Chapter Fourteen: For Old Times’ Sake
Lucinda
“Mom, you live here all by yourself. Aren’t you lonely sometimes?” Sarah put her little hand on my leg as her golden curls bobbed up and down in time with her ever-moving legs.
“Only when you leave.” I snuggled her as we tucked under the blanket I had.
“Dad misses you. You talk to him lots now. Why don’t you just stay here? You can bring all your plants there!” Sarah looked at me with her adorable blue eyes she’d inherited from Chalk.
“Right now, I’m going to be living here. And you know what’s special about that?”
“What, Mom?”
“You have two places to live. Two special places where both Mommy and Daddy love you.”
“I like the two places, but I think I would like one better.” Sarah folded her arms over her chest in defiance.
My daughter was full of these little nuances that made me love her even more. The way she said it so objectively tickled me a bit. I smirked a little and took her small hand in mine. “You never know, but for right now you have two homes to visit.”
“Okay, Mom. Two homes it is. I should leave my toothbrush here.” She got up, stomped to her bag and pulled out her purple toothbrush.
“Your toothbrush, why only your toothbrush?” Befuddled, I gave her a funny look.
“Because Mom, in the movie, the guy said she can leave her toothbrush!” She put her little hands up and danced with her toothbrush in her hand.
I gasped in shock at her knowledge. She was absorbing way too much too early. “Where did you get that from? What movie?” I chuckled.
“Aunty Teresa was watching it,” she said matter-of-factly. “Can I leave it here?”
I put my hand on top of her head. “Yes, you can sweetie. You can leave it here, but you’re only here for a few hours. I don’t understand?”
“I have to leave a toothbrush!”
I chuckled as I opened the refrigerator door and surfed around for lunch items for us.
Sarah came running back with her hands dripping wet. “Mom, I’m hungry, what can I eat?” she asked with hopeful eyes.
“How about you munch on some apple slices while I get lunch ready? You can tell me about school and how it’s going for you.”
She climbed onto the stool with her golden curls swirling around her face. “School is good. I like music class, it’s fun and I get to play the recorder. Singing is fun too.”
I raised my brows as I handed the freshly cut apple slices to Sarah. “You like to sing? I didn’t know that, can I hear some of it?”
Her hands covered her face and she snuffled into them. “No, Mom. I don’t sing in public. I only sing when there’s no other people.”
I leaned across the table to look at her closely. “You can sing to me. It’s just us in the room. I won’t tell anybody if you won’t.”
“Okay, but only if you sing with me and then I’m not singing alone. Do you sing, Mom?”
“Only in the shower, honey. You don’t want to hear Mom sing – trust me.” I chuckled.
Sarah picked a song and we sang out of tune at the top of our lungs before we ate lunch. We played puzzles together later on. By the time we’d completed our full day of activities, both of us were beat. Sarah was nuzzled into my shoulder dozing off, and my phone was sitting on the edge of the couch. I looked down at the message which was visible without unlocking it.
Miss both of you. Take you for a ride next week? Chalk. Stay safe.
Unhinging from my little tree monkey I texted him back. Can’t wait. Chalk and I were right where we needed to be, but I didn’t understand for the life of me, why he didn’t think I was safe.
“I’m so nervous. How do you do this strap up? I’m floundering.” My fingers were fumbling around the bottom of the helmet strap as Chalk came to my rescue. I found myself being glad that he was so close to my face. He had these sexy little freckles – just a couple that sat across the bridge of his nose, framing his blue eyes just perfectly.