Our New Normal

Part 7: Sh*t

They had to shake their heads and clean out their ears to determine if they heard the tiny girl correctly.

Had she really called Helen Mama?

It kind of hurts Max to think that she remembers Helen quicker than she has ever remembered him.

And how did she even pick up Mama when....

Well, you know.

"Ma-ma." Luna blows her a kiss and Helen's lip quivers. She looks at Max and he sadly smiles. Luna blows her another kiss and Max squeezes Helen close and whispers in her ear.

"It's okay...go ahead." Helen grabs a hold of his free hand and blows Luna a kiss.

"Hi, Munchkin! I miss you!" She says- a few tears threatening to fall.

"I!!!" Luna waves and blows more kisses.

"Hi, Baby. How's my sweet girl?" Max asks and she smiles and coos. "Where's Nuhna and Papi?"

"Eeekaaa...." The baby rambles nonsense babble and Helen just leans into Max, her hand covering her quivering lips. "Da!!"

"Yeah? I'm here." Max says happily.

"Da! Ma!"

"I love you." Max says.

"Uhv ooo!" She says and blows more kisses and waves with a cupped hand. "Ma! Uhv!"

"I love you too, Munchkin." Luna looks behind the screen and Max can hear his former mother-in-law.

"Did you get through to Daddy?" She asks and as she sits down and picks the child up, her smile slowly diminishes as she sees Helen sitting rather close to Max. "Oh...Daddy brought a friend to talk to you."

"Ma!" Luna yells and points at the black woman on the screen and Helen sucks in a big breath and closes her eyes.

"Raynette...this is...um...this is Dr. Helen Sharpe."

"Ah, yes I remember from the funeral." Raynette politely glowers at the woman- if that's even possible- and then looks at Max. "We had a very busy day. Didn't we, Sweetpea?"

"Yeee..." Luna happily chortles.

"Yeah? Anything fun?" Max asks and Raynette feigns joy from the conversation.

"Oh yes- took a nice walk in the neighborhood. Played in the backyard. Had some sweets and watched a princess movie or two." Max swallows hard- hating that he's missing out on time with his daughter.

"Sounds like my girl's been busy- huh Nuhna?"

"Absolutely. We went through some of her mother's old photos and toys I'd kept." Helen's stomach churns and she wishes to leave, but Max is holding her hand.

"I bet she loved that."

"Yes- I think so. She looks just like Georgia had at that age. Though our little Luna's hair is turning brown like yours." They watch as Luna yawns and her eyes slowly flutter trying to find sleep. "Well, someone certainly is tired. We should be off to bed."

"Alright. Night baby, I love you." He blows her a kiss and Helen weakly smiles and waves before the call ends. Once it does, she pulls away from him and just covers her mouth with her nose- embarrassed and ashamed. "Helen..."

"Max, I had no intention of her..."

"I know." He tucks his phone in his pocket and he turns to face her upset pacing.

"I feel so awful....and Georgia's mother! God, I don't even want to imagine what she thinks of all that. I mean how horrible!"

"Helen!" He booms slightly- getting her attention. She stops her pacing and looks at him. "First off, you haven't see her in months- but even still you have always been a big part of her life- so it wouldn't be that hard for her to confuse you as her mother. Secondly...."