Drabble 24: Outside.
"Melody! Get back here; the ants are going to get to your food before you will!" Natalie yells after the toddler as she finishes unpacking the sandwiches. Henry just grins and nudges her, going in to kiss her cheek.
"Babe, chill out, she's just a kid. Let her run for a while." He wraps his arms around her waist, smiling and resting his chin on her shoulder, that is, until she has a rather violent coughing fit and she has to pull away, "Nat?" Henry asks after she's quieted down, "You think you're gonna be okay for today? We can have a picnic some other time, I'm sure Mels with und-"
"I'm fine." She shrugs quietly, giving him an insincere half-smile. True, she feels awful today; this is probably one of the worst days, yet. But she's not ruining this for her daughter. Her parents neglected her for her mother's illness, and there's no way she's letting the same happen to Melody.
"Nat… please don't lie to me." He frowns, but she doesn't answer and he drops it. Henry sighs, pulling her into his lap and kissing her hair, "Remember when we used to sneak out and meet in the park? I used to push you on the swings." He smiles, "You wore your hair curly, then. I miss it." He thumbs her straightened locks, lost in thought.
"I think I'll stop straightening it, then." She whispers, leaning back into him. They watch as Mels toddles over with her chubby fist full of flower-like weeds. She dumps them on her mother's lap with a toothy grin.
"I wanna put flowers in you's hair, Mommy." Melody plops down next to her, tugging her hair and trying to get the little white flowers to stay in place. Henry chuckles and picks a flower as well, tucking it behind her ear. Natalie gives a breathy laugh, hiding the tears in her eyes expertly.
She won't ruin the moment by telling them she got the test results yesterday, no. Becuase, truth is? She doesn't have many more moments left.