Tina had once worried that Bette couldn’t tolerate the child when the brunette started to visit them more often but turns out she was just overthinking. The first time she left Noah and Bette alone in the same room, she was afraid that Bette might get impatient and Noah wouldn’t get used to the new guest. A few minutes later, she heard the laughing and giggling coming out, then she knew these two will get along very well. 

In the dining room, Noah smiles innocently at Bette’s new jokes, swinging his small legs while waiting for Tina to finish cleaning the dishes.

“Bette?” Noah says.

“Yes, Noah?” Bette replies.

“Will you come here more often?”

Bette feels flattered but also curious about why the little boy will ask such a question.

“Why did you ask?”

The toddler plays with his fingers, secretly steals a glance at the kitchen, making sure that Tina cannot hear what he’s going to say.

“You make mama happy, and I want mama to be happy.”

Bette is taken aback by the answer.

“Why? Isn’t Mama always happy?”

“Not really, she doesn’t smile that often.” Little boy plays with his fingernails. “But when you come, she’s always smiling, I like that.”

Bette bites her lips, she doesn’t show out her emotions but inside her heart is already aching.

The single mother might look strong and independent when Bette is there, but who knows how much pressure and responsibility she’s been holding? Searching for work, taking care of a toddler, planning for the next step, most of all, hiding and hunting for the old enemies that might threaten her life. It was not an easy job for any person, needless to say, Tina, a young woman who has survived all by herself, with no help but her intelligence and ability.

Bette looks at the child with sadness, it’s sad for a child to learn that his mama wasn’t happy, which is also a tough topic to talk about with children.

“Noah…” Bette organizes her words. “You see…I love your mama very much.”

Little boy nods.

“And I really want to be with her…it’s just that…things cannot be simple sometimes…”

“What do you mean?”

“It means that…I cannot always be next to your mama, even when I really want to.”

“Okay.” Noah nods, his face shows a bit of disappointment.

“But I promise you that I will come here to visit mama and you more often.” She forces a smile. “And when I wasn’t there, will you also promise to take care of her for me?”

“Pinky promise?” Noah stretches his little arm to Bette, waiting for her to offer the pinky finger for the promise.

Bette burst out a smile.

“Pinky promise.”

-CJ-