“Mom! I’m home!” Nayeon smiled as she heard her daughter’s voice.

“Hey Hye.” Nayeon smiled as she peaked into the living room, watching her seven year old pry her old tennis shoes off her feet, standing in her bright green fuzzy socks Momo had given her for Christmas. Nayeon winced when she noticed three new Disney Princess bandaids on her daughter’s left knee. “How was practice?”

“It was good,” Hyemi smiled at her. “What’s for dinner?”

“I picked up some takeout for you, it’s in the fridge,” Nayeon smiled at Hyemi. She winced as Hyemi peeled off her dirty socks, revealing blistered red swollen feet. She tried not to look too long, she had seen Hyemi’s feet after practice too many times to ever want to look at them again. “Do you need some bandaids?”

“I can go get them,” Hyemi nodded. “Can you clean my skates for me?” Hyemi handed over her pink skate bag and Nayeon nodded, watching as Hyemi limped away. She took them into the small kitchen, pulling the small skates out of her bag and grabbed a wash cloth from the counter. The skates were old, the tongue had lost almost all it’s stiffness, the once white skates had faded into a yellowish color, the insides had been rubbed raw, and the skates had scoffs all over the worn leather. Nayeon sighed, she had bought them for her daughter what felt like a lifetime ago, but in reality was two Christmases ago. 

Hyemi had picked up ice skating at the ripe old age of four, and after begging Nayeon for months she began skating lessons at the closest rink. It was still over a twenty minute walk from their apartment, but Hyemi had loved skating so much Nayeon wouldn’t let anything stop her. At first Nayeon thought it was a phase, most kids Hyemi’s age went through phases with wanting to try many different sports, but Hyemi put her all into ice skating. And damn, she was good at it.

Nayeon didn’t know where she got it from, Nayeon couldn’t walk downstairs without nearly tripping and she had only been ice skating once in her life. Hyemi’s dad was just as bad as her, considering the only time he had been skating was on their third date, what turned out to be their last date. Yet somehow Hyemi was given a gift, and Hyemi’s lesson coaches commented on it constantly. She watched as Hyemi surpassed all her ice skating classmates and at seven she was already in lessons with girls two years older than her. Nayeon was insanely proud of her, but of all the sports figure skating was on a little high on the costly side. She had to save for a year to get her five year old daughter a pair of midrange skates. She hadn’t been able to afford any since. Hyemi’s feet had obviously grown since she was five, and now her feet were painfully rubbing against the sides causing endless painful blisters. But Hyemi never complained. Not once. She took incredible care of her skates, constantly asking Nayeon to wipe them clean after she used them and she took impeccable care of the blades. 

“Hey mom,” Hyemi tapped on her shoulder as she came up behind Nayeon. “Hug?” Nayeon put the skates down and hugged her daughter tightly. She knelt down to hug her daughter tighter. “How was work?”

“Hm,” Nayeon hummed. “Normal,” Nayeon answered. “I love you baby.” Nayeon kissed Hyemi’s hair. 

“I love you too mom,” Hyemi smiled at her. “Now can I go get something to eat?”

“Oh yeah sorry,” Nayeon giggled as she released Hyemi. “Auntie Momo is coming over later, she’s going to help you with your stretching.” 

“Really?” Hyemi smiled. “Is she bringing baby Saki?”

“Saki’s not much of a baby anymore silly,” Nayeon laughed at her daughter. “She’s about to turn four, and she’ll be an Unnie soon.”

“Yeah but she’s so little mom,” Hyemi giggled.

“Yeah she is, but no she’s staying at a friends house tonight and Auntie Mina is staying with Auntie Sana so it’ll just be us three.” Nayeon watched as her daughter put her dinner in the microwave. “I’ll go put your skates away, are you going to practice by yourself tomorrow?”

“You promised we could go to the new rink downtown tomorrow, don’t you remember mom?” Hyemi asked. 

“Oh yeah sorry, we can do that.” Nayeon smiled. “Your birthday is coming up kiddo, have you thought of anything you want yet?”

“Um maybe a birthday cake?” Hyemi shrugged. “And for all my Auntie’s to come over.”

“Okay that’s a good start, do you maybe want to invite some friends?”

“Maybe, can Saki come?”

“Of course baby,” Nayeon nodded. “I don’t think we could stop Saki, she adores you a lot. But when I asked I meant more like presents.”

