âOhhhh.â I look at my little niece and the weight of guilt is immediate. Like with Bella, I kept Ivy out because I thought that was best. I thought I was unfit. Itâs only now I can see that I hurt us both unnecessarily. âIâm sorry you two. Iâve been a terrible gift giver.â But Iâm going to make up for it.
âYou havenât,â Bella protests.
âBut youâll need to help me.â I have a plan, and it canât wait until I have the correct items bought. âIvy, could I borrow two of those friendship bracelets you got for Christmas, please.â
She got a whole box of them from a friend from her school and has already put some on the unicorns.
My niece tilts her head thoughtfully. âWhat colours?â
Amusement flares in my chest. Why did I think this was the easy way? âGold would be ideal, butâ ââ
âI donât like gold,â Ivy declares. âI prefer green.â
âUnderstandable,â I reply with the seriousness this topic deserves. âPerhaps you could give me a gold one and a green one?â Blue is my favourite colour since a certain blue-eyed woman came into our lives, but Iâll allow green in this case.
Ivy narrows her eyes, clearly reluctant to part with a green bracelet, but sorts through them until she finds two she feels she can spare. With solemn gravity, Ivy hands them over. I rise from the sofa and take them from her, pocketing the green one.
The friendship bracelets are designed for a childâs wrist, and tiny, made with plastic beads and not exactly the classy and outrageously expensive jewellery Iâd prefer to do this with.
Never mind. I take a deep breath and lower myself to one knee before Bella.