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“Make sure she’s eating her ice, baby. Tell her dinner is done and we’ll be at the table waiting for her.”
“Okay.”
She ran off toward the living room while I prepared a plate for Aeir and I. Because she wasn’t feeling well, I gave her a smaller serving than usual and added a cup of ginger tea to help her feel better and help her digest her food easier.
Aussie shot around the corner just as I was finishing up.
“I’m ready to eat!” she sang.
“Alright, love. Have a seat and I’ll grab your bowl from the fridge.”
After doing so, I gave her the proper utensils to get to work. I sat beside her, waiting for Aeir to turn the corner. My food grew colder as hers did too. Once I realized she probably wouldn’t be joining us, I headed into the living room to make sure she was alright. I rounded the corner to find her sound asleep.
Deciding against bothering her, I used the blanket on the other end of the couch to cover her feet. I laid the back of my hand against her forehead and noticed a difference in her temperature. It had decreased and was back to normal. I replaced my hand with my lips and kissed her goodnight before returning to the table to finish dinner with Aussie.
“Is Mommy going to be okay?”
“Yes. She’s just not feeling well today. She’ll be better by morning. Daddy will make sure of it.”
“Can I go to sleep, too? I want to wake up when she’s all better.”
Everybody was bailing on me. I wasn’t mad at her, though. I wanted to go to sleep and not wake up until Mommy was feeling better, too. Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option. I needed to get her in the bathtub and get the kitchen clean before I was able to lie down. A shower wouldn’t hurt, either.
“Once you finish your dinner, of course, baby. I’ll get you cleaned up and in some pajamas. Then, you can get in bed. When you wake up, Mommy will feel better.”
Aussie devoured dinner quicker than she ever had. I’d barely touched my bowl before she was hopping out of her chair and heading to the bathroom. With a shake of the head, I stood and followed her, remembering Aeir had made me promise to put a cap on her independence as it was a survival mechanism.
Aussie was no longer in survival mode. We wanted and needed her to enjoy her youth for as long as she could without having to make decisions and handle tasks before the time came for her to do so. It was the only way to truly see the beauty and brains she possessed.
Strangely, the bathroom door was closed. I knocked before entering. She remained quiet, leaving me no choice but to come through, anyway. I opened the door to find her in the corner of the bathroom with her knees up to her chest, trembling with tears staining her face.
“Aussie.”
I lowered to my knees in front of her, brushing her hair out of her face.
“What’s the matter, baby?”
“Mommy doesn’t feel well,” she cried, burying her face in her legs.
“I know, but it’s okay.”
“Just like my other mommy. Will she go away forever, too?”
“Nooooo, Aussie. Of course not.”
At that moment, I regretted telling Aussie that her mother had been injured, grew sick, and succumbed to her injuries. Though it was the watered-down version, it was the truth. She’d been murdered—shot in our home—fallen ill immediately and succumbed to her injuries from the fatal gunshot wound.
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Okay.”
“How about we skip bath time tonight and go straight to bed? You’re dealing with some really big feelings right now and I think it’s best if we get in bed.”
“Okay.”
I picked her up and carried her out of the bathroom, into her bedroom. She undressed with little assistance and picked out a pair of pajamas to wear. Once we got them on her body, I got her into bed and kissed her cheeks.
