Q & A #16
by Colleen Hillerup
She was curled up in the corner of the living room couch, sulking, when he came in from the kitchen. "What's wrong, pet?"
Her lower lip trembled. "When is Nigel coming back?"
He sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry you miss the baby. But Uncle Giles and Auntie Anya had to take him home to England. You know they couldn't stay."
"But I want him." Her little eyes were misting with tears. "Can we go see him?"
"I wish we could, love. I really do. But England is far, far away, and Mommy and Daddy have work to do here." He stroked her soft blonde hair. "Maybe someday."
"But he'll be big. He won't be him."
"He'll look different, yes. Babies grow up very quickly." He held her against his chest. "But next time you see him, he'll be able to run and play with you. You'll have so much fun."
"Daddy?"
"Yes, pet."
"He's not a stupid baby."
"I know." The timer dinged in the kitchen, and Spike took his daughter from his lap and set her on the couch. "I have to go, sweetheart. I'm making chocolate brownies for Mommy to have when she gets home. You know how hungry she gets when... when she'd been working. Don't want them to burn." He placed his hand on the top of her head. "I'll cut you a nice big piece."
"Okay," she sniffed. She watched him head back towards the kitchen.
She looked on the couch for her Nancy, but it was lying on the floor near the bookcase. She was too sad to get up. Sure that no one was looking, she watched the doll rise from the floor, float across the room, and into her arms. She hugged it close.
by Colleen Hillerup
She was curled up in the corner of the living room couch, sulking, when he came in from the kitchen. "What's wrong, pet?"
Her lower lip trembled. "When is Nigel coming back?"
He sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry you miss the baby. But Uncle Giles and Auntie Anya had to take him home to England. You know they couldn't stay."
"But I want him." Her little eyes were misting with tears. "Can we go see him?"
"I wish we could, love. I really do. But England is far, far away, and Mommy and Daddy have work to do here." He stroked her soft blonde hair. "Maybe someday."
"But he'll be big. He won't be him."
"He'll look different, yes. Babies grow up very quickly." He held her against his chest. "But next time you see him, he'll be able to run and play with you. You'll have so much fun."
"Daddy?"
"Yes, pet."
"He's not a stupid baby."
"I know." The timer dinged in the kitchen, and Spike took his daughter from his lap and set her on the couch. "I have to go, sweetheart. I'm making chocolate brownies for Mommy to have when she gets home. You know how hungry she gets when... when she'd been working. Don't want them to burn." He placed his hand on the top of her head. "I'll cut you a nice big piece."
"Okay," she sniffed. She watched him head back towards the kitchen.
She looked on the couch for her Nancy, but it was lying on the floor near the bookcase. She was too sad to get up. Sure that no one was looking, she watched the doll rise from the floor, float across the room, and into her arms. She hugged it close.