Meeting Tammy

I liked the idea. Then again, I didn't. If I said yes, and turned my back on Bianca now, Tammy would think it was okay too, and I didn't want her to think it was okay to shut her mother out. Yes, I wanted her to make the choice on her own, but only based on how her mom treated her and how she felt after getting to know her mom better, not by the two of them NOT spending time together. "Would you like to go to the Zoo, Tamara?" She thought about it for a second. "I would love to." I smiled. "Me too. Would you like your mama to go?" She looked over at Lily... Bianca.. and back to me. "Sure, if she wants." I smiled, giving her a half hug. "I'm sure she'd love to go. Lily..," I swallowed. "Bianca would you like to go to the Zoo with us?"

I looked up at the two of them, swallowing hard, grateful that the waitress brought our drinks. I had to keep from crying somehow. Smiling, I picked up my juice and took a sip of it before setting it down and nodding. "The zoo would be great. What are you favorite animals, bambina?" She rolled her eyes, sighing heavily. "Don't call me bambina, Isabella..." She held up her menu to show both of us. "Is that a polar bear?" It was really good. She didn't shade the bear in or anything, so I assumed it was a polar bear. "You got it!" She was really excited, I could see it in her eyes. "I like polar bears the best! Can we go see polar bears, daddy?" she asked, turning to look at Dante. They were so perfect together. I hated that I had taken them from each other, and I only wished I could make it better... Bringing him here was the first step... But I should have done it a long time ago.

"We sure can." I told her, leaving a kiss on the top of her head before pulling back. "We'll even see those first and you can get any toy you want from the gift shop at the end would you like that?" She smiled big, looking from me to Bianca. "I'd love that!" She went back to her drawing. "Do you like drawing?" She nodded. "I sure do. I love drawing animals the best." I looked over at Bianca. "I guess we passed down the talent gene, huh?" I laughed softly taking a sip of my orange juice.

I smiled across the table at him. It wasn't my usual smile that I usually gave him, the smile that only he got. It wasn't even the fake smile that I gave paparazzi and my fans... It was a simple smile, one that barely reached my eyes. "Yes, we did." I looked down at her menu and then back up at her. "And you do have an amazing singing voice, bamb-- Tamara. And I know your daddy is overjoyed that you love football. He's been playing for as long as I've known him. Twenty-six years. I'm sure he was playing since he was able to pick up a football." I smiled up at Dante, still not as bright as usual, but that didn't mean I didn't mean it.

I went to say something and the waitress had set the food down. "Okay, looks good enough to eat, right?" Tammy nodded and giggled. "Thank you." I told the waitress. "Tammy what do we say?" She picked up her fork with a smile. "Daddy, I'm not a baby I know to say thank you. Thank you!" She said before dipping her fork in the whipped cream and strawberry and stuffing it in her mouth. I looked back at Bianca. "What's your favorite animal.. since we're on the topic of animals?" I asked Bianca, taking a bite of my food.

I frowned, looking down at my plate. He knew what my favorite animal was. It's not like it changed since high school. I was your average girly girl when it came to my favorite animal. "You can't see my favorite animal at a zoo." I cut a bite, looking up at him. "You should know that." I forced a smile. "Unless this is some magical zoo, I don't think we'll see one." He knew that my favorite animal was a unicorn. "What about you, daddy?"

"Well, if I should know yours you should know mine too, don't you think?" I smiled, and took another bite. "Your mom likes unicorns. I don't know how I forgot that. But... I love Lions." Tammy smiled. "But aren't they scary?" I shook my head. "Not at all. To me anyways. Do they scare you Tammy?" She shook her head. "Not really. What about you, Isabella?"

I didn't know if I could get used to her calling me Isabella. But I was sure that it was her way of dealing with what I had done to her. She didn't like me because of what I had done. "Lion's are very strong and noble beasts. Just like your daddy. He's got the heart and spirit of a lion. I can't be scared of something I respect like I respect like your daddy."

"You can be scared of something you respect. Sometimes fear and respect go hand and hand, in my opinion anyways." I said, taking another bite. "So how we doing on breakfast there, little one?" She smiled, stuffing some of the pancake in, chewing it before speaking. "Good, almost done! I'm eating fast so we can go to the Zoo!"

I couldn't tell if he was saying that I should fear him or what. I smiled at Tammy, trying to distract myself from what Dante had just said. "The zoo will still be there when you're finished, bambi--" Tamara glared up at me. "If you're going to come to the zoo with us, you CANNOT call me bambina! I never want you to call me that EVER again, ISABELLA!" I was done eating. I couldn't eat another bite. I didn't know how I was going to make a family out of the three of us when the other two didn't want me, love me or even care about me. "Excuse me," I said, wiping my lips with my napkin and standing up from the table, bringing my purse and jacket with me as I left for the restroom.

"Tamara," I said, looking over at her. "You don't speak to your mother that way." I told her. "But she.." I cut her off. "No but's. I don't care how angry she's made you.. I don't care what she's done. At the end of the day, she gave you life, she brought you into this world and gave you to your Aunt, who loved and took care of you all the time. There is no reason for you to ever disrespect her." I sighed.

"I get being angry with her, I even get fearing her, you know, letting her in because you're scared she'll run away.. but you do not speak to her that way. Ever. If she wants to call you any of the nicknames she gives you, you let her, because she's your mom. I'm not saying you have to hate her but you need to respect that she's your mother." She folded her arms over her chest. "You don't even like her! Why stick up for!" I sighed.

"I like your mother, no, I love your mother, I'm mad at her, but I love her and I'll do my best to respect her if you promise to do the same, okay?" She sighed, nodding her head. "I'll try." I kissed her head. "Good, so will I." I stood up, tossing some money down, taking her hand as she hopped down from the booth. "Wanna go nicely ask her if she still wants to go to the zoo?" She sighed. "Do I gotta?" I nodded. "Yes, now go." She ran off toward the bathroom to get Bianca.

I had just finished washing my hands and splashed a little water on my face, reaching for the paper towel when Tammy came into the bathroom. I closed my eyes and blotted my face with the paper towel, hearing her slowly start to speak. "I, ummm... Would you like to come to the zoo with Daddy and me? I promise I'll be nice." I tossed the paper towel in the garbage, turning toward her. "Only if you want me to, Tamara." She nodded, reaching up and taking my hand... I was sure I was in the twilight zone... "I do... And you can call me bambina... if you want to." I smiled as I reached up to open the door. "Only if it doesn't upset you." She looked up at me. "It's ok." I smiled down at her before looking up and finding Dante at the front door waiting for us. I loved him so much, and I hoped that someday he could possibly love me again... Despite all I've done to hurt him.