"And don't think you're getting off easy, Astrid." Mika continued with a chuckle. "Nadia. Did you know that your daughter has body pillows of you?"
"Mika, no—!"
"Multiple body pillows with different expressions. Some where you're smiling tenderly. Some where you're scolding her. She wraps them in her tails and hugs them at night. Because she couldn't have the real thing, so she created substitutes."
Nadia turned to stare at her daughter in disbelief. Astrid had buried her face in her hands, her ears burning crimson.
"Darling..." Nadia's voice was barely audible. "You...You missed me that much?"
"I..." Astrid's voice came out muffled. "You were always so distant in my eyes. And I...I didn't know how to reach you. So I just..."
She didn't finish. She didn't need to.
"But there's one more thing." Mika's voice shifted, becoming almost mischievous. "One final secret that's going to shatter whatever barrier is left between you two."
"What...What is it Mika?"
