Trapped

There couldn't be a better day to sit outside and have a picnic. Even though you're just sitting in the backyard on a blanket. Still, it couldn't be any nicer. You're sitting there with your 3-year old son and your girlfriend. The two most important person in your life.

"So you're a Swan?" Henry asks and scrunches his forehead, inspecting Emma from head to toe. "You don't look like one. Where are your wings?"

You stifle a laugh and from the corner of your eye you can see your girlfriend smiling. You still can't believe that after all the time you were alone, you have found a woman who loves you, and your son. You had thought you would have to raise your child alone, you had counted on that since you were a single by the time you adopted Henry. You haven't found someone to share your live with and so you had decided to adopt a child by your own. But then Emma came along, stealing your heart in an instant. You're so glad she accepted Henry without a second thought. Being all silly around him and making him laugh, even when he fell on the ground and scratched his knee.

"I'm not a Swan, you silly head, my surname is Swan." Emma says and leans forward to tickle Henry's neck. He starts to giggle and tries to hide his exposed neck by turning his shoulders upward.

"Were you a duckling when you were small?" Henry asks after Emma's finger left his neck and his giggling faded away.

Emma furrows her brow for a moment before she smiles, giving you a one of those loving looks. You had bought Henry a new book, "The ugly duckling", you read it to him every once in a while. You had once told Emma that you had only bought it because there was a swan in it and since you got together with her, you always watch out for swans.

"Why do you think I was a duckling?" You know that Emma knows exactly why Henry thinks that, she had to read the book too a few times when Henry wanted to hear a bedtime story.

"Because swans are ducklings when they are little." Henry explains, it is sweet how sure he acts about that. You have to talk to him about animals and how their babies are called.

"Well, then I guess I was a duckling." Emma reasons. You love that she plays along, not correcting every mistake he makes. For now ducklings are growing up to be swans.

Henry's giggling again. "Emma is a lame duckling."

"Henry." Your voice is already scolding, but it doesn't stop Henry's giggling, luckily Emma doesn't seem too offended by Henry's insult.

"I'm not a lame duckling." Emma says while leaning forward again. "See how fast I'm going to tickle you."

Henry's giggling gets louder, he sits up and runs out of Emma's reach. You know that Emma is giving him the extra time to run away from her. You start giggling too when Emma is acting like standing up is a difficult task for her. Henry is standing a few feet away while he eyes Emma. When Emma runs after him, he is running away, giggling again. He is no match for Emma, she gets him really fast, sweeping him off his feet and starts to tickle him.

"Who are you calling a lame duckling?" Emma asks, but Henry can't answer, he is too occupied laughing and wiggling out of Emma's hold.

You're not worried, you know that Emma is holding him securely. You lay down on the blanket, closing your eyes and enjoying the sun and the laughter that surrounds you. The laughter gets closer and you feel Emma lying down beside you, Henry still in her arms.

"I caught you, you are now trapped, you little raccoon."

You smile when you hear your girlfriend calling your son a raccoon. It's a nickname she had come up with after one special evening where she had to bath Henry. You remember him being in the bath way longer than usually and Emma's cloth being drenched afterwards.

"No!" Henry shouts, and crawls half on top of you. Lying now on both of you. "You two are trapped."

And if this is what being trapped feels like, you will gladly be trapped for the rest of your life.

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Notes: That's it, SwanQueen Week is over. I will now go back to continue The Roommate ;-)