Time seemed to pass along quite fast after Alexis was sick. "What are you doing today?" Roxy asks as we sit in Denise's living room one sunny afternoon. "Well, since we have an hour 'till the kids are out of school for the day, I have to get Alexis home so we can have dinner; and then she gets ready for her ballet class as I clean up." I say. "Is this her first year in dance class?" Pamela asks as she ate a banana muffin. "Yes, it is, and she is so excited. Katie has been telling her all about it for the past two weeks at recess; even helping her to practice." I say as Claudia Joy and Denise come in from the kitchen. "What's wrong?" Pamela asks as we all see the sour looks on the two women's faces. "There is a small problem. The bake off was moved up to this weekend, and I don't have enough time to bake all the cookies on the list. Let alone the room." Denise explains looking kind of lost. "I could help. When Alexis is at school I don't really have anything else to do." I eagerly volunteer. "Are you sure? We don't mean to be rude or anything but, can you even bake; unlike Pamela." Claudia Joy asks. "I grew up visiting my grandmother every weekend before my mother was killed, she and my mother taught me everything I know about cooking and baking." I say proudly. "Okay, then I should give you the other half of the list so we don't make the same cookies and bread." Denise says as she gets up of her couch and went searching for the list in her kitchen. "So how is your father doing?" Roxie asks as we all take a sip of our iced-tea. "His doctor confirmed that he has entered the fourth and final stage of cancer, there just doing what they can to make him comfortable." I explain as Denise comes back and hands me the list. "Have the two of you talked lately?" Roland asks, ever the shrink. "No, not since I moved us down here. All I get is him pushing me away, being told that I have to wait outside as he talks to his doctor. Then he comes out tells me if it was a good or bad visit, and asks me to take him back to his room. Every time I go over to talk to him, he just says that he's tired and I should go." I say trying not to cry. "He's trying to save you as much pain as possible right now, seeing a parent's health decline; it's not easy." Roland says with a grim look. With a heavy silence settling in the room nobody dares talk, so as gracefully as I can I leave to pick up Alexis from school.
"Roland didn't mean anything, he's just trying to help." Roxie confesses as all three of us stand outside waiting for the kids to be let out for the day. "It's alright, doesn't matter." I mumble right before the bell rings and kids start running out of the school. Alexis's head of bright red hair almost immediately catching my eye. "See you guys later!" I call over my shoulder as I walk up to Alexis. "Kate, guess what!" Alexis calls as I reach her. "What's that sweetie?" I ask crouching down to her eye level with a big smile. "I made a new friend, her name is Paige; and she's in dance class too." Alexis says bouncing in place with a giant smile lighting up her face. "Well, that sounds amazing, but guess what we get to do starting tonight after dance class." I exclaim as I take her hand and lead her over to the car so we can get going. "What!" Alexis asks cheerfully as she gets in her booster seat and buckles in while I get in the driver's seat. "We get to help Mrs. Sherwood with her baking, so we're going to need to stop at the store to buy a few ingredients, then we can start making some cookies!" I cheer as Alexis claps her hands. After stopping at the PX for some butter, flour, sugar, and vanilla we're on our way home. "Okay Alexis, go use the bathroom and I'll get you a bowl for your dinner." I announce as I carry the grocery bag to the kitchen and Alexis hangs up her jacket and backpack on a hook near the door. When everything is put away, I pour out a bowl and a half of potato soup from the crock-pot on the kitchen counter. As I'm setting a spoon in one of the bowls, Alexis comes downstairs with her tiny pink leotard, tutu, and dance shoes. "Where are your tights?" I ask as Alexis hands everything to me. "In my dance bag at the end of the stairs." She replies. "Good, why don't you sit and eat; I'll put your dance shoes in your bag so they don't get dirty." I say, pushing her chair in a little more. Once dinner is done I send Alexis to get changed as I do the dishes and put the leftover soup in the fridge. "Kate, can you help me with my hair?" Alexis asks walking into the kitchen with her Olaf brush and two pink hair ties. "Sure sweetheart, go sit on the couch." I say as I rinse off the last of the dishes and dry my hands. Alexis is sitting sideways on the couch playing with her brush when I enter the living room. "Something the matter Alexis?" I ask gently as I sit behind her. "I wish daddy was here to see my first dance lesson." She says quietly while handing the brush and hair ties to me. "Well, how would you feel if I took my phone with us and I recorded the whole lesson and sent it to him?" I ask as I brush out the girl's long red hair. "I guess, but it wouldn't be the same." The girl says sadly as I brush her hair back and start putting it in a ballerina bun. "No, it's not the same, but just think of it this way; at least he won't be able to embarrass you like he could if he was here." I tease as I put the last hair tie in and finish it off with a cute pink satin ribbon tied in a bow. "That's true." Alexis says with a laugh as we stand. "Now that you're not scared anymore, why don't you get your coat on and I'll grab your bag." I say with a smile as we start for the door.
