[color="plum”]Zoe DeLoughrey[/color]
{ Mom’s birthday | 2035 }
There was one thing little Zoe never understood - how did mom celebrate her birthday for a whole week? There were many things her little brain didn’t understand but that, that was confusing her more than anything. Why didn’t her birthday last for a whole week? Why didn’t she get presents every day?
Sitting in the shopping cart while Shay was running around the store but staying close to their dad, she was looking towards aisles with different toys, getting up once she spotted a big, fluffy teddy. [color="plum”]”D-daddy, daddy… look!”[/color] But she didn’t get the reaction she was hoping for. Instead of Dorian taking her to it, they all just walked past it. ”We’re here to get something for mom, baby,” he’d say, keeping his eyes on Shay to make sure she doesn’t get lost. Again. But Zoe didn’t like that, she wanted to hold and play with that teddy and her dad just ignored her. So she did the only thing she knew how to do, the one thing she was good at - she started crying. Unlike her sister, Zoe was a professional at throwing tantrums when she didn’t get what she wanted and when things weren’t her way. It was almost a good thing since Dorian still didn’t know what to do then and would do anything to make her stop crying.
[color="lightsteelblue”]”Zoe…”[/color] hearing her dad’s voice and noticing he stopped walking, she opened her teary eyes the moment he picked her up. [color="lightsteelblue”]”We will go there later, ok? We’re here to buy something for mommy’s birthday…”[/color] But hearing that only made her start crying again, burying her face in her dad’s chest. That’s what he was doing with his kids for a couple of years now - to make them feel included, he’d take them to a store and let them pick 7 things for their mom’s birthweek, one for each day of it. No matter how many useless things they end up buying it was a fun and adorable family activity. [color="lightsteelblue”]”Ok…what if… we get that teddy for mommy? Would you like that?”[/color] Her sobs got quiet as she wrapped her little arms around his neck, mumbling. ”Y-yes…”
*
The next morning. Zoe was in the kitchen with her sister and dad, eating and watching him make something for mom who was still in bed. She could tell Shay was excited but she was too focused on the food in front of her to pay attention to what was happening. That morning, they were out of bed earlier because they had to prepare a surprise for mom, which Zoe didn’t mind since Dorian was holding her in his arms the whole time… before he had to put her down to make breakfast.
When they got home the other day, they’ve all spent some time in Dorian’s office, wrapping everything they got. Even if she was still little, Zoe wanted to help her dad, not known that sitting in his lap and messing with plastic scissors was not helpful, at all. But she felt happy when she was so close to him just like she felt happy when her mom was cuddling her. Which came soon after breakfast. With their frost gifts, Zoe and Shay ran to their mom’s bedroom with Dorian following behind them with enough food to feed both Jessica and baby brother who was still her belly… twice. Or more than that. Maybe not. In Zoe’s eyes that was a loot of food, but good food. Not that green stuff dad makes her eat.