Her Little Helper

Chapter 9

*Abigail's POV*

I groaned sleepily as the car made it's way through the streets of the city. I am not a morning person. But despite that, Mama is making me go to work with her. She woke me up at 6:30 this morning and told me that. Can you believe that! The audacity of this woman. 

"Oh babygirl, what are you moaning and groaning about over there," said Mama from beside me, not looking away from the email she was writing on her phone. 

"Mama, I no wanna go to work," I answered grumpily, pouting as I laid my head against the window. 

"Oh shh," she replied dismissively. "You're making it sound like I woke you up at the crack of dawn." I huffed at her response, letting her know that I wasn't happy being dragged out of bed. Well, less dragged than tickled out of bed. She wasn't lying when she said the tickle monster is an expert at waking up sleepy littles. 

"Plus, I let you sleep in yesterday, and you had a long nap time!" She was right. We had kept Sunday pretty low-key after the events of the day before. I guess I had a lot of sleep to catch up on. 

"But I still no wanna go!" I groaned, raising my voice slightly.

"Babygirl, we are in the car. We do not raise our voices in the car. I don't need Victor going deaf on me. Understand?" Mama asked sternly.

"Ugh," I pouted. "Fine." 

"Why don't you wanna come to work with me?" She asked curiously. 

I crossed my arms and huffed. "Because I have to be big and I don't wanna be." This weekend had been a lot to take, and the thought of being big so soon after was overwhelming to say the least. 

I felt Mama's hand on my arm. "Sweetheart," she began asking, "Who said that you had to be big?"

I looked up at her confusedly. "Well I can't just be little in an office building like yours." I replied with disappointment. 

"Says who?" Mama asked.

I looked at her with a look that said you know what I mean. 

"Abigail," she continued. "Whose name is that on the building?" she asked, pointing up to the Monroe Industries high rise that we had just pulled in front of. 

"Uhhh, yours?" I questioned, unclear of why she asked me that.

"That's right. Mine. Do you know what that means?" I shook my head. "That means if my little girl wants to be little in my building, she can be as little as she damn well pleases."

"Mama, you said a bad word!" I giggled. 

"I said a bad word because it's the truth," she replied, remaining serious. "You're my little girl. And if anyone in that building has a problem with that, then they can deal with me." She smirked as the smile on my face grew.

"But," I said, the smile starting to disappear. "What if people laugh at me?" My head sank as my eyes found the fidgeting hands in my lap. 

"Then we can laugh as I fire them," she responded, grabbing my hand and interlocking her fingers with mine. This made my smile return. 

I was still nervous to be little in her office. I've never been little in front of anyone besides her,  Victor, and Roger, never mind in a high rise full of people. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as we walked into the building. It hadn't changed since Friday. Except this time, Charles, that meanie at the front desk, paid me a lot more respect. But still, I stuck my tongue out at him as we passed his desk, and giggled as there wasn't a thing he could do about it. Is this what it feels like to enter my villain era?

I held Mama's hand tightly as the elevator dinged at the top floor of the building. I stood somewhat behind her, nervous to step out. "Baby, don't be nervous," Mama said, squeezing my hand a little tighter. "There's nothing to worry about." I exhaled, noticing I was holding my breath.

The nerves were only making me slip deeper into my little headspace, which made stepping out of the elevator even more anxiety-provoking. I held Mama's hand with both hands. I wish I had Rosie with me. She would make me feel better. 

"Good morning, Ms. Monroe," said Erin. I was somewhat relieved to see a familiar face, but instantly became nervous again. She must be wondering what I'm doing back here, this time holding her boss's hand. 

"Good morning, Erin. You've met Abigail, yes?" Mama said looking down at me. 

"Yes ma'am, I have," Erin replied with a warm smile. She knelt down a bit to get closer to my eye line. "Abigail, would you like a lollipop?" My eyes immediately lit up. I nodded shyly but still excitedly. She reached into her back pocket and pulled it out. It was a swirled rainbow in a clear square wrapper. I grabbed it and started to unwrap it.

"Uh uh," I heard above me. "I don't think so, sweetheart." 

"But-," I looked up at Mama, tears forming in the corner of my eyes. Tears come easily when I'm this little.

"No but's babygirl," she said with a stern playfulness. "It is far too early to be eating sweets. You can save it for after your lunch. Okay?"

I pouted, looking up at Erin who gave me a grinning shrug, as though saying that there wasn't much she could do about it. I guess Mama was her boss at the end of the day. Mama held out her hand for the candy and I reluctantly surrendered it with a roll of my eyes. Luckily, I don't think Mama saw it. 

We spend much of the morning undisturbed in Mama's office, aside from a few phone calls that she had to make. I had brought some coloring books and other toys from my room to keep me occupied but I soon was starting to grow restless. 

"Mama, I bored!" I groaned at about 11:00. I had already colored and played with all my toys and it wasn't even noon yet. Ugh.

"How about we take a break and eat some lunch." I nodded and hopped up onto Mama's lap while she unpacked our lunches. She made a boring salad for herself and a turkey sandwich for me with carrot sticks and a rice krispy treat. I nibbled contently, watching Mama's computer screen as she answered some boring-looking emails and punched numbers into a spreadsheet. 

"Mama, cartoons?" I looked up and asked her, hoping that she could replace her boring work stuff with something more entertaining. 

"No, sweet pea, Mama's doing work right now." 

"Hnnnnn," I groaned, growing frustrated with having nothing to do while I ate. I started bouncing a bit while I sat on Mama's lap, growing increasingly restless. 

"Baby, stop it right now. Mama's busy." Tears began to well up in my eyes. This wasn't fair. Why did I have to sit here bored all day while she worked? I was tired from waking up early and upset that Mama wasn't giving me any kind of attention. 

The frustration built inside of me to the point where I lost control and threw my turkey sandwich over her desk and onto the floor. My face seared with irritation.

"Abigail Elizabeth!" Mama yelled, pulling mer off her lap and turning me around to face her. Angry tears began to fall down my face. "What is the matter with you?" She asked, her eyes seething with displeasure. I just cried. I felt too little to even speak. 

"Go pick up that mess this instant, missy." I started sobbing. All I wanted was Mama's attention, and this felt like the only way to get it. Only, this wasn't the attention I wanted or liked. I don't like being bad but I didn't feel like I had any other choice.

"No," I replied angrily, stomping my foot and crossing my arms. I had lost control of myself. My emotions were fully in the driver's seat. 

"Abigail," Mama began with a scarily quiet tone, "I will give you until the count of the three." I just stared back at her, not willing to budge. 

"One." 

I'm not moving an inch.

"Two."

Nope, not today, Mama. Better luck next time.

"Three."