April & Hannah and their beautiful eyes.
Bath time before dinner is Hannah's favorite time of the day. She loves being in the water, always playing with her toys until it starts getting cold. It's always been like this, and even when she was younger, it was hard getting her out of the tub without a tantrum. Like a true little mermaid, she also loves taking swimming lessons and water seems to be definitely her element. If only they lived in a place where they could have a big backyard with a pool, and she'd be the happiest kid on earth.
"Close your eyes, please?" April asks. The four year old does so, tilting her head back and allowing her mother to take the shampoo off her hair with running water. Hannah's hair is curly, but soft. It's a nice mix of her own genes and Jackson's African American roots. It needs care and attention and a lot of struggle sometimes to get rid of the knots that tangle her locks. Hannah hates it, combing her hair is the worst part.
Once April's done, Hannah quickly runs her hands over her face to remove the remaining water. Opening them, she flashes her big, expressive eyes, but a small cute little wrinkle appears on her forehead. Knitting her brows, she seems to think for a moment before speaking. "Mama?" She starts. "Why don't I look like you?"
April looks over at the toddler, reaching for the coconut oil bottle to spray on her hair. The question takes her by surprise. "What do you mean?"
"Well, Olivia looks like her mommy. She has blonde hair and blue eyes." Hannah goes on, talking about her best friend from school. "But I don't have red hair like you."
She can see the sadness behind her child's stare and it makes her feel terribly bad. Sure, both Hannah and even little Noah take over their father, but they're hers just as much. Plus, there were small traits in both their personalities that reminded April so much of herself, especially Hannah's smile. Her smile, innocent and sweet, could easily bright up a whole entire room.
Yes, looking at them side by side it wasn't easy to see their similarities, but they looked alike somehow. Hannah just needed to see it and believe it. "No, you don't have red hair like me. Your hair is curly, like daddy and grandma Catherine's." April replies, putting the oil bottle back down. Then, finding a position on her knees, on the floor by the tub, she rests her hands on her lap. "What color are your eyes?"
"Green, like daddy's." Hannah quickly retorts.
"Really? Come here." She says, and the toddler moves on the water, closer to the side of the tub. April leans forward, facing Hannah. The girl raises both her wet, tiny hands and rests them on each side of April's face. "What color are my eyes?
"Brown?"
"Look closely." April shakes her head. "Do you see it?"
"Yeah…" Hannah squeezes her eyes, making a bigger effort to see what her mother wants her to see. Tilting her head to the side and sticking her tongue in between her teeth, she finally knows what her mother means. Then, a bright, white smile appears on her face and her expression lights up.
April's eyes aren't brown like most people believe they are. On a first look, yes, the might appear to be brown, maybe even hazel. But no! They're not, and Hannah realizes that now. "So, what color are your eyes, baby?"
"Green! Green, like mommy's." Hannah says, almost jumping with excitement. Her hair might not be red or straight, it might even be wilder, and her skin tone might not be pale at all, but her eyes… Her eyes are green, like her mommy's. And little does she know, they are the window to her soul.
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Requested by97chrissy( you asked for a prompt with japril + kids' morning/night routine and I think bath time fits the night routine!)
