Tina felt she could handle everything on her own, but when her daughter starts weeping during a family birthday party, everything goes wrong. The reckoning that follows is shaped by love, determination, and a mother’s promise that no one has the right to say who belongs in her family or in her daughter’s heart.
I was 28, divorced, and already a mother when I met Daniel.
I took Ellie on our first date because she was only two years old. I couldn’t pay for a sitter, but I also needed to know right immediately if this person would accept me for who I am, including her.
At first, most of the guys tried to appear like they were okay. Some folks gave hard high fives, while others smiled graciously.
Daniel got down to her level, asked about her bunny socks, and spent almost twenty minutes helping her adhere rainbow sequins to a piece of scrap paper as I ate cold fries and watched.
Two years later, Daniel and I got married in an intimate ceremony with only close friends and family. Ellie wanted us to hold hands while she walked down the aisle with a crown of flowers on her head. She insisted on giving a speech while she ate cupcakes at the reception.
When she named him her “almost-daddy,” everyone laughed. Daniel’s eyes filled with tears.
On the day she turned five, he officially adopted her. We had a party in the backyard with paper lanterns and a cake we made ourselves. Ellie opened her gifts and then sat on Daniel’s lap and put her arms around his neck.
“Is it okay if I call you Daddy now? Really? She said something.
“Only if I can always call you my daughter,” he said.
I knew that love would make everything better as I watched them. That the wounds from the divorce and the absence would eventually start to heal. that they would never have to hear the term “step.”
But I’ve learnt that love doesn’t always come to everyone. Not the ones that are hard to find, though. People who condemn others sit at the dinner table and smile and wear perfume.
Daniel’s mom, Carol, never called me names. But Mom never asked Ellie about school or said anything about the Christmas sketches she sent.
Even after the adoption papers were signed, she wrote “To my Daniel and Tina” on the cards. She arched an eyebrow at my wonderfully made lasagna after dinner with the family.
“You must have had to learn quickly because you were raising a child by yourself,” she remarked.
Daniel heard it too, and when I told him about it, he held me tightly.
“She’s just… hard-headed.” He told me to “give it time.”
Yes, I did. That is, until she kicked my daughter out of a birthday party for kids.
It was one of those lovely Saturdays that made everything seem less serious. Mark, my brother-in-law, was hosting a Pokémon party for his son Jason, who is seven years old.
Ellie was quite happy. All week long, she continued asking Jason what he wanted.
She spun the hem of her pajama top one night and asked, “Do you think he still loves Pokémon?” “Yes, without a doubt,” I told her, and we looked for gift ideas online.
“She’s simply… hardheaded. He told me to “give it time.”
Yes, I did. That is, until she kicked my daughter out of a birthday party for kids.
It was one of those lovely Saturdays that made everything seem less serious. Mark, my brother-in-law, was hosting a Pokémon party for his son Jason, who is seven years old.
Ellie was quite happy. All week long, she continued asking Jason what he wanted.
She spun the hem of her pajama top one night and asked, “Do you think he still loves Pokémon?” “Yes, without a doubt,” I told her, and we went online for ideas for gifts.
She grinned and said, “I want to look good for the photos.” “Do you think Jason will like the present?”
“Yes, baby,” I said again. I knew she was worried since she had asked about it before. “And you really do look like a princess, Ellie-girl.”
We brought her home at midday. Daniel and I had planned a simple date that included lunch at our favorite Italian restaurant and maybe a walk along the ocean.
Mark and Sarah were overjoyed when we came to the door.
There were youngsters laughing in the front yard. We said goodbye to Ellie with a kiss and instructed her to wash her hands before eating and to bring us more cupcakes. We went after that.
My phone rang forty-five minutes later.
The screen flashed up with Ellie’s name. Daniel and I both thought she was too young to use a cell phone, but we still wanted to make sure she could get in touch with us if we got lost. We gave her Daniel’s extra phone so she could use it when she needed to.
I put the phone on speaker so Daniel could hear what I said right away. It was hard to understand what she said because her voice was so soft.
She then sniffed and whispered, “Mommy?” “Please come get me.” My grandma urged me to go outside. “I’m not part of the family,” she said.
I got cold. I held Daniel’s arm hard.
I said, “Where are you, baby?”
But she cried, “I’m outside!” “Next to the door. I don’t want to walk on the sidewalk.
Daniel said, “Ellie, we’re coming.”
Ten minutes later, we arrived at the house.
As soon as the car stopped, I opened the door. Ellie stood close to the gate, holding her modest gift wrapped in gold as if it were the only thing that mattered.
My daughter’s eyes were red and puffy, and her cheeks were damp and splotchy. The hem of her dazzling garment had grass stains on it.
Seeing her made something in me break.
Before I could unbuckle my seat belt, Daniel had already climbed out of the car. He ran right to her and knelt down in the grass.
He said, “Ellie,” as he held her close. “Don’t worry, honey. We are here.
She gripped onto his shirt with both hands and wailed like a youngster who was trying to fight back tears till their safe person came.
I didn’t even stop. I sprinted toward the home with a deep sense of purpose behind every step.
Inside, Carol was sitting at the table and quietly eating a piece of birthday cake. She chuckled at what my sister-in-law said like it was just another afternoon. There was a mild buzzing sound coming from a Bluetooth speaker. I could hear kids from the adjacent room talking without a care in the world.
“Why is my daughter out there?” I made a lot of noise when I cleared my throat.
The room stopped moving.
Carol didn’t back down. She didn’t even try to be perplexed; she just put down her fork, wiped her lips with a napkin, and looked me right in the eye.
