Tali looked around the parking lot, and across to the train station not too far away.
Ima had told her that this parking lot was called a Kiss and Bye, and then Daddy had said it was actually called a Kiss and Go.
Tali didn't remember the trains having Kiss and Go's in Paris. In Paris all the trains she remembered were under the ground. She liked the trains being on the ground better.
Not that it mattered because Ima wasn't kissing and going.
The car was stopped and Ima was talking to Daddy through the car window.
"Call me when you're done," Daddy said to Ima, "I'll pick you up."
Ima shook her head. Her curls bounced.
"We will get the metro," Ima said. "I do not want us to leave Lucy home for too long."
Lucy had only been with them for two days, and Tali already loved her as much as Ima and Daddy.
"She'll be okay," Daddy said. "I think she's probably enjoying the alone time, we've been all over her."
Lucy loved to be cuddled, and Tali loved cuddling Lucy. Lucy was supposed to sleep on the special dog bed Daddy had brought for her, but instead she slept on Tali's bed every night. It was a bit of a squeeze and Lucy made noise in her sleep, but Tali loved it.
"We need to get the train," Ima said, pointing to the platform. "I will call you when we are done."
Daddy's hand reached for Ima's arm.
"I can't wait to see what you choose," he said.
Tali and Ima were going on a special Ima and Tali adventure, but had not told Tali exactly what they were doing.
Tali hoped it was an exciting adventure.
"You will not see until the big day," Ima said, "It would be bad luck, and we do not need anymore bad luck."
Daddy laughed.
"Okay," he said. "I won't see your outfit, but I can see Tali's. That's not bad luck."
Ima shook her head.
"We really have to go," Ima said.
Ima stuck her head into the car, and kissed Daddy on the cheek.
"Tali," Ima said, "Come and say bye to Daddy."
Tali stood on her top toes and peaked into the driver's seat. Their car in America was bigger than the one they had in Paris.
Everything was bigger in America.
Ima lifted Tali up, and she gave Daddy an awkward hug.
"See ya later kiddo," Daddy said, as he gave her a kiss.
"Bye Daddy," Tali said. "Tell Lucy I'll be home soon."
Daddy laughed. Ima put Tali down on the ground.
"I will," Daddy said, before turning to Ima. "Call me later, I'll at least pick you two up from the station"
They could have walked to the station, but Daddy needed to run errands, which was the grown-up language for boring stuff. On Tuesdays, Daddy also took Pop-Pop on errands because Pop-Pop wasn't allowed to drive anymore.
Driving looked hard, and it often made Daddy say bad words. Daddy had told Tali that one day he would teach her to drive, but Tali wasn't so sure she wanted to do that. Couldn't she just ride her bike everywhere that was more fun.
In the back of the car, was their dining table from their old house. It was too small for their new house. So Mr Gibbs, who was Ima and Daddy's old friend had built them a new table.
Tali liked Mr Gibbs, he was nice, and told Tali lots of secrets about Ima and Daddy.
But, he had sadness underneath him.
Tali liked the new table. It had a bench she could kneel on when Pop-Pop came over with a puzzle. They had done a puzzle with a dog the night before they got Lucy, while the grown ups talked.
The grown ups had so much to talk about.
With the new table they had room for everyone to sit. For Pop-Pop to come to dinner every night, and for the twins to come over.
The twins would be in the house across the street from December. They would be able to come over all the time.
Tali really liked the twins, mostly because they were younger than her and usually did whatever she told them to do.
Ima grabbed Tali's hand.
"We need to walk very fast for the train," Ima said, as she started to walk.
Ima walked very fast, and Tali had to almost run to keep up.
The car started, and Daddy drove out of the parking lot.
They walked very fast onto a path, then through a tunnel, through the gate that Ima had to put her card on to open, and then up some steps. Ima's backpack bounced.
Just like in Paris, the train station smelt like pee and there was lots of rubbish.
