Chapter 46

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ARIA

"Aria", Winnie says, coming closer to me and starting to tug on my leggings. I look down at her and she's smiling at me, holding her plushie in one of her hands. "Will you watch a movie with me?"

I look at the dishes in the sink. A few weeks ago, I moved in with Lewis and Winnie, and since Lewis is out attending a business talk tonight, I stayed in to watch over her. I am so grateful Winnie started accepting me as part of the family. For I know I love that girl to the moon and back, and no one is ever going to harm her again or make her sad as long as I'm here.

"Sure", I say, giving up on doing the washing up and just opening the dishwasher to let it do the job for me.

Winnie jumps happily and I follow her to the living room, where I open the platform. "What do you want to watch?", I ask, scrolling through the movies.

"Something with a princess", she answers. "Like you."

"I'm not a princess", I correct her, yet my mouth is twitched.

"You are", she doesn't back down.

"Am not."

"You are."

I give up. "If you say so."

She sinks deeper in the couch and squints her nose, which I know is her thinking face. After a while, she asks: "Does that make me a princess too?"

I look at her surprised. She explains: "Well, if mommy is a princess, that makes me a princess too."

I don't know if Winnie noticed the tear rolling down on one of my cheeks. Or the way my voice is shaking as I reply: "You have always been a princess, Winnie." She smiles at me and I open my arms to have her in a hug. "Come here."

She comes closer and I wrap my arms around her, keeping her tight. "I love you", I whisper to her. She smiles and plants a small kiss on my cheek. "I love you too." It's then she frees herself from my hug and grabs the remote, handing it to me. "Now, can we please watch a movie?"
I chuckle, yet my eyes are still wet. "Sure." I end up clicking on Tangled. "Have you watched this?"

Winnie shakes her head.

I gasp surprised. "You haven't watched Tangled?"

Another shake.

"But that's like the best Disney movie ever."

"I like Cinderella more."

"That's because you haven't watched Tangled."

"Let's watch Tangled then."

Smiling pleased, I press on the movie and start it.

One second later, Winnie whispers. "I'll still like Cinderella more."

I chuckle. There's no way she won't like Tangled.

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