Beka ran into the bathroom on the Eureka Maru to look herself in the mirror. She took a little spin and smiled at the image that reflected back on her. Her long blonde hair had been braided, all the way from the top of her head and the ends had been tied together with long, pink silk ribbons, done up in perfect bows. The front of her hair was hanging down; loosely pulled back by pink and purple butterfly clasps, thin, long and glittery strands of fabric hanging down from them, framing her face.
She was wearing a pink dress that was tight on top, but the skirt flowed out with several layers of silk and white lace on the ends. The skirt rustled as she moved and when she spun around it would fly, just like an ice princess. She did another twirl and giggled as the strands from the hair clasps got in her eyes.
She'd never managed to do this all on her own before. The dress was easy, though sometimes she'd get stuck in all the different layers, and it was hard to do the zip on the back, but she'd practiced, and she'd finally done it. The hair was harder, everytime she tried to braid it she'd lose strands, or the braid would turn out bulky and not at all as perfect as they could be. The ribbons were hard to tie prettily, and the hairclasps never seemed to look even. But now, she'd finally done it, and it was perfect.
Her mummy would be so proud.
Ever since Beka could remember, her mum had dressed her in pink dresses, tied ribbons in her hair and told her she was such a beautiful little princess. Mummy's little girl. And she always would be. It was her seventh birthday and she wanted to show her mum how well she'd managed. She'd get a kiss and a cuddle before her mummy praised her, before the cake and the presents came. She loved the cake and presents, but somehow she loved her mummy praising her even more.
She went out of the bathroom, swelling with pride, feeling like the most beautiful little girl in the universe. That's what her mum would say as well. She walked towards the kitchen, but as she walked past the crew quarters she heard something. Her mother's voice, mumbling words she always told Rafe not to say, and Beka when she copied. She looked in and saw her mum, rushing to pack her things. Packing? Was she going somewhere? Surely she hadn't forgot it was her birthday?
Unless they were going somewhere together. For a surprise. Beka smiled at that. Though she didn't like planets, her mum's surprises were always very exciting, very fun. She wondered if her dad and Rafe would come as well.
Her mum spotted her and Beka immediately gave a big smile, but Thalia didn't even seem to notice how well she'd dressed up for her birthday. In fact, she looked downright annoyed to see her there.
"Mummy's got to go, Rebekah," she mumbled as she pushed past, through the doorway. Beka frowned.
"Mum? Where are you going?" She followed her through the ship, running when her mum was walking too fast for Beka's legs. She turned around just before exiting the ship.
"I have to go, Beka." Beka saw a tear in her eye as she turned around. She took a step back, staring at her mother wide-eyed.
"When…when are you coming back?" Her voice was shivering, and she already knew the answer. There was no reply from her mother as she walked off and the doors closed behind her. Beka backed off and ran back into her room.
She ripped her dress off, not caring when she heard the familiar sounds of the fabric tearing, throwing it across the room. She ripped the bows out of her hair, and the butterflies, hardly even noticing the pain when strands of hair got torn out along with them. Left in her knickers and socks, which were also pink, she stood, shivering in the chilly air, staring at the clothes. Staring at her pink bedsheets. Staring at the drawers which she knew to hold more pink clothes, clothes that she wore everyday.
Mummy's little princess, all in pink…
But she'd never wear it again. She'd never touch anything pink. Because only mummy's girls wore pink.
And her mummy didn't love her anymore.