Tali held onto her hat with her spare hand. Ima made them walk so fast.
They reached the platform, it was a middle platform, and Ima stood on the side that was going toward Glenmont.
Tali panted like Lucy did when it was too hot. They had moved so quickly to get to the train. Ima took her backpack from her back. It was such a boring backpack, not like Tali's pastel pink one with all the patches that Daddy had ironed on.
Ima took Tali's hat, and opened her backpack. The buckles clicked.
"We're on the wrong side," Tali declared.
Ima frowned and looked at the sign.
Tali and Pop-Pop came to this station for their adventures, because Pop-Pop's new house was only a little walk away. They would wait on the side that said to Shady Grove, and would ride only one stop to the town square.
That's where the splash pad was.
And, the ice cream place. They were so nice to her at the ice cream place.
That last time Tali and Pop-Pop had gone on their adventure was on the day that Ima wasn't there when she woke up.
Ima had always been there when Tali woke up. Ever since she came home to stay with them forever and ever.
Daddy had said Ima had gone for a run, but he had looked so sad. His hair had been spiky on his head, and he whispered to Pop-Pop when he called him. He had dark rings around his eyes, which meant he did not sleep well.
Then Pop-Pop had come over, and Tali had gotten to have the first ice cream of the day at the shop. But, it hadn't tasted as good because Tali was worried about Ima.
"No," Ima said, "We are on the right side."
Ima lifted up the flap on her backpack, and pulled on the rope to open it. She stuffed Tali's hat into the bag.
"Where we need to go is on this side," Ima said, as she pulled out Tali's water bottle. "It is hot out here, would you like some water?"
Tali nodded, and took her water bottle. The water was still cold. Tali drank it so fast it dribbled on her chin.
In the distance bells started ringing, and on the platform people started getting up from their seats.
There were only a few people on the platform. Things were quieter here compared to Paris.
Tali handed her Ima her water bottle. Tali only had her little rainbow bag with her, and there was not enough room in her bag for her bottle.
Ima put the water bottle in the bag, and pulled on the rope. She clipped the buckles, and put the bag on her shoulder.
The train beeped its horn.
Then it woodshed past. Hot air blew past.
Ima took Tali's hand, and squeezed it tight.
The train stopped, and people stepped out. Ima led Tali to the front of the platform, and Tali did the big step and got into the train.
It was suddenly very cold on the train. Like being inside a freezer.
Ima tugged on Tali's hand and led her to some seats. Tali slid in first so she could be close to the window. Ima sat down next to her.
Tali liked being so close to Ima.
"We need to be close to the door," Ima said, as she put her backpack on her knees. "We are only going four stops."
When Tali and Pop-Pop got the train, only one stop, Tali wouldn't even sit down. Pop-Pop would sit on the special seats right by the door, and Tali would hold onto the rail.
"Where are we going?" Tali asked.
The train started to move again.
Ima pulled out her phone and showed Tali the maps app. There were four names and a dot moved between them.
"We are going to Bethesda," Ima said. "Why don't you follow the stations and make sure we get off at the right one."
Across the carriage a baby babbled, and kicked out its legs. It was in one of the carriers that meant it faced out.
Ima waved at the baby.
The baby babbled louder.
"Did I have one of them when I was a baby?" Tali asked.
Ima lifted her sunglasses off her face, and hung them off her t-shirt.
"You did," Ima said, with a smile. "We used to go on these long walks together. We lived near an olive grove then, and both of us really liked those walks."
Ima looked passed Tali, and out of the window.
The train started to slow down. The woman and the baby got up and walked to the door.
"Can we go back there?" Tali asked, "One day."
Ima frowned for just a second.
"Maybe," she said softly, "It was in Israel, which is very far away. It would be a very long flight."
It had been a very long flight to go from Paris to DC, but Tali had done okay. Daddy had let her have unlimited screen time which had helped.
Tali nodded. The train stopped, and the doors opened. The woman and the baby stepped out.
