The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Chapter 181

I randomly pointed to words, and Willow, with both little hands clasped behind her back, answered quickly and confidently. After going through everything we had learned today, I realized she had mastered all the words she needed to learn the spelling of in just one day. Looking for praise, Willow snuggled into my arms. "How did I do, Mommy? Did I get anything wrong?"

"Not a single one!" I praised her wholeheartedly. "You got everything right, Willow!"

Willow blinked. Her face lit up in surprise. "Am I really that good?"

I cupped her cheeks in my hand and gently squeezed. "Yes, you are!"

She smiled shyly, then grabbed her book and nestled back into my lap. "Then, let me see if I can read them out."

I watched her intently. "Go for it."

Willow leaned over the table, her chubby little finger pointing to each letter as she enunciated them. After spelling out the word, she read it out loud.

Worried she might have pronounced it wrongly, she looked back at me and asked, "Is that right, Mommy?"

I nodded and answered with absolute certainty, "Yeap!"

everything correct, and she beamed with pride,

focused she looked, my heart

was my daughter. She wasn't perfect and had her own little quirks,

And that was enough.

...

letters

a while, I noticed her voice growing hoarse, yet she kept flipping through the pages. I reached out

at me in confusion. "Mommy,

keep reading out loud like this, you'll wear out your voice," I explained softly.

this, she slid the

back against me and said happily, "I guess all this practicing and exercising is actually paying off. When my body gets stronger, my mood gets better, too. And I've been practicing in front of the mirror every day and studying, so it feels like

"It's just that I

"At this rate, it

hands, her eyes sparkling. "When that happens, I'll have lots of kids coming up to me and wanting to

saying that, she couldn't help but

and said, "I really

"Me, too," Willow agreed.

...