You Are My Pride Dear...

"Of course I am your mother, why wouldn't I know. No one can understand you better than I do."

"You are wrong mom, Annabel can understand me more than you do. She doesn't talk much, that's why I was shocked when she said all those sweet things to me. As of then, she knows I was teasing her but for me not to spoil her mood, she ignored it all."

"What! You are now taking sides with her huh? You don't want your mother anymore right? I can see you have found someone more capable than your mother." Mrs. Johnson complained.

"Come on mom that's not what I meant. You know that nobody can ever take your place in my life. You are my mother; this title belongs only to you and no one else. You are my special mother and friend. Yes, Annabel is my best friend and that's what she is to me, she can't be my mother you know, right?"

Mrs. Johnson smiled at her and says, "You sure know how to pacify me. I am not upset with your best friend or jealous of her in any way, I was only teasing you; I was just getting back on you on her behalf."

"You teased her throughout the drive, it will be fair if I do the same to you. So you won't tease her next time. This way, you would let the poor girl be."

"So you are now taking her side as well, huh?" Says Victoria as she pretends to be hurt by her mother for actually siding with Annabel.

"Come-on my love, you know I love you most. The truth is that I also poke fun at your annoyance, my baby girl."

"Now I know from where this attitude of mine came from, I got it from you, my dear mother." She said and burst into laughter.

Mr. Johnson was in his room when he heard his daughter's voice. He left the room to come meet with her but stopped when he saw how intertwined mother-daughter were in their conversation; so, he decides not to disrupt them and gave them some space but he eavesdropped.

He heard all they had to say to each other. He was at the corner waiting for them to be done so he could talk to his princess as well.

He tried as hard as he could to hide his presence from them but his endeavors went to waste when one of his servants approached him and says, "Sir, the Jacuzzi is ready you can go and have your message now."

This caught his wife's attention, she turned behind to see whose voice it was and where it's coming from. She saw her husband with one of their butler who seemed to have done what he had asked of.

"Oh dear, come here, our daughter is back. I forgot to inform you as we were swayed by our conversations, forgive me, dear."

He couldn't hide anymore as he has been exposed by his servant, he strides towards the duo as he says,

"What are you saying now? Why would you apologize? There's absolutely nothing for you to feel sorry for. She's also your daughter, you can talk to her as well."

"Greetings Father!" Victoria ran towards her father and gave him a big hug with a smooch on his cheek.

"Welcome home, my princess, I missed you while you were away. How was your day my little princess? I hope no one troubled you because I won't spare any soul that provokes my daughter." He said.

Victoria was elated and touched by his words. "That was so sweet of your father. Well, I had a great day and no one would dare choose to be in the black books of the Johnson's; so, nobody bothered me."

"You are right my darling, nobody would dare go against the Johnson's. I am happy you had fun, now go and freshen up and come join us for dinner even if you've eaten, come and watch us while we eat."

Victoria understood what her father was trying to say and immediately replied, "Okay dad, I will join you both as soon as I'm done."

She left for her room. It didn't take her more than 10 minutes to get done and she joined her parents in the dining room as she had said she would.

The trio ate dinner together as a happy family.

Victoria had red wine as she was already full and couldn't eat again.

After dinner, they left the dining table; Mr. Johnson went to the Jacuzzi that has been prepared by his butler and Mrs. Johnson went upstairs with her daughter. She accompanied her daughter to bed and tucked her in; she bent over and smooched her on her forehead. "Goodnight my darling angel, sleep well dear."

"Okay, mom, Goodnight but aren't you going to bed?"

"I will but not now, I still have a few things to do before going to bed."

"If you want, I can help you mom."

Mrs. Johnson knows that this chat won't end anytime soon; so, she sat on the edge of her daughter's bedside as she says,

"There's no need, I can manage dear. Just get some sleep. And the earlier the better because I would need all the help I could get from you tomorrow morning."

"But it's your birthday, you should be the one to be resting and not me mom."

"That's true honey, but you are also forgetting that I have our servants to assist me with the decorations and all preparations. You're my pride dear, I want you to look your best at my birthday party."

"But I also want you to be the most beautiful woman at the party, mom."

Her mom smiled and says, "Okay, I promise that as soon as I am done, I will go straight to bed. I hope this makes you happy and please go to sleep now."