Q & A #13
by Colleen Hillerup
"Babies are stupid." Meredith gave her rag doll a good shake, then dropped it on the ground.
"Poor pet. Not having much fun with Nigel?" Spike picked up the doll and handed it back to his daughter. "No need to take it out on Miss Nancy."
"He just lies there, and cries sometimes. He's stupid. I don't think he's better than a pony. He doesn't talk much."
"He's only a baby. He barely says 'goo'. Wait. I want to show you something, love." Spike pulled an album off the living room bookshelf. "Look at this picture. Do you know who that is?"
She glanced at the photograph. "Stupid baby."
"Actually, pet, that's you. Baby Meredith."
The little girl looked more closely at the image. "That's not me. I'm big."
"You weren't then. You were just a little bit that only wanted to eat, sleep, cry and get her nappies changed." He put the album on the coffee table. "I'll show you something else."
He picked up his daughter and held her in front of the mirror.
Meredith laughed. "I like it when you make me fly."
"Yes, sweetheart, I know it's funny that you can't see daddy. But look at you. Look how big you are. In a few years, Nigel will be big too."
Meredith smiled. "Then can he play with me?"
"Right." He put her down. "Next time he visits, he'll be running around and playing. In the meantime, he's a little baby, and very good for cuddling. I'm sure if you asked Auntie Anya, she'd let you hold him if you sit on the couch very quietly and she helps you."
"Okay." She started to run off.
"Pet?" She stopped and turned back to him. "I suggest you not call him stupid in front of Auntie Anya and Uncle Giles. Doubt they'd take too kindly to it."
"Okay. I'll call him nice baby."
Spike smiled. "That's my girl."
"But he's still stupid."
by Colleen Hillerup
"Babies are stupid." Meredith gave her rag doll a good shake, then dropped it on the ground.
"Poor pet. Not having much fun with Nigel?" Spike picked up the doll and handed it back to his daughter. "No need to take it out on Miss Nancy."
"He just lies there, and cries sometimes. He's stupid. I don't think he's better than a pony. He doesn't talk much."
"He's only a baby. He barely says 'goo'. Wait. I want to show you something, love." Spike pulled an album off the living room bookshelf. "Look at this picture. Do you know who that is?"
She glanced at the photograph. "Stupid baby."
"Actually, pet, that's you. Baby Meredith."
The little girl looked more closely at the image. "That's not me. I'm big."
"You weren't then. You were just a little bit that only wanted to eat, sleep, cry and get her nappies changed." He put the album on the coffee table. "I'll show you something else."
He picked up his daughter and held her in front of the mirror.
Meredith laughed. "I like it when you make me fly."
"Yes, sweetheart, I know it's funny that you can't see daddy. But look at you. Look how big you are. In a few years, Nigel will be big too."
Meredith smiled. "Then can he play with me?"
"Right." He put her down. "Next time he visits, he'll be running around and playing. In the meantime, he's a little baby, and very good for cuddling. I'm sure if you asked Auntie Anya, she'd let you hold him if you sit on the couch very quietly and she helps you."
"Okay." She started to run off.
"Pet?" She stopped and turned back to him. "I suggest you not call him stupid in front of Auntie Anya and Uncle Giles. Doubt they'd take too kindly to it."
"Okay. I'll call him nice baby."
Spike smiled. "That's my girl."
"But he's still stupid."