"And plié and up, and plié and sauté. And plié and push and push." The instructor coaches as the girls are lined up along a wall going one by one to do their warm-ups as piano music played in the room. I am leaning against the wall on the left side of the room with a clear view so I can use my phone to record everything. The whole time I hear the mothers whispering about how one of the girls needed a diet, the instructor plays favorites, and I even notice some whispering and staring directed at me because I'm not Alexis's birth mother. Only Alexis is having such a good time, that I just ignore everyone else and concentrate on recording every second for Rick to enjoy. In fact, Alexis is having so much fun with the other girls, that she is upset when we have to leave some three hours later. "How about we have a movie night when we get home?" I ask as I help her unlace her dance shoes and put them in her bag as she puts her sneakers on. "That sounds fun! How about Frozen?" Alexis exclaims. "How about Inside Out instead?" I ask pleadingly. When we get to the house Alexis is bathed, dressed in a light blue Elsa nightgown and brushed her teeth. We settle on watching Inside Out for the night, so I settle Alexis on the couch and cover her up with a blanket before I went into the kitchen and got us some popcorn and water. Alexis is memorized from the moment the TV lights up with the opening credits, but since it is near her bedtime she is fading and lays her head in my lap. By the time the movie is over, her breathing is deep and even so I know she is sound asleep, carefully I move her head off my lap fold up the blanket and pick Alexis up. I slowly walk up the stairs and tuck her into bed with Monkey-Bunkey before quietly closing her door. After I clean up the popcorn bowl, the water glasses, and drape the blanket over the back of the couch, I went up to my room and had a nice hot bubble bath.
"Kate?" I hear a tiny voice whisper as someone pokes my cheek. Scrunching up my nose I roll onto my right side. "Kate?" I hear the same voice whisper a little louder as someone tugs on the sleeve of my sleep shirt. Just then, a loud clap of thunder sounds right outside the window as a small body collides with me as I sit up in bed. "Alexis? What's wrong?" I ask, still trying to wake up as lightning brightens the room up for a second. "It's loud." She cries as she holds her hands over her ears while sitting in my lap. The poor girl is so scared she is practically vibrating, she is shaking so much. Before I can even say anything, another loud clap of thunder rattles the windows in the room as the even louder strike of lightning sounds of right after it, both lighting the room up momentarily. "Oh Alexis, it's okay sweetie. It's just a little storm that will pass in no time." I say, hugging the terrified girl trying to calm her somewhat. "Why does it have to be so loud?" The girl cries as she hugs me tightly. "I don't know sweetie." I say, gently rubbing her back. We sit there for a bit in silence as the storm continues on, sounding like it's right over us and has no intention of leaving just yet. "I know, why don't you stay in here with me tonight and I'll tell you stories to help you get back to sleep?" I suggest as I pick Alexis up and move her to my left. She quickly slips under the covers next to me the whole time clutching Monkey-Bunkey in her small hand. Once she's settled in next to me and I lay down, she curls right on up into me with her face hidden under my chin. "Now once upon a time..." I start of as I start rubbing circles into her back to help sooth her.