"Where are we now?" Ima asked.
Tali looked at the sign on the platform and then she looked down at Ima's phone.
"White Flint," Tali declared. The words felt funny in her mouth, because they were new.
The train started moving again.
"When Daddy starts his new job he's going to get this train everyday," Ima said.
Tali looked out the window. They passed a billboard and some buildings.
"Really?" she asked.
She was still getting used to the idea that her Daddy was going to have a job like all the other Daddy's. He had not had a job when it had just been Tali and Daddy, but now that Ima was back Daddy could get a job.
Ima wasn't going to get a job. She said her job was to be the best Ima she could be.
She already was the best Ima in the whole world.
"Yes," Ima said, "But, he is going to go a little further, closer to the city."
The train slowed again.
Tali looked down at Ima's phone, the black dot had moved again. This new station had a long name.
"This one is Gro-ves-," Tali started, but the name was too long to sound out.
"Grosvenor-Strathmore," Ima said easily, "There is supposed to be a music centre around here."
Ima liked music. She went to the opera every year for her sister Tali who wanted to be an opera singer. The sister Tali was named after.
"Could we go there one day?" Tali asked.
The train stopped and some people got on.
Ima smiled.
"Yes," she said, "Maybe we could go during the holidays. I am sure there will be something you would like."
The holidays, Christmas and Hanukkah felt so far away. Tali would be at her new school then. The twins would be across the street there, with their Grandma Judy.
Tali liked Judy, Judy was always nice to Tali. Last time Tali had seen Morgan they had agreed that they would share Grandparents, because Tali did not have any Grandma and the twins did not have any Grandpa's.
The train started moving again.
"We are going to go underground soon," Ima said.
"Like Paris?" Tali asked.
"Yes," Ima said, as it suddenly went dark on the outside. "A little like Paris. Do you still miss Paris, Tali?"
Tali shook her head, but also felt a pain in her stomach.
"A little," she admitted, "But in Paris we wouldn't have Lucy, and Poo-Pop would be all alone."
Ima nodded.
"Yes," Ima said. "It was hard for your Daddy and I to be so far away from Pop-Pop and everyone else."
"When I'm big I'm not moving out," Tali announced. "So, I don't have to miss you and Daddy."
Ima laughed.
"I think you will see things differently when you are an adult," Ima said. "You will want your own space."
"I'll stay in the house with my friends," Tali announced, "And, you and Daddy can live where Pop-Pop lives."
Ima laughed again. Tali loved how Ima laughed. It was like music.
"We will see," Ima said.
"Ima," Tali said softly, "Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course," Ima replied.
"Are you still sad?" Tali asked.
Ima looked away from Tali and down at her backpack. She hugged the backpack close to her chest.
"It is not that I was sad," Ima finally said, "It is more like my brain is sick, and I need some time to feel better."
Tali frowned.
"Like when Pop-Pop fell over," Tali said.
And, Daddy paced around the apartment late at night, asking questions down the phone.
Daddy talked about going to see Pop-Pop, even though he shouldn't have been flying because of the germs in the air.
In the end he didn't go, because Pop-Pop got better.
"Yes," Ima said, "But, it is inside my head, for some people it is harder to see."
"Are you going to have to go to hospital?" Tali asked.
Pop-Pop was in hospital for nearly a whole week when he fell over.
Ima shook her head.
"No," Ima said, "But, I am going to go to the doctor every week like I did when we were in Paris."
Tali remembered Daddy putting on movies during the lockdown when Ima had to talk to her doctor. Sometimes Ima cried and Tali could hear it over the movie.
"Are you going to talk to the same doctor?" Tali asked. "On the computer."
Ima shook her head.
The train stopped, and the doors opened, but Tali did not check Ima's phone.
"No," Ima said. "It would be too hard with the time difference. I have a new doctor. She is very good. She talked to my old doctor, and they talked about the best way to help me."
