A Chain of Daisies

Bubbles

"Mommy, can we add bubbles tonight?" Four-year-old Lily asked, playing with the water as it filled the bathtub.

"Sure," Audrey said and bent down to get the box out from under the sink.

"How does da powder make bubbles Mommy?" Lily peered over Audrey's arm as she poured some of the mixture into the swirling water.

"I don't know, dear," Audrey said, contemplating the question, "I'm sure it has something to do with what's in the powda'. You can go ahead and get undressed now, the water's almost ready,"

As Lily wiggled out of her summer dress, Audrey pulled her sleeves up and perched on the edge of the tub. Audrey loved the nights of the week that had been deemed 'bath nights'. Playing in the warm, bubbly water, talking about the wholesome things that her two young children loved going on and on about. She especially enjoyed watching their fascination with the translucent bubbles. Lily had just started preschool and bathtime was a chance for mother and daughter to reconnect.

"Bubbles are funny," Lily said as she climbed into the tub, "I like pink bubbles da best,"

"Me too," Audrey said, picking up some of them and playfully blowing them on her daughter. Lily burst out in a fit of giggles and flung bubbles back at her mother.

"Stop dat, Mommy," Lily said, still giggling, "We have to finish bath time before my fingers turn into wrinkles!"

Audrey laughed, combing shampoo through Lily's soft blonde hair. She looked more like her mother with her blonde hair and soft features. She did have Seymour's big brown eyes and goofy smile though. Ever since she was a baby, Lily always seemed to be smiling or laughing, as she was now, racing a rubber duck through a maze of bubbles.

"What did you learn at school today?" Audrey asked as Lily came back up from rinsing.

"I learned about shapes!" Lily said excitedly, "There are squares and rectangles and circles and triangles and tra-pa-zoids! There are tons of shapes, Mommy. You wouldn't believe it . . . "

"I wouldn't?"

"No, Mommy, you wouldn't," Lily stated, rolling her eyes sassily. Audrey laughed again, pouring conditioner into her open palm and messaging it through Lily's hair.

"Dat stuff smells good," Lily said, now drawing pictures in the bubbles.

"Mmhmm,"

"Why does it smell good?" Lily asked, running her hand through her hair and smelling the lavender-scented conditioner.

"Because they put smelly stuff in it," Audrey explained.

"Oh, dat's nice of dem" Lily sighed, "Can we do soap now?"

"Yes," Audrey handed Lily a soap ladened loofa, "Good job knowin' what comes afta' conditioner!"

Lily stood up, bubbles cascading off her body. She danced around, scrubbing herself with the loofah and singing a little song she had learned in class. She held onto Audrey's outstretched arm to keep herself from slipping. When she finished, she plunged into the bubbly water, washing away the dirt, dust, and grime from the day.

"Woah . . . Dat water is really dirty," Lily said, watching as the water spun down the drain.

"It's all the dirt from helpin' Daddy in the garden," Audrey grabbed a towel from the rack and scooped Lily up, spinning her around.

"Weeeeeeeee!!!!" Lily squealed, laughing uncontrollably. When Audrey came to a stop, she cried, "Again! Again!"

"No more, dear," Audrey said, drying Lily off with the towel, "You'll wake your little brother up,"

"I won't be loud this time," Lily leaned into Audrey, her eyelids suddenly starting to droop, "I promise . . ."

"No, let's save it for tomorra' night, okay?" Audrey said, slipping a nightgown over Lily, who had all but collapsed in her mother's loving arms.

"Okay," Lily said. Audrey caught Lily's hand as she tried to put her thumb in her mouth. Audrey held onto that hand as she quickly ran a brush through her sleepy daughter's hair. Humming a song, Audrey braided Lily's hair into pigtails. Lily — who had heard the song many times before ― hummed along with Audrey. Once finished, Audrey picked Lily up. The little girl rested her head on Audrey's shoulder, arms wrapped around her neck. Holding her close, Audrey flipped the bathroom light off and walked down the hall to Lily's room.

As she tucked Lily into bed, Lily whispered, "I like bath time with you, Mommy. . ."

"Me too, Lily-Billy," Audrey kissed Lily's forehead.

"Just as long as there's bubbles," Lily wiggled further under the covers as Audrey tucked them around her.

"I always make sure there's bubbles for you,". Audrey gave Lily another kiss, switched on the nightlight, and gently closed the bedroom door.