“I don’t need any presents.”

“You sure?” Nayeon asked, sitting across from her daughter. 

“Yeah mom, there’s nothing I could want.” Hyemi shrugged.

“Okay,” Nayeon sighed. “Good luck telling your Aunts that.” Hyemi giggled and started eating her noodles. 

xx

“Mom look I can pull my foot higher than Auntie Momo!” Hyemi squealed, pulling her foot behind her back. “I’ve been trying to do that for years.”

“I’m just getting old kiddo,” Momo nodded. “Don’t feel too superior.”

“But aren’t you younger than my mom?” Hyemi asked as Momo pushed Hyemi’s foot higher.

“I am,” Momo laughed. “Which means your mom is basically a dinosaur.”

“Hey! I’m not hearing this!” Nayeon whined without looking up from her phone. Momo and Hyemi both laughed, Momo releasing Hyemi’s leg and Hyemi swinging her leg. 

“You’ve gotten pretty flexible HyeHye, I don’t know where you get it from your mom is the least flexible person I know.” Momo commented. 

“Thank you,” Hyemi laughed. 

“I’m not the least flexible there’s no way Jeongyeon is less flexible than me.” Nayeon protested. 

“Oh Nayeon, remember the prenatal yoga class?” Momo laughed.

“Okay that was a misunderstanding, I was making it harder than I was supposed to-”

“Nayeon stop,” Momo laughed. “We know your inflexible.”

“It’s not my fault all my friends were dancers in high school.” Nayeon pouted. 

“You only had two dancer friends in high school.” Momo nodded. “Me and Sana.”

“How is Sana?”

“Are you avoiding the subject?” Momo laughed. 

“No I’m simply inquiring how your pregnant wife is,” Nayeon denied. 

“She’s good, she’s been extra cuddly lately, since she’s about to enter her third trimester,” Momo giggled.

“It’s a girl right? Have you come up with a name?” Nayeon asked. 

“Not yet, Saki wants to name her puppy because we told her she couldn’t get a puppy until after her little sister turns four.” Momo laughed.

“Your daughter is something that’s for sure.” Nayeon nodded. “Hyemi sweetheart why don’t you take a bath?”

“One more stretch.” Hyemi stood against the wall. “Auntie Momo can you push my shoulders back?”

“Sure thing kiddo,” Momo pushed Hyemi’s shoulders. 

“What’s that for?” Nayeon asked.

“Turn out,” Hyemi answered. “It’s for spread eagles.”

“Spread what?” Nayeon asked. 

“I’ll show you tomorrow okay mom?” Hyemi laughed as her Aunt released her shoulders. 

“Good job today kiddo, remember to work on stretching before and after practice okay?” Momo asked her niece, offering a high five. 

“Thank you Auntie Momo,” Hyemi gave her Aunt a high five. “Mom can you help me wash my hair?”

“Of course love, wash yourself off first and then I’ll come in and help you.” Nayeon answered her daughter, Hyemi nodding and making her way across the small living room and into Nayeon’s bedroom. 

“Did you ask her what she wants for her birthday?” Momo asked, sitting next to Nayeon on the couch.

“She said she doesn’t want anything,” Nayeon sighed. “She’s impossible to shop for I swear.”

“I don’t think she’s impossible, she likes everything we get her.” Momo shrugged. 

“That’s what I’m worried about, she never asks for anything and she never complains, it’s like she’s afraid to tell me her opinions.” Nayeon sighed. “I mean what seven year old says they want nothing for their birthday?”

“I don’t know, she’s really down to earth, you have to wander where she gets it from.” Momo teased. 

“Hey,” Nayeon whined. “I’m raising a daughter alone on an assistants salary I would say that’s pretty down to earth.”

“And that’s why Hye is so practical, she knows your trying your best and she loves you but she knows you don’t have as much money as some of her friend’s parents.” Momo explained. “It’s okay, it’s not like our parents were much better off raising us.”

“I will never be my parents.” Nayeon nodded. “Hyemi deserves so much better than what I got.” Nayeon sighed.

“Hey your doing great as Hyemi’s mother,” Momo nodded.

“Thanks Mo,” Nayeon smiled at her friend. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Momo smiled at her longtime friend. “Hey, Mina wants me to ask you if you want her to get Hyemi new skates for her birthday.”

“No way, that’s way too expensive of a gift for an Aunt.” Nayeon nodded. “I got it.”

