The smile was plastered on her face. It was his birthday party and she couldn’t let him know. She busied herself with the task of blowing balloons, making fairy bread and filling lolly bags. In only a couple of hours everyone would be arriving. Then she wouldn’t have time to think about anything else. That would be a welcome relief.

He was so excited about this party. Unable to talk about anything else for weeks. So it had to go ahead, regardless of how she was feeling. She made excuses to him knowing that he would believe her without questioning. The real explanations could come later. But what about everyone else? Her whole extended family would be there. Could she really pull this off?

Everything was ready and they were just waiting for the doorbell to ring.  They read a story to pass the time. And then maybe he just sensed that she needed him as he wasn’t usually an affectionate child. He put his little arms around her and squeezed her tightly. He had seen through to her heart and recognised she needed him. During their embrace she realised that she would be okay, she was strong and not alone.

This post is a part of Write Tribe’s Wednesday Prompt ‘Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye’

Melinda