Bluebell seemed to find this answer satisfactory. She started chattering away about her day at school. All thoughts of Amanda left Snow’s mind as she enjoyed spending time with her daughter. They were doing a new science section—this one with magnets and iron shavings.
Snow had never really liked science in school, but Bluebell loved it. She was so smart; Snow was sure that she could be a bigshot scientist one day if she wanted to. She had a small college fund for Bluebell that should be enough to get her somewhere decent as long as she earned a scholarship to pay for part of the fees.
“How about we stop by the store on the way home? I can buy us ingredients to make cupcakes.”
“Ooh, can we make planet cupcakes?”
Snow chuckled. “Sure. We’ll have to see what the store has in terms of decorations, but we can sort something out. You’ll need to tell me what each planet looks like.”
Snow knew what the different planets in the solar system looked like, but she loved listening to Bluebell describe them anyway. There was such enthusiasm in her voice that Snow couldn’t help getting enthusiastic too.
They spent about half an hour at the store, selecting different toppings that could be made to look like the different planets. It was more money than Snow usually spent on baking, but she couldn’t say no to Bluebell’s planet idea, not when she was clearly so excited about it.
When they got home, Bluebell went dashing through the house and dragged Daisy through to the kitchen by her hand. Daisy sighed good-naturedly and helped Bluebell get out all the bowls and measuring cups.
“What brought this on?” Daisy gestured to the baking ingredients.
Snow shrugged. “I just thought it would be nice to make cupcakes together.”
“Good call. I haven’t seen Bluebell this excited since that volcano in science.”
Snow could tell that her mother didn’t quite believe her. Daisy always knew when something was on Snow’s mind, but Snow didn’t want to discuss it in front of Bluebell. In fact, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to discuss it at all.
She still hadn’t quite gotten her head around it. Did Amanda’s kiss mean that Amanda liked her too, or had it simply been meant to shut her up? After all, ithaddone that. Snow had been effectively silenced by shock and had left before that shock had time to wear off.
Snow shook her head slightly, trying to focus on the task at hand. She was making cupcakes with Bluebell. She wanted to enjoy this time with her mother and daughter. She would think more about Amanda later.
The cupcakes were mostly a success. Jupiter ended up a bit of a mess, but Bluebell was happy, at least. Snow took several photos of the cupcakes, and then some of Bluebell posing with them. Bluebell also insisted on a family shot of the three of them, all holding cupcakes.
Snow made Bluebell help clean up the kitchen before they all sat down together and had the cupcakes with a cup of tea.
Bluebell told Snow and Daisy some more about school and barely complained at all when Snow told her it was time to do her homework. Snow helped here and there, but for the most part, Bluebell knew what she was doing. Snow just had to check off in her homework diary that Bluebell had done everything.
Bluebell got out her new doll, the one Snow had bought her recently, and started playing with it. Snow kept an eye on her from the other room, but Bluebell didn’t seem to require or desire her presence for now. She was off in her own world, narrating some game in her head as she moved the doll around.
“What’s bothering you, Snow?”
Of course, Daisy could tell it was something. Snow glanced once more at Bluebell, who didn’t appear to be listening to the conversation.
“It’s Amanda.”
“That rude woman you did the shoot for the other day?”
“Yes, that’s her. She didn’t credit me for the photos when she was supposed to. I got mad and went over to her house.”
“You got mad?”
“Those were the best photos I’ve ever taken. I was just so inspired by her and how beautiful she is… anyway, we had a fight. Afterward, she came to apologize, but I was still angry and she kissed me.”
Daisy raised an eyebrow. “Well, that’s not what I was expecting.”
“Me neither. I don’t know how to feel about it.”
“What do you mean? I thought you said she was really rude to you? You were having a fight. You clearly didn’t want a kiss. She had no right to kiss you. You should be furious. You could even press charges, if you want to.”
“The thing is… I kind of did want her to,” Snow admitted.
Daisy’s eyebrow traveled further toward her hairline.