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                      𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

         "𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘, wake up," Lori whispered in her daughter's ear, her voice soft and gentle as she rubbed Casey's shoulder. Casey groaned, shifting to the other side, trying to steal just a few more minutes of sleep. Lori couldn't help but chuckle at her daughter's reluctance to start the day, knowing just how hard it could be to rise early. She continued to gently shake Casey's shoulder, her voice soft but persistent. "Come on, sweetie, time to get up."

With a long sigh and a slow blink, Casey eventually sat up, her eyes half-closed, the remnants of sleep still clinging to her. Her wild curls framed her face. Lori smiled as she took in the sight of her daughter's messy hair and tired expression.

Gently, Lori ran her hand over the top of Casey's curls, attempting to tame the chaos, if only a little. "I gotta braid that hair of yours," she murmured, the hint of a playful smile on her face as she gently smoothed a few flyaway curls.

Casey groaned, rolling her eyes as she tried to push her mom's hand away. "Mom," she whined, her voice barely above a sleepy mumble. "Just put it in a ponytail..."

Lori laughed softly, her fingers already reaching for the hairbrush on the dresser. "It takes me 10 minutes, Case," she said, brushing through the tangles gently but purposefully. She knew Casey didn't like having her hair brushed while it was dry, it tended to make her curls puff up even more. But Lori was careful, working through each knot with practiced patience, aware of her daughter's sensitivity to each tug.

Slowly, the groans and half-hearted complaints quieted as Lori worked her way through Casey's hair, brushing until it was smooth enough to braid...which was hard. Very hard. She could feel Casey's resistance melting away, replaced by a calm acceptance as she held still, trusting her mother's hands.

As she began to part Casey's hair, Lori spoke up, her voice warm and affectionate. "You're getting tall, you know that?" She commented, noting how much harder it was for her to lean forward now, her pregnant belly making it difficult to reach Casey's hair with ease.

Casey gave a small, satisfied smile, still half-closed eyes twinkling a little at the compliment. "That's good," she replied, a hint of pride sneaking into her voice. She had always wanted to be tall, to stand out. Being one of the tallest girls in her grade, taller even than some of the boys, made her feel special.

Lori chuckled as she worked, fingers weaving through her daughter's curls with practiced ease. "Maybe it's good for you," she teased, "but it makes me feel older every day." She laughed softly, finishing the second braid and securing it with a small elastic.

Finished, she turned Casey around to face her, placing her hands on her shoulders. Lori gazed at her daughter, a loving warmth in her eyes, and reached up to gently cup her cheek, giving it a playful pinch. "You look so much like your daddy," she whispered.

Casey blinked, a little taken aback by the sudden tenderness in her mom's voice, her mother's gentle hand resting on her cheek. The affectionate gaze made Casey feel both special and a little shy, but soon enough a soft smile appeared on her face.

Lori's eyes softened further, her thumb brushing across her daughter's cheek. "My pretty girl," she murmured. Casey's cheeks grew warm, her mother's words melting any remnants of morning grumpiness from her. To Casey, her mom was the most beautiful woman she knew, so hearing her mother call her pretty made her heart soar, a warm pride blooming inside her chest.

She felt her own small smile grow, the happiness bubbling up and filling the quiet morning with a gentle glow. "I love you," Lori said.

Casey met her mother's eyes, her voice soft and genuine as she replied, "I love you too." The moment lingered, and for those few precious seconds, everything felt perfect and complete.