Chapter 22: Maybe Someday
Across the ocean, nestled in the quiet elegance of Switzerland, a little girl of just over three years old was being gently scolded by her mother.
"Claire," Cassidy said, her tone calm but firm, "you can’t just take Mommy’s phone and call Uncle Xavier whenever you want. You have to ask first, sweetheart."
Claire pouted, her small arms folded across her chest. "But I just missed Uncle Xavi," she mumbled, her voice small and sulky. "I wasn’t trying to be naughty."
Cassidy crouched down to her daughter’s level, brushing a loose strand of hair from Claire’s forehead. "I know you miss him. But what if Uncle Xavi was busy with something important? You can’t always interrupt him like that, okay?"
Claire’s eyes shimmered with a hint of guilt, and she nodded slowly. "Okay, Mommy. I won’t bother him again."
Cass smiled softly, kissing her daughter’s cheek. "Thank you. That’s my good girl."
"But," Claire added in a mutter, "it has been forever since I saw him."
Cass lifted a brow. "Claire, it’s only been one week."
"One week is a long time," Claire insisted dramatically, tossing her tiny arms in the air.
Cass chuckled, shaking her head. It still amazed her how expressive and articulate Claire could be. At just three years old, she spoke like a tiny adult, nagging, explaining, and storytelling like someone far beyond her years. Friends and neighbors often joked that Claire had the soul of an old woman trapped in a little girl’s body.
She was well-mannered, obedient, thoughtful, and kind. And although she had never had a father figure growing up, Cassidy was deeply grateful for Xavier’s presence in their lives. Somehow, he had managed to fill a piece of that void in Claire’s world without even trying. Maybe that was why Claire clung so tightly to him.