Hope held Amy as she walked through Central Park. The cold windy autumn day was not the ideal weather for a walk but the swirling red and yellow leaves were too pretty to pass up.
"Amy, darling say Mama. Ma-ma, Mama?" Hope cooed hoping to get a word out of the silent child.
Amy scrunched her nose as she gave a small smile.
Hope sighed. Not a word.
She sat down bouncing Amy on her knee as she watched the leaves follow the wind.
"Ian stop fussing." A stern voice said. Isabel held Ian more firmly as he stopped squirming. She sat down beside Hope.
Amy turned to look at the new company.
She stared.
He stared.
Isabel watched as green eyes met amber. Hope watched too, their little faces were priceless.
Isabel relaxed for a moment and closed her eyes. Coping up with her job and a child takes time and effort. She was still young but stress got to her.
A little ring came and broke the silence. Isabel gave a frustrated sigh, but her furrowed eyebrows. "I don't need to think about work on my day-off" she mumbled. She hesitated but brought out her phone anyway. She relaxed as she saw her husband's name blink on the screen. She tried to go to a more private area but Ian didn't want to leave. His eyes were still focused on little Amy.
I need to take this call. Isabel thought.
"I really need to take this may you watch him for a moment?" Isabel said turning to Hope.
"No problem" Hope said smiling.
She took Ian and pulled him closer to her side. Isabel walked a few paces and answered the call.
Meanwhile Ian and Amy started to go off into their own world. Ian reached for her red hair and she simply watched. Hope sat there quietly as the two children interacted. Ian mumbled a few random syllables while Amy sat there listening. Ian pointed to himself and said "Ian" His voice was soft, he then pointed to her as if he were asking for a name.
Hope just watched knowing Ian would get upset at the fact Amy can't give him any verbal answer.
Amy looked at him and said "Amy" in an equally soft voice.
Hope couldn't believe her ears. Her first words were not what she had imagined it to be. She and Arthur always wondered if it would be "Mama" or "papa". There was a moment when they went off into a silly bet bribing Amy to say "Mama" or "Papa" first. Now her she was saying her name to a little unknown boy. Her first words were given to Ian. He smiled, and then they continued to go off into their little world.