Title: Acts of Kindness
Autor: phoenix-cry / applesandcherries
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters do not belong to me.
Summary: Helena realizes that a kind act now and then can really do wonders to the soul.
A/N: This scene suddenly came to me while procrastinating on tumblr. I don't even know how it happened. It just had to be written. Be warned that this has not been beta'd so all mistakes belong to me.
Enjoy!
"Mommy, can I please have an ice cream?"
The voice of a little girl drifted towards her and Helena looked up to see dark blonde curls bouncing in excitement, as their owner tugged on her mother's light sweater to get her attention. "Look," she pointed, tiny finger outstretched and willing her mother to see the ice cream vendor a little ways down the path they were walking on.
Apologetic blue eyes met excited green ones, as the woman gently took her daughter's hand. "I'm sorry, baby girl. Maybe next time."
"Just one scoop? Please?" The girl begged, and Helena's heart squeezed painfully, the scene reminding her so much of a very similar one, long since passed.
"Sweetie, I'm sorry. I can't pay for it today." Her words came out cracked and brittle, shame and guilt warring in her voice.
"Oh. Okay." The little one said, sounding disappointed, but trying to be strong for her mother.
"Helena? Are you coming?" Myka called, from where the group had continued on their walk through Univille's one and only park, while Helena herself had stopped, transfixed by the scene playing out before her.
"Ah, yes, darling, just give me a minute, please." She said, and not waiting for a reply, made her way over to the duo, where they were just passing the so-desired ice cream stand.
Jogging to catch up, she called after them, "Hold up, please."
Mother and daughter stopped and looked around, unsure if the call had been meant for them.
Helena smiled at them as she came to a stop before them. "Hello! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to keep you. I was just wondering if you would like to share an ice cream with me. You see, what's the point of buying just one scoop, if you can also buy three and share it with nice people?"
HG caught the mother's eyes and silently asked if it was alright with her, not wanting to embarrass her. The grateful sparkle that shone in her eyes, though, was answer enough. The slight nod further cemented Helena's plan and she turned to the girl.
"What do you say? Are you in the mood for some delicious ice cream?"
"Yes!" she squealed, her happy laughter managing to brighten Helena's heart that much further. Oh, how she had missed the sound.
"Well, then, come on over here and tell the nice man which kind you would like."
The girl literally dragged her mother the remaining steps towards her goal, and grinned cheerfully at the man waiting to take her order. "Hello, my lady," he greeted her, giving a slight bow, which made her laugh merrily. "What can I get you?"
Bracing her little hands on the edge of the stand, she stood on tiptoes to get a peek into the cart. Furrowing her brows in concentration, she pondered her options.
Meanwhile, two steps further back, her mother turned to Helena. "Thank you," she spoke, her voice lowered, so that her words wouldn't carry towards her daughter. "Not many people would've done what you did. I have not met many who would show such kindness to perfect strangers."
Helena shot her a smile. "I had a daughter once. Not much older than your little girl. She loved ice cream as well, you know, and I loved to hear her laughter when I indulged her with some. Now in hindsight, I wish I would have done so more often." She squeezed the other woman's shoulder gently. "So really, you are doing me a favor, letting me share in your daughter's happiness, if only for a few minutes."
Tears where glittering in the younger woman's eyes, and she swallowed hard to get rid of the lump forming in her throat. "Still, this really means a lot. Thank you."
Helena just gave her a nod, before a tiny voice interrupted their quiet conversation. "Mommy, look, I got chocolate! But there are also caramel swirls in it! You wanna try?"
"No thank you, sweetie, it's all yours!"
"Go on, your turn." Helena encouraged the young woman, nodding in the vendor's direction.
"Oh, really there's no need-"
"I insist. Go on."
She hesitated for another short moment, but then followed the invitation, shortly thereafter returning with a scoop of simple strawberry flavor.
Helena then proceeded to pay the sales clerk, who met her with a smile and a quiet "Hell of a thing you did there, making that little girl happy like that."
She met his smile with one of her own and pressed a couple of 1-dollar-bills into his hand. "We should never stop trying to make our children happy, even if they aren't our own by blood."
"You've got that right, ma'am. So, what will it be for you?" he asked, pointing to his small variety of ice cream flavors, but Helena shook her head at him. "Nothing for me, thank you. Keep the change, and have a nice day, sir."
"Why, thank you very much, ma'am. Same to you." He tipped his head at her and she grinned at his display of chivalry.
She returned towards the twosome waiting for her, and met expectant green eyes. "You're not having any ice cream?"
"No, darling, I just remembered that I am overdue for meeting some friends. See, they're already waiting for me over there." She pointed towards the spot where her adopted family was waiting for her, watching.
"Oh, alright. You better not keep them waiting then."
Helena laughed. "You're right, I better not." She then knelt down, and held out her hand for the girl to shake. "It was a pleasure meeting you, darling. Enjoy your ice cream."
Tiny fingers encircled her own, larger ones, and the girl shook her hand, a serious look on her pretty face. "Thank you for the ice cream. It was very nice of you to buy some for us. I hope you have a nice day with your friends."
A gentle smile settled onto Helena's features. "Thank you, darling, you already made my day so much better." She then rose to her full height and squeezed the mother's hand. "Things will get better, you know. Take it from someone who has been all the way down, and never thought she'd see the light of day again. It will get better."
The other woman swallowed hard once more, and nodded. "I don't know how to ever thank you enough. And I don't even know your name."
"My name is Helena. And who knows, maybe we'll run into each other again. It's not like Univille has many parks to go to, after all." She joked, and turned to leave, giving the two a last wave over her shoulder before wandering back to her waiting family.
Myka's warm hand reached out to take hers as soon as she was within reach, and the curly haired woman tugged her closer to her side. Helena saw the others giving her soft smiles and approving nods. Then her love's voice drifted towards her ear, her warm breath caressing her cheek in the process, "I always knew I was the luckiest woman in the world, with you by my side, but then you go and do something like this and it reminds me of that very fact all over again."
Helena turned her head and pressed a gentle kiss onto Myka's cheek, her lips tingling from the slight caress of her skin grazing Myka's. She mouthed an "I love you" against her skin and felt the taller woman's fingers squeezing her's in answer.
And with the sun shining down on them, the birds chirping their songs merrily, and surrounded by the people she loved, Helena had never felt more content in her new life.
~fin