"Shego are you alright?"
"Grandma, how longer till Hego come?" Shego wiped her nose with her sleeve.
Estella kneeled down concerned. "Are you crying?" She asked her granddaughter. Shego shook her head pompously and sniffled, "No." Shego's grandmother smiled broadly as she watched her granddaughter slowly place her doll onto the floor to wipe away some tears. Estella gasped and patted Shego on the back. Shego burst into tears and buried herself deep into her grandmother's chest.
"What's wrong?" Estella asked gently.
"I was a bad girl. Wasn't I?" Shego sniffed in between her raging sobs.
Estella pulled Shego out of the embrace and looked the child straight in the eye. "Look at me," She said seriously, "Don't you think like that. Not for another moment. You're a perfect little girl. You've done nothing wrong."
Shego didn't respond. She continued to weep and blubber as Estella tried to calm her down.
"You're a good girl." She seemed to say over and over again in an almost hypnotic way.
It took almost a good three minutes for Shego to stop wailing and crack a forced but bountiful smile at her grandmother. Estella smiled back and pulled out her remaining pigtail. She reached for the brush and ran it through Shego's baby-soft red hair. It glistened in the sun as she freed it from the knots it held. Shego breathed and relaxed. She liked it when her grandma did her hair.
"G-grandma?"
"Yes?"
"When Daddy come?"
Estella covered her lips with her creased hand and did not speak. She placed her hand on Shego's shoulder and stopped brushing her hair. Shego looked up at her with wide eyes.
"Grandma," Shego whimpered, "What's wrong?"
Estella broke the silence and continued to brush at the child's tangled tresses.
"Butterfly?" She spoke at last.
"Yes?"
"Your daddy may... or may not wake up."
"Wha?" Shego looked confused and worried.
"H-he... you may not ever speak to him again. I don't know how to make you understand that." Estella was now pushing back tears with her elbow.
Shego didn't say a word.
"He..." Shego's grandmother hesitated. She wasn't sure if she wanted her grandchild to know at such an early age the happenings to her father. Such a strong and emotional topic was something she couldn't take lightly. If she went any further, she'd have to be prepared with Kleenex and some cookies. She went on wondering.
Shego cocked her head to one side which was her way of indicating to her grandmother that she wanted to hear more.
"He's in a coma and might not survive." Estella whispered.
Shego didn't understand for all she said was,
"Why are we whispering?"
"It means..." Estella's voice began to raise, "He's sort of asleep because he's been hurt very, very badly."
"Oh." Shego said flatly.
"And... he might be like that forever. Or one day he might wake up. But know that..."
Estella stopped there.
"Know what?" Shego looked a bit upset.
"He can never... be your daddy again."
Shego hung her head disappointed. Then in a split second she piped, "Can I still call him Daddy?"
Estella softened, "Of course, butterfly."
Shego smiled and hugged her grandmother, "I want him to wake up."
Estella comforted her, "I do too."
Shego stayed in her grandma's arms for a moment and rested her head against her shoulder. She could feel the woman's bones jabbing against her skin. But in a way it was comforting. A sweet scent of peppermint escaped her grandmother's clothing and captivated her. She had never smelled anything like it. Estella persuaded Shego away and into the kitchen where she would give her some cookies. Shego stopped clinging to her grandmother's blouse and started into the kitchen. Estella opened the oven where she was keeping some chocolate cookies warm. She had never been much of a chef. In New York, everything was take-out. These were her first cookies in years. She handed a big one to Shego with an optimistic face.
Shego nibbled on it hard. It was like chewing on a rock!
Estella bit into one and sniggered, "Oops."
Shego gave up and then commented, "I miss my mom."
Estella sighed. She didn't want to explain both parents today, but willingly lifted her onto her lap and handed her a slice of pizza instead. "She's gone." Estella said.
"Gone?" Shego repeated. Hego had already told her this.
"Yes, she died a few weeks back."
"I know."
"Oh."
"Because of the twins." Shego finished.
Estella fumed then held her again, "Oh Shego." She ran her fingers up against Shego's spine roughly. She misunderstood everything. She grabbed Shego's face and stared at her. This startled her. "Where did you hear that?"
"Margie." Shego answered simply.
"Shego," Estella kissed her hands, "You have to listen closely. Your mother died from giving birth to Wego 1 and Wego 2. It was no ones fault. It was just a terrible thing."
Shego held her breath as if trying to comprehend this. Then a moment later she jumped off Estella's lap and hurried into the next room. Estella rushed after her, "Shego where are you going?"
"I'm going to play with my toys!" Shego chirped from the next room.
Estella only rolled her eyes and thought, 'Kids today...'