“Unnie,” Momo sighed. “I’ve seen Hyemi’s feet.” 

“I know, I just, I want to be the one to provide for her, it pains me to see her feet too.” Nayeon groaned. 

“I know Unnie, but its okay to ask for help. Most skaters are sponsored,” Momo looked her friend in the eyes. 

“I guess but Mina isn’t her sponsor, she’s her Aunt, and I know your wife is rich and all but this is too much even for her.” Nayeon nodded. 

“Okay,” Momo sighed. “Anyway, I promised Sana I would be home quickly, she wants more cuddles and apparently Mina won’t get off her phone because she’s worried about Saki.”

“Oh yeah I heard about that, your daughter’s first sleep over huh?”

“It was Saki’s idea, we’ve known the parents since before Saki was even born, they’re an old friend of Mina’s, and they live down the street, Mina’s just going all protective mommy.” Momo rolled her eyes. “And Sana’s complaining because Mina won’t stop checking her phone.”

“Sounds fun, Hyemi doesn’t like spending the night at other peoples houses and her bed is too small to have others over, anyway thanks for coming over, it means a lot to Hyemi.” Nayeon smiled at her friend, opening her arms to wrap her arms around Nayeon.

“Of course, I’ll text you,” Momo smiled. “I’ll put the table back, you can go help your daughter.”

“Thanks Momo,” Nayeon smiled at her friend. “Tell Sana to take care and that I miss that and she needs to come over soon.” 

“I will,” Momo laughed. “Tell Hyemi goodnight and that I love her.”

“Of course.” Nayeon smiled. “Bye babe.”

xx

“Mommy,” Hyemi muttered sleepily from her bedroom door, adorned in Nayeon’s old teeshirt and pajama pants Hyemi had picked out from the nearest thrift store. “Are you still up?” Nayeon looked up from the old television set she had stolen from her parents when they moved. 

“Yeah baby, what’s up?” Hyemi wordlessly made her way over to Nayeon and cuddled close to her.

“Can’t sleep.” Hyemi muttered. “The neighbors are fighting again.” Nayeon sighed at Hyemi’s admission. Their ty apartment building had thin walls and Hyemi’s bedroom was right next to their dysfunctional neighbors bedroom. 

“I’m sorry sweetie, why don’t you sleep with me tonight okay?” Hyemi nodded and Nayeon kissed the side of Hyemi’s head Hyemi cuddled up to Nayeon’s chest, resting her face just above Nayeon’s collarbone and laid her body on Nayeon’s stomach. Nayeon loved these moments, when Hyemi was tired enough to snuggle up to her. Nayeon didn’t mind if she woke up burning hot the next morning, or if her back hurt from sleeping on the couch (Hyemi had gotten to the point when she was just a bit too heavy for Nayeon to carry her), it was worth it for her daughter to have a nice night of sleep. 

Nayeon turned off the television and grabbed a blanket off the side of the small couch, wrapping it around the half asleep lump on top of her. Hyemi muttered a quick thank you and cuddled close to her mother.

“Goodnight Hye Hye, I love you more than you even know.” Nayeon whispered, kissing Hyemi’s dark messy hair. Nayeon sighed and raked her fingers through her daughter’s hair to smooth it down. Hyemi muttered a quick I love you too mommy as her breathing evened out on top of Nayeon. Nayeon yawned and closed her eyes, feeling Hyemi’s breath on her neck. Even if money was tight and Nayeon could barely take her job and Hyemi went to a ty school district because Nayeon couldn’t afford a house in a nicer area, Nayeon wouldn’t trade this moment for the world, to her, it was perfect.

xx

“Mom you should come skate with me!” Hyemi smiled at Nayeon as she expertly laced up her old skates.

“No way honey, my heels already hurt me enough I don’t need anymore blisters.” Nayeon nodded. She hadn’t been skating with Hyemi in awhile, and her daughter had gotten a lot better at tying her skates. She remembers the first time Hyemi went skating and Nayeon spent ten minutes trying to figure out how to tie ice skates. Hyemi had whined because she was too esthetic to go and Nayeon had to calm her with apple juice so she would sit still long enough for her to finish tying them. Sometimes Nayeon found herself missing Hyemi’s toddler days, her daughter was growing up too fast, and Nayeon knew one day she would turn around and Hyemi wouldn’t need her anymore. 

“Well, can you at le