Don't Ask // l.payne

Our little girl

"Theres someone here to see you." a deep voice woke me up for the second time.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes, my vision still kinda blurry.

"Who the heck would that be?" I asked.

Liam laughed, accompanied by an adolescent female giggle.

Liam grunted and set the little girl on my lap, "Little Klohe!! How's my fighter dude?" I brightened at the sight of the four year old girl adjusting the beanie on her bald head.

"Well, I'm not a fighter anymore!" she beamed as Liam sat next to us.

"Well then what are you?" I asked and squinted my eyes.

"I'm a survivor dude!!" she told me as if I was the only human being that didn't know.

"How could I forget?" I hit my palm to my forehead and pulled our blanket over her small body.

"I don't know!" she yelled and studied Liam, "Who's that?......is he your boyfriend?!?" she asked and Liam laughed.

"No babe.....he's my charge." I joked and patted his spiky hair.

"Well he's cute. Popcorn time? You promised!" her blue eyes sparkled as much as Liams as she remembered my special promise.

"Well DUH!!" I picked her up and brought her to the kitchen.

Once she was positioned on the island, I opened a cupboard and pulled out a stack of sparkly construction paper, "Which one, peanut?" I asked and set them next to her.

She searched through each one with a concentrated expression on her pale face the whole time.

"I say...." she pulled the lone pink paper from the bottom of the stack and flipped it towards me, "Kitchen sink popcorn!!" she yelled and kicked her legs.

I agreed when she got yet another idea.

"But only if buddy boy over there helps!" she pouted and stuck her right index finger towards Liam sitting in the corner.

I leaned my fists on the cool granite counter top and pondered the thought, "Ya know? I think so too! Get over here 'buddy boy'!"

He smiled and came over.

"But, what's "kitchen sink" popcorn?" he asked Klohe and she giggled,

"We make popcorn then take everything in Jazzmyns kitchen then shove it in a bowl!!" she replied, using hand motions to better explain.

"Well lets get started!!" he took Klohe down and she ran to the pantry.

"Chocolate chips.....peanut butter.....nutella....SPRINKLES!!!!" she ran back out with her items in hand.

"Sweet! Liams turn!" I shoved him in the back and he smirked, walking into the pantry.

"M&Ms, Cinnamon and brown sugar!" he brought his collection and set it next to Klohes.

"Myyyyyy tuuurn!!" I yelled and skipped to the walk in pantry, scanning every item and pulling my favorites.

"You done yet?" Liam yelled.

"Genius takes time!" I responded and heard Klohe full-on laugh.

I had an armful of food and walked out, arching my back so nothing spilled.

"Pretzels, dried cherrys, cereal, freeze dried ice cream, peanuts and chocolate syrup!" I set them before the premade popcorn and we started mixing.

"Hey who's- KLOHE!!!" Cameron waltzed in and hugged the screeching girl.

"Ooh popcorn! Can I help?" she bounced and clasped her hands together.