The train started moving again, and people started getting up.
Ima moved her leg slightly, and shuffled along the seat.
"This is our stop," Ima said, as she stood up.
Tali handed Ima her phone, and stood up. Ima took Tali's hand, and smiled down at Tali.
Ima was so beautiful.
The train started to slow, and Tali felt that twist in her tummy.
What if Ima was sad because of her?
"Do I make you sad?" Tali asked.
Ima's mouth dropped open, and then she looked up toward the ceiling.
The train stopped.
The train was so loud with the announcement and all the people getting on and off. Ima pulled Tali's arm, and they rushed off the train.
All the other people moved to the escalator, but Ima walked toward the center of the platform, and crouched down. She put her hands on Tali's shoulders.
The train sped off, and the station was suddenly quiet.
"Why would you ask that Tali?" Ima asked.
"Sometimes I don't want to go to sleep, sometimes I let you or Daddy give me a treat when Pop-Pop has already given me a treat," Tali said, all the words coming out before she could stop them, "Sometimes I am loud when you tell me to be quiet. I'm a bad kid."
Ima shook her head.
"You are not a bad kid," Ima said, "You are a really amazing child. Yes, you do some bad things sometimes, but you own up to that."
"So, I don't make you sad?" Tali asked, as she looked down at her feet.
Ima put her hand under Tali's chin, asking her to look up.
"You make me so happy," Ima said.
"When I draw pictures?" Tali asked. "Or, when I dance?"
Ima liked ballet. Ima had done ballet when she was young. Sometimes Tali and Ima did the ballet steps together.
"Yes," Ima said with a smile, "But, also when we snuggle together, and when you smile. I love seeing you smile."
Tali stretched her cheeks and gave Ima her best and brightest smile.
Ima bopped Tali's nose, and smiled.
"What a lovely smile you have," Ima said, before looking toward the platform, "Tali, what is going on in my head is nobody's fault. I am doing things to make myself better, please do not think you caused this."
Tali nodded.
"Okay," Tali said. "I have a question?"
Ima sprung up so that she was full height.
People came down the escalator and the platform was busy again.
"Okay," Ima said, as she took Tali's hand.
"Does Daddy make you happy?" Tali asked.
A train arrived at the platform. It was heading in the direction of home.
It was so loud. Ima started walking toward the escalator.
Tali hesitated at the bottom of the escalator. They were a little scary, but then got on. Ima pushed Tali to the side.
A man ran up the right side of the escalator. It reminded Tali of that time Daddy had taken her to London to meet his friend Abby who wore pigtails even though she was a grown up. The trains in London had been so busy, and people were so grumpy.
"Yes," Ima said, as it started to get lighter, and quieter. "But, he makes me happy in a different way to the way you make me happy."
They reached the top of the escalator, and Ima held Tali's hand as she jumped off.
Ima reached into her pocket and pulled out their cards.
"What about Lucy?" Tali asked, as they walked to the gate that opened with their cards, "Does she make you happy?"
Ima took Tali's hand, and they walked out toward a concrete square with concrete benches.
"Lucy makes me very happy," Ima said.
"Daddy says you understand her," Tali said.
"I suppose I do," Ima said.
Ima pulled out her phone, and looked around the square. All the buildings were so tall and looked the same.
"This way," Ima said, as they walked past some shops.
"Where are we going?" Tali asked.
"To a shop," Ima said, "We have an appointment."
Tali stopped walking right there.
Ever since they had come to America they had done so much shopping.
There had been house shopping. Ima had dragged them around all those furniture stores to buy a new table, only for Mr Gibbs to make the table for them. There had been that terrible visit to the Sweedish store, where Daddy got lost, and they got to eat meatballs in the big cafeteria.
Then there had been back-to-school shopping, in the big store with the red dot, where Daddy had also got something for the car in the same store.
Tali was not going to spend her last week before school shopping. The shopping could wait.
"No more shopping," Tali said. "It's boring."
