1 Pink Carnation

Yahel could never hate her. Her smile was engraved in her skin and her kindness was in her head. Did she feel any sense of abandonment? Yes. But to be honest, it wasn’t the woman’s fault she left. Right? Her red hair flowing with the wind and her rosy cheeks. That woman was unforgettable to the white-haired girl.

But why did she leave… Why didn’t she stay? Why did the woman tell her to run to safety like she was scared for her own life? Why did her eyes suddenly lose that joyful and loving brightness they had?

It just didn’t make sense to the little girl. But of course, a lot of things don’t make sense at that age. That doesn’t mean children are dumb, children are quite intelligent.

“Are you enjoying your food, Yahya?” another woman who engraved herself in the little girl’s heart made her voice present. Kind, careful, sweet. Brown hair and rose-gold eyes. Her smile inspired a sense of safety and comfort.

“Mn.” she smiled. The woman had prepared her breakfast since the kid had stayed the night at her house. “I’m glad.” the woman said as she patted the girl’s head with a sad smile. The white-haired girl giggled and kept eating the warm meal.

A short-haired person, seemingly the same age as the little girl, came down the stairs. Lazily, rubbing their eyes. When their eyes posed over the little girl, a smile formed on their face. A joyful one. Hopping excitedly, they reached to their mother.

“Yahya is still here!” the kid said. Seemingly excited they inquired. “Will Yahya join Vivi for school?”

That gentle and caring woman picked up the kid and hugged him. “Yes. Viv. Yahya will be joining you for school” She replied softly.

The brunette woman turned to the white-haired girl to see her reaction. She noticed how the little girl froze for a moment, confusion taking over her. “Mama will be taking Vivi and Yahya to school from now on!” the little kid in the woman’s arms said. The girl lifted her face from the meal. She smiled and nodded.

Why would Nana take us to school? Mom is who takes us to school… Nana is usually the one who picks us up. It’s always been like that.

A man walked up to the table, dressed a bit formal, and smiling. The sight of the man made the woman put her child on the floor, walking up to him and planting a kiss on his forehead. He sat at the end of the table and the woman served him breakfast. “Thanks, Nana!” said the man, giving Nana a vibrant smile.

“You should get ready, kiddo.” the man sitting at the end of the table said.

The little girl got up from where she was sitting. You could describe the way she walked as a waddling movement, sloppy, unequilibrated. Her tiny body walked up the stairs, to where her best friend’s room was. She was staying there. She left the cheerful family down the stairs, intending to not waste time and get ready for school.

She had been so many times to that house she knew it like the palm of her hand, and even if she had her eyes blind-folded she would claim to be able to walk around like that. Knowing every corner of it.

Searching with her eyes, she spotted her school clothes and gave out a smile.

At the top of the drawers, they were, probably a bit too far from her reach. Maybe it was because her friend Vi was able to reach them that they were placed. But if you saw Vivi you would think they aren’t able to reach them either. They could.

“Viiiiiii!!” she yelled at the top of her lungs. “I can’t reach my clotheeeeeesss!” And just like lighting the quiet kid appeared at the door. The kid smiled gently and somehow apologetically. There was an unaware sad shine in their eyes. Yahel stared at the kid, then at the clothes, then back at the kid.

“Help, please? If we go for ice cream, I’ll keep it cold for you.” To that proposition, Vivi nodded in return.

The small kid reached for their best friend’s clothes, extending their wrist, separating their hand from it, just like a doll. And just like that, like seeming magic, Vivi grabbed the clothing and gave them to the white-haired girl.

After changing, both kids hopped down the stairs cheerfully. Making their way to the brunette woman, the kind lady. Making their way to school.

---

The coming back home was warm. There was warm food on the table that everyone could enjoy and who dared insult it, which (as a joke) sometimes was the occasion with Nana’s husband, they would get a light punch on the shoulder, and get an earful from Nana, talking about how she spent such a long time cooking a proper meal, and how lucky he should consider himself for having warm food brought to the table.

Dinner was fun. Nana made macaroni and cheese for the children and then tucked them in.

It became a routine, but several things didn’t go unnoticed by Yahel. Like how there now was a second bed in Vivi’s room, and how Nana and Valence would ask her what she liked to wear.

Still, it felt warm and welcoming.

Yahel enjoyed it, it felt warm in her chest. Almost like whatever tragedy preceded her never even happened.

Just a warm fuzzy feeling in the area of her heart, that produced her smile and think everything was alright because that’s how it felt like. And that’s how Nana would make her feel.

Like everything was alright and there was absolutely no wrong in the world. In a child’s world, there should be no wrong. They shouldn’t think or even know about adult problems.

Everything was alright.

---

Around a month or two months, you could say it had passed, between laughs and warm smiles, and it hit her. For the brain of a 5-year-old, that could be too fast, or maybe too slow… go ahead and take your guesses. But things started clicking in her mind.

A warm meal at the table and Vivi’s dad mouthed once more those funny words. The funny battle between Nana and her husband commenced, making snarky remarks and complaining how much effort she put into the menu of the day.

“At least the kids enjoy and appreciate my cooking!” she said proudly. She knew that the two young ones would back her up.

Yahel looked at Nana, with the face only a child could make, undecipherable, and full of innocence. “My mom’s cooking is better”. Those words produced a little sting in Nana and made every person present at the table ghost white. “When will Mommy come back for me? I miss her.”

Vivi covered their mouth with their hands and looked down at the table. Valence didn’t know what to say and didn’t dare utter a word.

Nana sighed… gave her a sad smile. “I’m sorry Yahya…” And just as soon as those words came out of the gentle lady’s mouth… the worst-case scenario occurred.

The first one fell, then another, and another tear rolled down her face. Why would a woman so kind, who she loved much dearly and loved her back, leave her behind… Did she do something wrong? Was she not a good enough kid? Why couldn’t her mother come back for her only child, who she claimed to love so much and with such fiery passion? Won’t she come back for her?

“Why won’t she come back? Was I a bad kid?” she muttered as the tears rolled down her face. “Did I scare her like I scared dad? Does she not-”

“First finish eating, my child, then-” A loud sob left the white-haired girl’s mouth, she was shaking. Her expression was a mix of guilt and fear. Nana took a deep breath. “then I’ll explain to you ok? How about I make cookies?” the tension in the air just didn’t seem to fade away. Valence clenched his fists, with his knuckles becoming almost white. “Will that make Yahya feel better?”

“Mn” was all she could mutter. Her face was red from crying.

And a pair of arms rounded her, allowing her to let out all the pain she had inside.

“It’s alright”