Distant

Little Karen was in Karen Daly's arms. She hugged her tightly, but she felt that her daughter's heart was still far away from her. It seemed that no matter how hard she tried, in Little Karen's mind, she could not become the most important figure in her heart. She and Lionel appeared in Little Karen's life at about the same time. Why was it so easy for Lionel to get so close with Little Karen, but she, as a mother, couldn't? Was it because she was in a way, a replacement for her mother? If she came to Little Karen as a sister or someone else and did not take up the position of 'mother' in her mind, would Little Karen be more accepting of her? It was not that Little Karen did not like her, but perhaps she just couldn't accept the idea of having a mother by her side, hence she was being cautious. Just as Karen was deep in thought, Mia Kyle rushed in with a bowl of strawberry puree in her hands and said, "Little Karen, look what I made you." "Okay." Little Karen nodded her little head and