Hi lovely readers,

Thank you all so much for the reviews on the last prompt. It means the world.

This prompt request was by Boris Yeltis. I hope this is okay for you.

Enjoy reading!

Amy stood in the doorway to her daughters bedroom, watching on as she collected things from around the room and laid them out on her bed. It amazed Amy to know that nine years had past already, her 6lb 3oz dark haired and blue eyed baby girl was now nine. The years really had flown by, it only seemed like yesterday that Emily was learning to walk or saying her first word and now here she was, a real grown up girl getting ready to attend her first sleepover.

Emily had never slept over at a friends house before. Of course she had stayed with grandparents and family friends but a friend from school was a brand new thing. Amy and Sheldon had discussed, probably longer than the average parents would about whether or not Emily was old enough to do this.

Sheldon was convinced she was too young but Amy never wanted her daughter to be different, she didn't want to exclude her from any kind of activity that all her friends were taking part in. She didn't want her daughter to have the same childhood she had. Emily was sociable and confident, already at nine years old, she had this air about her, someone that could walk into a room and talk to anyone and everyone in it. Both her parents had no clue where she got it from but in a way, Amy hugely admired her for it.

"You know you don't have to do your own packing. I'm happy to do it for you" Amy told her as looked on, her heart so full of love for her little girl.

"I know. I don't mind" Emily shrugged as she neatly folded her pyjamas with an unbelievable amount of precision and detail that proved instantly she was her fathers daughter. Despite her age, she was mature or so she liked to think and more recently Amy had noticed just how independent she had become. "Why are you smiling like that?" Emily asked. She had reached that age where she still very much needed her parents but at the same time, she wanted to be and thought she was so grown up.

"Just looking at my baby getting ready for her first sleepover" Amy continued to smile, even though Emily proceeded to roll her eyes. For a brief moment, showing her age, Emily reached her favourite teddy and stuffed it into her over night bag.

"Mum" she sighed. Emily loved her mum and dad more than anything in the world but that still didn't mean they didn't embarrass her. Even if at times there was no one around to see it.

"You don't understand how important this is to me and your dad. You're just getting too big" she walked into her into her room and sat on the end of her bed, watching as she added a few extra things into her bag.

"It's just a sleepover" Emily shrugged not really understanding the big deal but also trying to hide the fact that she was a little nervous.

"I know but a sleepovers a big thing" Amy told her as Emily moved around the bed and sat next to her mother. "You know the first time you sleep away from home, it's a big step."

"When did you have your first sleepover?" Emily asked, she was always so interested in finding out about her parents life. The thought of her parents having a life before her blew her mind. She particularly loved hearing stories about her father from her Auntie Missy and Uncle Georgie.

"Oh I didn't have a sleepover until I was much older" Amy told her. "In fact, my first sleepover was actually with Penny." She saw her little daughters face trying to process this information, coming to the conclusion that her mother wasn't in fact a child when she had her first sleepover but actually, very much an adult.

"Why?" she asked innocently. In her little mind, adults didn't have sleepovers. Sleepovers were for kids.

"I guess I was just never invited to one" Amy shrugged her shoulders, there was an air of sadness about it. Even though several decades had passed, clearly the lack of friends she had in her childhood still struck a chord with her.

"Oh" instinctively, Emily snuggled closer to her mother. There was a part of her that felt sad for her Amy, maybe for the first time she was feeling guilty. Guilty that she had been invited to a sleepover when her mother never had. "But it's good you found Penny"

"It is, isn't it?" Amy instantly slung her arm around her daughter and pulled her in to her side. "Besides, I don't think Grandma would have ever let me go" Amy kissed the top of her head.

"Why?" she looked up at her mother with her huge blue eyes, filled with confusion as to why someone wouldn't be allowed to attend a sleepover.

"Oh I don't know. Grandma didn't really like me doing things with friends. She thought it was much more important for me to focus on my studies" Amy figured that was enough information for her daughter to know for now, she could have told her much more but refrained from ranting about her upbringing and her overprotective mother. She was also conscious of tainting her view of her grandmother. She didn't want that.

"That's sad" Emily mumbled. "But maybe if you did go to a sleepover you might not have won a noble prize with daddy" it was a cute way to look at things, how had a nine year given something more perspective than she ever had.

"Yeah, yeah maybe" Amy nodded, giving her daughter another kiss on the head and squeezing her tightly.

—

"It's so quiet without her" Amy sighed as she pulled back the duvet and climbed into bed next to her husband. The three of them had had a lovely evening, eating take out and watching a movie. Very rarely was it just the three of them and it was lovely being able to have some quality time with Arthur, they both could tell he loved it too.

"So quiet" Sheldon laughed. Even though, now, Emily would be in bed, there was a lull in the air just a knowingness that she wasn't close by.

"Do you think I should text Lucy's mum? Make sure she's doing okay" Amy asked as she reached for her phone, Sheldon had been watching her all night constantly checking her phone for any information on her daughter.

"You do know you were the one that wanted her to do this" Sheldon commented, his statement did not help Amy in the slightest.

"I know but I'm allowed to worry about her" Amy replied as she reached for the hand cream on her dressing table and began gently rubbing the contents into her hand.

"Well, if makes you feel better go for it" she knew deep down he was worried to but was trying to do his best at hiding it.

"I will" Amy was already tapping out a text. "I won't sleep otherwise" even knowing Emily was okay, Amy was sure she'd still find it difficult to sleep without her daughter home. The place just didn't feel right without her. By the time Amy had placed her phone down on the bedside table, it was vibrating, she looked at the text and smiled. "Well apparently they're all in Lucy's bed with popcorn watching a movie. Oh she'll be having the best time" Amy smiled, her heart felt so full knowing that her daughter was just out there being a child and enjoying every experience that came with that.

"Good" Sheldon smiled. "Now can we please sleep"

"Sure"

Thank you so much for reading. As always reviews are always appreciated and so welcome. I love hearing your thoughts.

I'd also love to know what your favourite prompt of mine is? I was meant to ask when I reached 50 but totally forgot so 51 will have to do. I'd love to know what kind of things you like me writing about.

Stay safe

Lots of love.