"I think you will like this shopping," Ima said, "And, the quicker we do this, the sooner we can get the train home and you can see Lucy."
Tali sighed.
She would tell Lucy all about how Ima trapped her into this shopping trip.
Lucy probably hated shopping too.
Tali started walking again, and they turned a corner onto a street with lots of shops. There were those tall poles, which Daddy said were called bollards, that meant the cars had to stay away.
Tali liked that. There were so many cars in America, and they went really fast.
"Maybe we can get a snack before we go home," Ima said.
Ima was trying to make this better.
"Or, we could go there," Ima said as she pointed to a pet store, "To get a treat for Lucy."
Ima was making this better.
They crossed the street, passing people who were sitting under trees, and a man who was doing tricks on his skateboard.
They stopped in front of a door that was open to a set of stairs.
Tali looked at the sign, and frowned.
Bridal and formal wear. Rentals and alterations.
She had no idea what all these words meant.
"I really do think you will like this," Ima said, as she pointed to the stairs.
Tali scrambled up the stairs, and when she reached the top of the stairs she saw that the shop was the ultimate dress up box.
There were poofy white dresses in mannequins, next to brightly coloured gowns.
This must be where the princess dresses came from.
"Wow," Tali said.
"I thought you would like it," Ima said.
Ima was right.
"Are we picking your wedding dress?" Tali asked.
Ima and Daddy were finally getting married in a few weeks, and sometimes it felt like they had forgotten. They were so relaxed.
"I have already picked my dress," Ima said, as she walked toward the counter. "We are here to pick your dress, and check on the alterations to my dress."
Tali looked around the shop, there were so many dresses in so many different colours.
Would her dress by blue like Elsa's?
Or purple like Anna's?
Some of the dresses had sparkles. Tali loved sparkles.
"When did you pick your dress?" Tali asked.
"A few weeks ago," Ima said, "I wanted to wait before we got yours, you have grown so much this summer."
Tali's favourite sandals, the yellow ones that had fit a few weeks ago, were too small now. Ima had given them away to another little girl who needed shoes.
Ima pressed a bell on the counter.
"Who came with you?" Tali asked, "When you picked your dress?"
In the movies, the bride always had lots of people around when she picked her dress.
"I came by myself," Ima said.
Ima did too many things by herself.
The curtains behind the counter moved, and a lady with curly hair, and a tape measure around her neck appeared.
"Hello Ziva," the lady said, she had an accent that made the words sound like a song, "I see you have bought your Tali with you."
When Ima had visited before she had picked some dresses she thought Tali might like. Tali was glad for this, because there were so many dresses in the store that Tali would never have been able to narrow them down.
A lady had given them orange juice in special glasses.
The changing room was so big, with heavy curtains.
"Do I have to pick?" Tali asked, as she looked at the three dresses. "They are all so pretty."
Ima took a sip of her orange juice, and ran her hand down the ice blue dress Tali had just taken off.
The blue dress had been too long, with Tali standing on it, but Ima said they could fix that.
"Just one Tali," Ima said, "I do not think you will get to be a flower girl again."
Ima was right about that. Morgan and Johnny's parents were already married, apparently most Ima's and Daddys got married before they had babies, and Tali did not know any other adults who had partners.
Maybe one day Pio-Pop would get married, but Tali was not sure if really old people could get married.
"But one day," Ima said softly, "You might want to have a Bat Mitzvah, and then you would get a nice dress."
"When would I have one of those?" Tali asked.
"When you are twelve," Ima said.
Twelve felt so far away. She had only just turned seven.
"It is a very important ceremony," Ima said. "It would be your coming of age."
Tali looked at the dress she was wearing. It was a dark red colour, but so itchy.
She pulled at the dress.
"Shall we try the other one?" Ima asked.
Tali nodded.
"Careful," Ima said, "This one is delicate."
Delicate, Tali did not know that word.
"What does that mean?" Tali asked.
