What the future holds!

Giselle and Lia drove back home a little late that evening.

What had happened that evening left Giselle downright in wonder. The sudden change of plans with Lia's friends and the moms gave an opportunity for Giselle to be honest with them. Seeing how Lia's friends and their moms didn't judge her or have an expression that showed they felt uncomfortable with her presence. Giselle felt genuinely happy for her daughter. Both Lia and Giselle enjoyed this diversion while it lasted. It had only bought them closer than before. Giselle thought to herself that this relationship would keep flourishing, and their bond was never going to get severed.

In recent times, Giselle had been feeling as if she was reborn. She reminisced her past, wondering if she had been slightly brave, she would have had made better memories than feeling lost and alone back then. Nonetheless, Giselle felt like she had finally received the blessings from the universe and that her life was changing for the betterment. One by one, all she had been receiving were only good memories. And that encouraged her to take a step toward resolving Lia and Luther's conflict. All of these small efforts made Giselle feel proud of herself. She wasn't going to make Lia go through what she experienced when she was young. Giselle promised herself that she would fight for the sake of Lia. And joining that list next was Lillian Grey. Together, the two of them gave Giselle more meaning to enjoy her life as well.

Feeling peaceful at the moment, Giselle glanced at her daughter, finding the little face holding a similar expression to hers.

"Did you have fun today?" Giselle asked.

Lia's nodding spontaneously improved her mother's smile. She noticed it to remark how Giselle looked just as happy as her. Giselle's smile turned to a playful pout, questioning whether it was true. Lia insisted on her opinion, and Giselle had no choice but to accept how it had been a while since she had ice cream with friends and how much she enjoyed it as well.

Hearing about ice cream, Lia still wished she could have gotten something for Lillian. The guilt of leaving her alone while these two enjoyed a little treat made Lia feel bad for Lillian's sake. Thus, she kept complaining about it again and again. And no matter how many times she did, Giselle kept repeating that even if they chose to buy some for Lillian, it would melt before they reached home. Besides, Giselle doubtfully revealed how Lillian might already have ice cream stashed inside her freezer.

"Really? Then how come no one told me?" Lia asked in shock.

Giselle gave a look that said how no parent would reveal where they hid the candies. Lia understood and secretly grinned as she thought to herself that the days for that ice cream were outnumbered- if it was really there.

Lia was determined to find that ice cream and destroy it without leaving any evidence. Even if she got caught by Giselle, she could easily blame it on Lillian. Lia laughed devilishly, and that threw Giselle into suspicion.

'I better check if Lillian has any ice cream at home!'

The topic of ice cream eventually evoked an idea for the little girl. And Lia admitted to Giselle, wondering how she would love to go out with Lillian next time. Going with her friends was definitely a joyful experience, but more than that, just the three spending time together could make the little girl happiest.

"We three alone should go next time, mom!" Lia selfishly admitted.

Just like Giselle feeling fortunate during recent times, Lia had been explicit about her childish desires as well. Giselle quietly witnessed the change to feel relieved as a parent. Even if she felt blessed with Lia being mature for her age and understanding her mother, Giselle still wished for the little girl to enjoy her child-like innocence, even if it meant spoiling her.

"Ah, I never got an opportunity to ask this. So, Lia? Did you like living with Lillian?" Giselle remembered to sudden ask.

Lia studied her mother's face as it remained curious and eager to hear the answer. Just like how she waits for her mother's permission to eat all the snacks.

Lia nodded.

The little girl's response doesn't satisfy her mother, so Giselle asked again to confirm if Lia was telling the truth.

"Mom, I do. Didn't you just say that we became close? I wouldn't enjoy living with someone I don't like."

Finally seeming satisfied with the answer, Giselle drove quietly for a while before a sneaky grin forced her to conduct a sudden quiz, hoping to see what answers she would get.

"So, you like Lillian Grey, right?" Giselle asked, eyes still fixed on the road as their car moved little by little in the traffic.

"Hmm... Yes."

"How much do you like- Lillian?"

"How much?"

"Do you like Lillian more than me?" Giselle shot her tricky question, holding back the excitement while eagerly anticipating the kid's response.