“Ellie is not part of this family,” she continued, as if she were talking about the weather. “This is a get-together for family and friends.”
I let the air out. I felt like the floor had fallen away and my stomach fell. I stood there for a while, not paying attention, trying to figure out how she could say it or how anyone could mean it.
Sarah’s cheeks turned red. People could scarcely hear her since she was looking at her plate.
“We didn’t want to ruin Jason’s day by fighting,” Sarah said. “Mark and I agreed that Carol should choose what she wanted to do.”
In a voice that shook with wrath, I exclaimed, “You let her sit outside alone.” “You let a little girl cry in the backyard so you could eat your cake in peace.”
You believe my kid is a stranger? You are sad, Carol. Sarah, you should be ashamed of yourself. You do this even if you’re a mom?
I left because I wanted to put on a great show, not because I was done talking.
No one was talking.
Ellie held on to Daniel the whole way home, putting her arms around his neck like she was frightened he would leave. She would touch my shoulder every few minutes.
My partner held her in one arm and whispered soothing things into her hair. I got in the backseat with them as we parked and cleaned the oil off her face while telling her over and over that she was alright.
I remarked in a quiet voice, “I’m proud of you, baby.” “You weren’t doing anything wrong. You were quite brave.
She didn’t say anything, but her head rested on my shoulder. She only nodded slowly while holding on to my sleeve.
We gave her chocolate ice cream with rainbow sprinkles on top. She grinned a little when the cone started to drip down her wrist.
That night, Ellie chose her favorite movie. We put more butter on the popcorn. She cuddled up between us on the couch and fell asleep under the blanket. Her breathing became steady after a while.
I held Daniel’s hand tighter than I meant to while I sat in the dark glow of the TV and watched her sleep.
They said, “I’m sorry, but I can’t,” when I said, “I won’t let this go.” She is only a baby.
He answered firmly, “I won’t either.”
We had Daniel’s birthday dinner at our house two weeks later.
The invitation was sent out on purpose because it is Daniel’s birthday. Anyone who feels Ellie should be a member of this family is welcome to come.
My phone rang an hour later when Carol contacted me.
“Are you leaving me out, Tina?”
“Caroline, I’m simply doing what you told me to do. Do you remember? Not everyone here is related to each other.
She didn’t say a thing.
The picnic was fun.
We set up folding tables and soft blankets on the grass in our backyard and hung fairy lights in the trees. I folded napkins, put out vases of wildflowers, and made sure the fruit wasn’t too hot all morning.
I wanted everything to be perfect.
My sister brought cupcakes and gave me a big hug. Daniel’s relatives attended, and I saw a few aunts I hadn’t seen in a long time. Some of Ellie’s pals were there too. It wasn’t a party that someone threw out of pity; it was planned.
Mark was there too. He had to because Daniel was his only brother.
He held Jason’s hand and stepped inside. They didn’t have Sarah. I wasn’t shocked. Sarah always glanced away and smiled, even when she was uncomfortable.
Mark’s gaze were guarded, as if he wasn’t sure if he should speak first or if he was welcome.
But he didn’t have to. Jason let go of his father’s hand and went to Ellie as soon as he spotted her.
He stopped saying, “I’m sorry Grandma was mean to you,” right next to her. “I told her I didn’t like what she did.” You remind me of my sister Ellie. I will never look like her.
Ellie blinked at him because she was shocked by how honest he was. With a smile on her face and warm eyes, she turned and raced back into the house. She didn’t say anything else.
“Where is she going?” I raised an eyebrow at Daniel.
He could say whatever he wanted before, but Ellie quickly went back outside with the gold present bag she had made two weeks before. She halted in front of Jason and had to catch her breath.
She said, “I saved it,” and gave it to him. “I just wanted you to have it.”
“You still got me a gift?” Jason stared at the bag as if it were a holy item.
The woman answered, “Of course.” “Happy birthday!”
The remainder of the day seemed like a dream. We sang, laughed, and ate too many sweets. Ellie kept close to Jason the whole time, as if being near him helped her feel better.
The sun set behind the trees, and our yard was on fire.
I shared a picture of Ellie and Jason on the picnic blanket that night. Their foreheads were almost touching, and they were smiling like they didn’t care about anything else.
What does the text say?
“Love is family, not blood.”
After two weeks, my phone rang. When I saw Carol’s name, I was scared to answer. But then Ellie walked into the kitchen with a plate of grapes in her hand.
“Is it her?” she questioned.
I nodded.
I handed her the phone and added, “Only if you want to, baby.”
She said, “Hi, Grandma,” in a quiet voice. There was a pause. Then, in a calm, steady voice, she said. “Please don’t do that to me again. I forgive you.” It looked horrible.
Another long break. Ellie then gave me the phone.
In a hushed voice, she said, “She said sorry.”
Daniel sat next to me at the kitchen table later that night. He spoke after a short moment of silence.
A few days ago, I chatted to my mom. I told her that if she couldn’t treat Ellie like family, she would lose both of us. I truly did mean it.
I said “thank you,” but my voice sounded heavier than it was.
Carol has changed since then. She sends Ellie small cards with cats and stickers on them. She has called a few times to find out what snacks and assignments Ellie likes best. She even prepared Ellie a birthday cake with pink icing flowers on top.
I’m still being careful. People don’t readily forget me.
But what about Ellie?
She once said to me, “I think Grandma will be better now,” while she stroked her doll’s hair.
I still don’t think Carol knows what will happen due of what she did.
But I know for sure that Ellie will never again question her place in the world. Not at my place. Not in my family. Not in her own story, for sure.