"Fragile," Ima said.
Tali recognised that word from the boxes they had used to pack up their apartment in Paris.
"It can break easily," Ima said, "So we have to be careful."
Ima pulled down the zip of the dress, and pulled it over Tali's head. Tali breathed a sigh of relief as she was liberated from the itchy material.
The third dress was pulled over Tali's head, and it didn't itch.
Ima pulled up the zip on the back and Tali looked at herself in the mirror.
This dress had sparkles on the top, and material that was like a tutu on the bottom. Tali liked the sparkles.
Tali saw Ima smile through the mirror.
"Yes," Ima said, "I think this is the one. It will work well with my dress."
Tali liked the idea of looking like Ima.
Tali did a twirl in her dress, and watched as the fabric fell.
She loved this dress.
"Can I see your dress now?" Tali asked.
Ima's dress had been hung in the changing room next door, by the lady with the tape measure around her neck.
"We should get this off you first," Ima said.
"I want to see us in our dresses together," Tali said.
Ima looked down at Tali, and then at the changing room next door.
"Okay," Ima said, "But, you need to be careful in the dress. It is special."
Tali nodded. She sat down on the big tufted bench, and looked down at her feet. The bench was so big, so Tali's feet did not touch the ground.
Maybe she could get gold shoes to match her dress.
Ima disappeared behind the heavy curtain, and Tali listened as Ima got dressed.
She heard the rip of the Velcro of Ima's sandals, and the unzipping of Ima's pants.
Ima didn't wear dresses or skirts very often. She had one skirt that she sometimes wore when it was really hot, and her blue special occasion dress, but there were not many special occasions.
Then there was the shuffling of the crinkly material that covered the dress.
"Oh," Ima said.
The lady with the measuring tape appeared from around the corner.
"How is everything Ziva?" the lady asked.
It was so weird to hear somebody use Ima's real name.
"It is perfect," Ima said, "You did an amazing job Salma."
"Let me see my handiwork then," the lady said.
Ima pulled back the heavy curtain and stepped out.
Tali felt her mouth drop. She placed her hands under her chin to stop her jaw from falling out.
The lady with the measuring tape smiled and stepped forward.
"It was worth the extra expense, no?" the lady said.
Ima ran her hands down the dress and smiled.
"Yes," Ima said.
Tali stepped a little closer and took in the dress.
It went all the way to the ground, but was not as poofy as Tali's. It had lace on the shoulders, to make little sleeves. The lace was on the top of the dress with a V-neck. The lace had specks of gold just like the sequins in Tali's dress.
"What do you think, Tali?" Ima asked.
"You look like a Princess," Tali said, before looking down at her own dress. She looked like a Princess. "No, I'm a Princess and you are a Queen."
Ima laughed, and held out her arms.
"Shall we ask Salma to take a photo?" Ima asked.
The lady with the measuring tape, put her hands together and smiled.
"What a pretty picture you two make," the lady with the measuring tape said.
They did not leave the store with the dresses, because Ima wanted her dress to be shortened just a little because the wedding was going to be outside, and because she didn't want to carry the dresses on the train.
Tali would come home from school one day, and find the two dresses hanging in the empty closet in the empty room. Tali was under strict instructions that Daddy was not to see Ima's dress until the wedding.
They did leave the store with something for Lucy, a bandana that said 'flower dog'.
Tali held the bandana in a paper bag, and they walked toward the metro station hand in hand.
"This was a really fun adventure," Tali said, as they went down the escalator, and to the train to head home.
A/N: I don't own a thing.
I know that kid point of view fics are love it or hate it type things, so if this chapter wasn't your bag fear not we'll go back to an adult point of view on the next one. The next one should be up next weekend.
Yes, I'm making Tali a baby urbanist, and have put the David-DiNozzo house on DC's red metro line.
Thank you for all your kind words in whatever form; tweets, reviews or comments.
Finally, happy new year dearest readers.