Wow this is late, sry noni. But it was worth it, I like it :) It's the MIMB date…or part of it ;) People have asked for it in fanmail/Comments maybe? So there's no ask to publish…
100 Encore, Day 77: "The Prettiest Girl" (MIMB)
"Mama, you so the prettiest girl I ever seed."
"Chlo, you are so the prettiest girl I ever saw."
Chloe sighed, joining her mother on her vanity bench. "I just wearin' jammas 'cause daddy sayed so. Not time fer me dress up."
"He's right, worm. Are you excited to watch a movie with Aunt Amelia?"
"I want to play wit you an' daddy."
"Daddy just played kitchen with you before bath and you're with me now…Mommy and daddy haven't played together in so long." Like way too long. Almost a year "Here, help mommy pick out a necklace, gold or the pearls?"
"Ummm….daddy will like you the pearlies…"
"Well, I don't know about that but I think you made a good choice." She was wearing a little black dress and a red heel. Jackson hadn't told her where they were going, she figured this was a safe choice.
"Daddy say you da prettiest girl too, Aways say dat."
"Always?"
"Yeah."
"Hmmm…" April decided not to push the issue. She didn't even know what was bothering her. She watched Chlo stare longingly at her make-up. "I'm done baby. Just lip gloss left. Do you want to help?"
Chloe nodded vigorously, taking the gloss wand and immediately heading for her own lips. April gently redirected her daughter's hand. "Uhh uhh you know that's not allowed, little girl. Your daddy was hesitant enough getting you the mirror play set." She chuckled, remembering the argument. "What did daddy say about make-up?"
"Play time ony when you eight, worm….don't even count da years."
"But we did, right?" April giggled as Chloe brought the wand to her lips. "How many years?" she asked, then puckered her lips.
"Four, five, six, seven, eight." she said, and pressed her lips together, motioning for her mom to to copy her.
"Mmm, five years…you did a pretty good job, girly." April blotted the berry gloss and checked the mirror.
"Yeah, I knows to do it from bretend. I wish daddy sayed yes I play dress up."
"Oh but you look tired already, Chlo. And so cozy! I think Amelia's here..daddy said you were gonna pick snacks for the movie, what'd you pick?"
"Daddy sayed we no have ice ceem, we picked peachies wit ceem."
"That sounds so yum, worm!" she said, as she cleaned up her make-up, knowing full well there was ice cream hidden in the fridge.
"I hafta go first an say 'here she is' afore you come acause you so pretty."
April sighed. "Alright, fine." Chloe did deserve a little fun tonight.
She held her mom's hand as she walked down the hall, then instructed her to wait before she rounded the corner to the living room. She ran directly to Jackson's arms. "Daddy! Daddy! Mommy gotted pretty jus' fer you play time again."
Jackson moved the hair out of his daughter's eyes. "Can you please say hi to Aunt Amelia and thanks for coming to watch a movie?"
Chlo turned her head quickly. "Hi Aunt 'Melia, danks!" Then back to her dad. "Daddy she look so da prettiest girl wit curlies in her hair an' she letted me help wit her lisstick. Jus' helped, I followed rules."
"I'm glad," he kissed her. "Your mommy always looks the prettiest, no matter what."
"I know but here she is daddy, ready to play wit you!"
April peeked around the corner, blushing. It was embarrassing that Chloe was more excited for this date than she was. Dr. Crowe swore they'd done alright keeping her out of things. She was perceptive whether they liked it or not, and they'd complicated the situation so many times it was unfair not to appropriately clue her in. April just wished Chloe never had to worry about things like this.
"I'm gonna put you down worm, so I can hold her hand." Jackson fake whispered. Chloe nodded, eagerly running over to her Aunt Amelia.
April grabbed her husband's hand quickly and turned to Amelia. "Thanks so much for doing this, we'll be home soon…"
"Not just dinner…"
"…Or whatever."
"It's fine guys, take your time, we'll have fun, right Chloe?"
"Yes!" She nodded.
"You be good, Chloe! Don't give a hard time at bedtime, we'll see you in the morning, understand?"
"Yes I do!"
