70 Cotton candy (1/2)

”Did you like the ice cream?”

”Yep, they're super delicious! Thank you, Abi,” Her smile was so bright and Abi couldn't help but squeeze the super cute little girl in her arms.

”I'm glad. Was there anywhere else you wanna go or something else you want to do?”

”I think I'd like to have a date with you at the park,” she said cutely.

”Is that all? Are you sure?” Abi prompted her.

”Mn,” the little girl said with a nod.

Abi could only shake her head at the girl's simple request. She wondered if Little Betty had any larger dreams as she took the girl's hand and headed towards the park.

Abi was pulled back to the present when the little girl started talking about this book that the caretaker at the orphanage read to her last night. The story was of Little Red Riding Hood. The little girl kept up her monologue in between licking the melting ice cream in her hand until they found a park bench.

”Abi, thank you for staying with me today. I'm so happy. I'm not sad that I have no parents. I'm happy as long as I have you.” She then hugged Abi tightly and Abi embraced her back.

Little Betty was such a sweet, precious girl. Ever since Abi found out about Little Betty's condition, she wished that a miracle would happen so that this little girl could at least be saved, even though it seemed like miracles didn't really exist anymore - there was no miracle for her mother, after all and she knew that there would be no miracle for her either. Still, she wished for it because maybe, just maybe, a miracle would happen for little Betty.

As she hugged the little girl, Abi saw a cotton candy booth across the road. She pulled away from their embrace and asked the little girl.

”Do you want some cotton candy?”

The little girl was a foodie like her so of course, she nodded enthusiastically. Abi looked around and saw that there weren't many people around the park so she decided that it was safe for Little Betty to stay on the bench. She didn't like to exhaust Little Betty, especially with her condition. Besides, the booth was not too far away. She would be back in no time.

”Stay here, okay? Wait for me and don't move while I go buy the cotton candy,” Abi told her. Once the girl nodded and made a promise to wait for her on the bench, Abi finally stood up and walked towards the candy booth.

Abi kept checking on the little girl as she reached the candy booth and saw that the little girl was also looking at her as she sat on the bench with her little legs swinging in and out. Abi gave her a little wave and she received a wave back.