie whose leg was crossed while listening attentively to the story her mother was reading out to her as she likes night stories.
"..... the Prince saved the Princess from the witch. But in the end, he died in her hands. After the death of Prince Aiden, Princess Nora didn't accept suitors brought to her by her father as she locked herself in the castle until she passed away. The end." Kaylee read the last page of the story while closing the book.
Ellie frowned. "That was a sad ending. Why should the Prince die in the end after having his first kiss? He should have a happy ending like others." She raised her mouth slightly to a sad pout."I know it must have been difficult for Princess Nora."
Kaylee chuckled at the little girl who was taking mere folk seriously.
"Yes, it was difficult while her heart was torn into pieces watching her lover die in her hands. However, she could only keep his memories here." Kaylee placed her hand on her chest close to the heart position. "Until death unites them again." Kaylee sounded a bit sad while saying as if she was in a trance of her past life.
The little girl could hear the trace of sadness in her mother's tone. "Mama?" Ellie called softly.
"Yes, Ellie," Kaylee answered with a slight smile.
Ellie fixed a stare at Kaylee's face as their eyes met. "If Mama ever meet her Prince charming someday. I would pray for a happy ending for you both. I don't want Mama's love story to end like Prince Aiden and Princess Nora's."
Kaylee raised a hand to rub down once on her little girl's hair. "Then we have to bribe fate so it won't play a trick on us." She joked as she smiled bitterly.
"Mama, you don't have to worry. When I find Mr fate I'm going to bribe him so he gives you a happy ending. But if he refuses, I'm going to fight him until he agrees." Ellie said while raising a tiny muscle at her last sentence.
Hearing the little girl, Kaylee chuckled softly.
"Alright, I see you are growing stronger day by day. It's time for bed, Ellie." Kaylee said, smiling at Ellie.
"Okay, Mama." Ellie nodded in obedience and lay down.
Kaylee lifted the blanket to cover the little girl. After covering the blanket on the little girl, she moved over and placed a gentle kiss on Ellie's forehead.
"Goodnight Mama."
"Goodnight, Ellie, and have a sweet dream."
Ellie closed her eyes to fall into a deep sleep while Kaylee stood up and moved to the doorway. She turned off the switch before leaving Ellie's room.
Kaylee went to check Mrs Ashton in her room and felt at ease, seeing her mother sleeping soundly. She quietly closed the door behind her and then left for her room.
Kaylee was seated while staring at her reflection in the small oval-shaped mirror at the dressing table.
She was just like Princess Nora who went through heartache and was left shattered. However, her love story is more complicated than the story character. At least the story characters stayed loyal until they met their end but for her, her first love cheated on her and left her with blames.
Kaylee sighed in her heart, swimming in her thoughts about her past life. She raised a hand to her neck and brought out the diamond necklace that had been on her neck and was hiding inside her robes all this while.
Staring at the necklace for a long time, she let go of it as it fell into her dress.
Suddenly, Kaylee noticed the flash of lightning which sneaked into her room through the opened window. She stood up from her seat and moved to the window as she thought to close the window since it was going to pour tonight.
As Kaylee was about to close the window, she caught a glimpse of some men in the dark under the street lamp. Her eyes furrowed a bit at the sight of Willow's men as she angrily closed the windows and then the curtains.
She turned around and slumped helplessly with her arms spread on the bed while facing the ceiling. She closed her eyes to catch enough sleep.
The next morning, Kaylee stepped out of the house with a luggage trolling behind her.
"Ellie?" Kaylee called for the little girl who was hiding behind Mrs Ashton at the doorway.
"I don't want to go, Grandma." Ellie said.
Mrs Ashton turned around to the little girl and bent to her level. "You have to go with your Mama. She is doing this for the best." Mrs Ashton paused when she noticed the little girl was still persistent. "Don't you want to go to the city school anymore? Over there you would meet with your idol and have to see the company that makes those comic books you read."
Ellie shook her head in disagreement with what the old woman said to her. "I don't want to go to the city school if that wouldn't keep you by my side and I could visit the comic books on holiday. You promise to stay by my side Grandma and I won't have the egg benedict and potato pancake anymore. Who would make them for me? Please, Grandma, tell Mama not to go."
Mrs Ashton chuckled softly at the strong head girl. For no reason she found her little granddaughter funny, at first, she thought the little girl wanted to stay behind because of her, meanwhile, it was because of the egg benedict and potato pancake.
Kaylee left the luggage and went to Ellie. She squatted down before the little girl. "We are not leaving Grandma forever. Your Mama has to work hard and make a huge amount of money so she can send you to a better school and also give you a comfy life. And for that to happen, we need to leave for the city." Her lips pursed when she saw the sad expression on the little girl's face.
"Alright, I promise you will come to visit grandma on weekends so you can have your egg benedict and potato pancake. Hope you are fine with that?" Kaylee questioned. As expected, Ellie nodded in agreement.
"Alright, come here. We should leave before we miss the bus." Kaylee held her hand out to reach Ellie's hand as she pulled the little girl from the old woman's back.
"Take care, Ellie." Mrs Ashton waved at the little girl who was leaving the small low wooden gate.
Ellie turned her head behind, waving at her Grandmother while Kaylee dragged her along until they were out of Mrs Ashton's sight.
Mrs Ashton sighed deeply before she turned around and went into the house.
After a long walk down the alley, Kaylee saw two men from the other end with a young lady dressed in a black robe in their center walking up to them as she kept a stern expression.
Kaylee tightened her grip on Ellie's palm as if not letting go.