Unlike Giselle, Lia went speechless from the interrogation. Seeing the child struggle, Giselle quickly stopped laughing out loud. She apologized for putting Lia in a tough spot. She confessed that Lia didn't need to answer. However, the little girl fought hard to reply at last.

Lia's face became serious all of sudden as she revealed whom she loved the most.

"You."

"Ah?"

"Obviously, I love you more than anyone," Lia confessed, looking out the window shyly. Her words were barely audible, but Giselle heard it right. Frankly, she wasn't looking forward to hearing an answer exactly. She just thought of teasing Lia for a moment, but hearing her reveal, Giselle felt glad. Despite her victory, she still requested Lia to cherish Lillian as well.

***

The unusual heavy traffic on the road kept their journey long, but these two passed the time with their random conversations. Ever since Lia admitted she loved her mother more, the little girl kept looking at Giselle, trying to read her face. Her demeanor repeated until she confirmed that her mother was feeling alright, which then encouraged Lia to drop the bomb promptly.

"Are you going to marry Lillian?" Lia asked out of nowhere.

Giselle hit the brakes suddenly, and they jerked in their seats for a second before the wheels moved smoothly upon the numerous honking. Giselle focused on driving first while she had her mind wrapped around Lia's unexpected inquiry.

Once they drove far enough to escape the heated honks and possible bumps, Giselle finally breathed.

"What did you say?" she called Lia in shock.

"No. Andy was just telling me that if two people are in love, they get married. Since you and Lillian love each other, would you get married too?"

Giselle looked too stunned to process what the child was implying. Eventually, when she does, she couldn't help but think that it was ridiculous even to discuss.

"What do you think?" she asked to play along while keen to learn about Lia's perspective on this subject.

"I am not the one going to get married. You are, mom! But- You're not yet- I am asking if you are?"

The poor little girl got confused at her own words. Meanwhile, Giselle found it amusing to discuss something so special that such thoughts never harbored in her mind, considering the journey she went through to get where she was right now. That's why she wanted to reason with her daughter about her opinion on getting married to Lillian Grey, hypothetically.

"What do you think? Should I marry Lillian?" Giselle asked again.

"Hmm.... well, if you wish-"

"No, I'm asking, what do you think? You?"

"It doesn't matter what I think."

"It does. You are part of the family, Lia."

"I'd like to see you happy, and if getting married to Lillian would make my mother happy, and Lillian too, then I'm all in."

Giselle didn't respond but simply smiled in return.

"Well, you better not ask Lillian about this, okay?"

The little girl kept quiet about, except blinking her eyes erratically while giving herself away for severe suspicion. Giselle knew that face and questioned if Lia had such intentions.

"Were you planning to ask her as well?"

"No- definitely not. Not until now!" the little girl muttered.

"Lia!"

"Yes, Mother!"

Giselle sighed. She can't raise her voice to counsel the little girl, considering how it could backfire and that Lia would end up feeling enthusiastic to betray those warnings. Therefore, Giselle collected her thoughts to sound stern and sincere.

"Marriage is a huge step. Yeah, it happens to those who like each other and are willing to spend the rest of their life together. But, me and Lillian- We just- we just got back together. So, I'm not sure if we could think about getting married- now! Do you understand?"

Lia somehow understood, but also not since it was too difficult to comprehend at her age.

"But- Since you say it would be nice- I'll think about it!" Giselle promised.

Lia couldn't comprehend what her mother meant before, but hearing her say that she might think about it pleased the little girl. Thus, putting an end to the topic of marriage for now. Lia stopped pestering anymore and looked outside to gaze at the view. However, Giselle couldn't stop smiling. She would smile for a moment and then force herself to wipe out that beaming blush. And then she would smile again after driving for a while, and at the pause, the smirk would disappear. She caught glimpses of herself in the front mirror before moving to Lia, checking if the kid was watching her. But since Lia didn't bother, Giselle looked away after a couple of sneak peeking. She kept her eyes on the road, and the thoughts of marrying Lillian somehow lingered in her mind. She wondered if their future holds something so valuable as such.

Being together was already a great hurdle to cross, but the marriage was something Giselle had fantasized about when she fell in love with Lillian back in high school. Right now, after going through so much in life, that fantasy had faded from her memory. Hearing it from Lia now made Giselle recall if she still wishes to picture such a dream along with Lillian Grey.