"Alright, let's go!" April nodded and let Jackson lead her out the door.
"I mean it, you really are the prettiest girl in the world," he said, when he opened the door for her.
"Thanks, babe." She squeezed his hand and smiled. She'd made it her personal goal to try and let go tonight.
"Can I ask you a weird question?" April asked at dinner. They'd gone to a "wine and design" place and had so much fun. It was couple's night, so they had to collaborate on one painting.
April had expected a disaster, or at least two distinctly different styles. But surprisingly they'd communicated and worked well together. It was an interesting approach to a painting, imperfect. But they knew Chloe would love the dandelion painting, and they got a new idea for something to do with her.
It was a great idea. It was something she had always wanted to do, plus there wasn't much talking involved. And the wine helped. It was nice to do something fun together; to create instead of break.
"Yeah."
"How much did you talk about us with Chloe on your nights?"
Jackson swallowed a sip of wine. "What?"
"How much did you tell her I was the prettiest girl in the world?"
"April, what the…"
"When we were separated, even now, our time with her is about her. And our individual relationships with our daughter."
"I know!"
"So why is she saying you always said that?"
"You are just picking a fight right now, babe." Jackson was slowly learning to stand up for himself again. He was setting more boundaries with Chloeand trying to be patient and respect that April's pain was not going to go away fast; it didn't just evaporate because she chose the marriage, that much was clear. But the ridiculousness was enough.
April was quiet. She was learning to accept that Jackson was allowed to be right. He cleared his throat. "She ever see a picture of someone with you and say 'mommy, she's pretty?'"
"Not really."
"Well, with me, she did it a lot. 'Daddy, she's pretty.' And I'd always say, 'Chlo, you're the prettiest girl I ever saw.' And she'd always say 'What about my mama?' What am I supposed to say? No? So I told her what I felt."
"OK, sorry…thanks," April whispered, and took a bite of steak. Jackson loved him a fancy steak house, hence the 'dressy-casualish' code despite the painting. Thank goodness for smocks. "Between everything with us and the appendix…I think she worries too much. I know we tried but I think…we failed and…" April wiped a tear from her eye. "I just want my girl to stop worrying."
"Me too."
"So what do we do?"
"I have no idea."
"But we have to do something."
"I know," Jackson sighed.
"What? You look like you have an idea."
"Look, I respect that you need your space and I know that we really are making strides. You say things but besides holding my hand it's very rare that you show affection since…"
"Since the whole truth. Of course I had to wake up when I realized her name was Monica and once upon a time you thought you loved her and there was a relationship with a dad that scarred you. Of course that's my threshold."
"Of course, but…" he shrugged. They weren't screaming. It was just a conversation.
"But you want sex tonight?" she sipped wine, just asking.
"Maybe not sex, but…second base would be nice."
"Somehow talking about Chloe turned in to this."
"Because she doesn't trust that we love each other." He'd never been great with feelings. But he said that like he knew exactly what his daughter was feeling.
Because he did. And April knew it. "Alright well, I wanna get home to her and…there's ice cream in the freezer so, can we go?"
"Yeah."
April saw Chloe out of the corner of her eye as Jackson let Amelia out. Her little green eye peeking around the corner. "I'm gonna go to…" Jackson started, when he turned around.
She put her finger to her lips and pointed. "Kiss me," she mouthed . Jackson grinned, pulling her close.
"Jackson, is she pretty?" April asked, pointing to a random model in a magazine on the table, purposefully baiting her daughter.
"Not as pretty as you. You're the prettiest girl I ever saw," he said finally kissing her. She kissed back and even giggled a little bit, watching Chloe "hide" over his shoulder.
It was their first real kiss in months. It was a show for their daughter, but it was real. After the second kiss, initiated by his wife, Jackson was sure of it. So they had to get Chloe to bed. "You know what though? Except maybe for Chlo," Jackson forced himself to pull away. "She's definitely the prettiest."
"Yeah, I agree. Wanna go check on her?"
"Yeah, we should, right? Make sure she's all tucked in?"
"I here, I here!" Chloe burst into giggles, unable to take it anymore. They put her back to bed quickly unsure of what would happen next, but willing to give something a try.