I raise my head, and the water in my eyes starts to run down my cheeks.
I feel stupid.
She lifts her hand, making me squint. I thought she was going to hit me, but all she does is wipe the tears from my face. “Don’t cry.” Her sweet smiles makes me feel a little happier. “Can I do your hair? Would that be okay with you?”
I nod to her, taking a seat on a little stool that is just my size. I sit in front of a table with a mirror and a bunch of light bulbs on it. I look at the mirror and watch her dry my wet hair with a blow-dryer. Occasionally, she blows the warm air on my face, making me giggle. She brushes my hair into two pigtails. My hair looks so shiny as it hangs on each side. She laces pretty white ribbons on each and ties them into little bows. I am kicking my feet at how excited I am.
Placing her hands on my shoulders, she gives them a small squeeze. “Do you like them?” She smiles at me in the mirror.
I bounce in my seat, tapping each bow. “I love them!” I squeal louder than I thought I would.
She looks so happy.
I hop off the chair, spinning around and wrapping my arms around her waist to hug her. I don’t look up at her when I whisper, “Thank you.”
I run out of the room and stop on the other side of the hallway. I can hardly hold still because of how excited I am to show Samuel my hair. I knock on the door so many times I lose count.
Samuel swings open the door, but his nice shirt is not buttoned yet.
“What!?” he shouts at me, and I stop bouncing. I drop my head to look at my shiny new shoes. “Oh, it’s you, Eden.”
“S-Sorry, Samuel,” I whisper.
“Why are you apologizing?”
“I-I—”
“No, Eden.” He gets on his knees, putting a hand on each of my cheeks, turning my face to look in his bright eyes. “I should be the one apologizing to you. I thought you were the housekeeper again, telling me that Father was waiting for me.” He smiles at me, and it makes me smile back. “Now, what had you banging on my door?”
My smile grows wider, and I bounce a little on my toes again. He chuckles low, and it sounds like it’s trapped in his throat.
“Do you like it?” I back up and do a full twirl, just like the princesses do in the movies.
“You are breathtaking. The prettiest girl I know,” he says with a smile as big as mine.
“And these?” I tap each bow on my pigtails.
“They are perfect.” He taps them each like I just did.
“They are my favorite.” I grin, holding my hands together on my chest and swaying back and forth.
I can feel each ponytail swinging with me, and it makes me giggle again.
“If they make you smile like that, then they are my favorite, too.” He pulls me into a hug.
I like how warm he is.
I look up at him, my chin resting on his belly.
He bends down to kiss me on the forehead, and my belly feels like it has butterflies. “Wait here. I just need to button up and grab my jacket, alright.”
I think Samuel actually loves me as his little sister, and that makes me want to never let him go.
He rushes back into his room and comes back really fast. We are almost to the stairs when he scoops me into his arms and places me on his hip. I wrap my legs and arms around him.
Samuel is so strong and always carries me whenever he can. I can walk, and he knows I can walk, but he wants to hold me to make me feel loved.
We make it downstairs, where Mr. Donovan is waiting by the front door.
