THE HEIR'S REVENGE

Chapter 41

Lily was in her room doing her colouring when I entered the room. She didn't look that excited to see me like she usually did. Her room felt dark even though the curtains were and the afternoon sun was shining through the window.

“My princess.” I called her.

She tried to smile but it was a forced smile so it didn't reach her eyes.

“Baby, why do you look so upset?”

At the Pierce family house, I made that smile so many times. Now, seeing that same face on Lily made me feel something heavy in my chest.

“Baby, why do you look so upset?” I asked her but she looked down at her colouring book.

"I'm not upset," she said.

"Lily."

She was quiet.

I walked into the room, moved her stuffed animals to the side and sat very close to her. I waited.

I've learned that the only thing to do when she has a sour mood is to be present and patient. Pushing or forcing her to talk would simply make her go silent.

She then looked up.

“Grandpa used to make a big party for me every year,” She started, her voice very small like she wanted to cry. “He'd order a big cake for me and call party decorators for me and all my friends would come.”

“That sounds wonderful.” I said calmly.

“He said birthdays are the best and it should be celebrated.” She nodded.

“Of course, it should. I'm in total support of it.”

“I know how busy you are. The company, those bad people, those legal people.” She must have heard Henry say it. “I wouldn't want to be a problem.”

“A problem?” I repeated.

“I know you have a lot going on.” She picked up the crayon again and started painting. “I really don't want to be a problem to anyone.”

I glared at this innocent child sitting on her little desk thinking that talking to me about her birthday party would somehow make her look like the problem.

I knew this feeling. I'd spent nineteen years making myself smaller in the Pierce house and I wasn't going to allow her to feel the same way,not in the Blackwell house.

No one cared about my well being, no one cared about my birthday or any celebration relating to me. The only celebration I had was with my mother, when I was very little.

Thinking about it, I can't even remember the events of the day but it felt like heaven. That feeling was one I will never forget in a hurry. The feeling of being wanted, the feeling of being needed.

“Lily, come here.” I called her.

She put her crayon down, came to me and sat on my knee. This was the way I pacified her whenever she was upset.

She settled on my knee.

“Your birthday is the most important day of the year in this house. Do you understand? Not my work, not anything else, just you.”

She was quiet.

“Your birthday is more important than my meeting, it is more important than those legal stuff you mentioned. You are not a problem and would never be. You are the reason why I do all of these in the first place.”

I waited for her to nod and tell me that she was okay now. It took a while but she did look up with a smile.

“I asked Aunt Yemi if she could help me plan the birthday party.” She said after a moment.

“Aunt Yemi?”

“Yes. I think it's better I call her Aunt. She's really nice and always smiles at me.”

Isn't it so cute that she decides to call a stranger that she met three days ago her Aunt, only because she smiles at her.

“Well, the good news is that the planning won't just be done by you and Yemi.” I waited.

“Henry?”

“Sadly no.”

“Who?”

I did feel upset that she didn't think of me. I waited again giving her all the faces so she could pick me.

“You?” She screamed in high excitement. She then started to jump up even when I hadn't confirmed. “Yeah, we are planning my party.” She started to dance.

"We need to talk about the theme," she said.

"Purple," I said.

She lowered the crayon slightly. "You already know?"

"I know you," I said, smiling.

She considered this and appeared satisfied. Purple and Pink were her favourite colours so that would definitely be the colour of the day. "Purple and butterflies," she said. "That is the full theme. Not just purple. Purple and butterflies specifically."

"Purple and butterflies," I nodded in support.

"Good." She put the crayon down and walked to the door with purpose. "I need to go tell Yemi. She is in the garden."

"She knows the theme already," I said.

Lily stopped turning to face me slowly. She puts her hands on her hips. “How much do you both know?”

“Remember I know you and Yemi seems to have also figured you out.” I admitted.

She looked at me for a moment with great dignity.

"Fine," she said. "But I am still in charge of the cake decision."

“Of course, you are in charge of everything. I and Yemi are at your service. You get to choose which cake you'd want or if you'd like ice creams at your part and what flavour. You get to make all the decisions.”

She nodded once like a matter of business had been settled and went out the door. She must have gone to tell Yemi about everything.

I've never seen her be comfortable with anyone the way she was with Yemi. She was all friendly with Henry but that was it. She knew never to cross that line, after all Henry worked for me.

But with Yemi, it was different. They were like best friends.

I stayed sitting in the small chair for a moment after she left. I took a deep breath. This was what it truly felt to have someone depend on you.

I wouldn't trade this feeling for anything else in the world.