Ellie Dixon

How Fast Things Can Go Wrong

I was in the apartment with the kids. Dad and Rosita were at work. Sophia was shopping with Carl. Maggie and Glenn were in a meeting with some Pamela woman and a man named Hornsby. It was a Saturday so RJ didn't have school, Hershel wasn't enrolled and Coco was obviously a baby.

"Ellie, can we go to the park?" Hershel asked.

"I don't know this place, kiddo. I don't wanna get us lost." I answered, making them breakfast. RJ and Hershel were playing a board game while Coco was on some baby mat on the floor.

"I know the area." RJ stated.

"How about we just wait for Sophia and Carl to get back?" I suggested. "For now? I'll just feed you food. You can't tell me food isn't the best thing in the world."

"Food isn't everything, Ellie." RJ smiled.

I smiled back. "That's because you've never been in a situation where you've had to wonder where your next meal is coming from. That's a good thing, but maybe you should start appreciating food more. Not only does it taste amazing? But, it fuels our bodies with all the good stuff we need to live."

"You mean nutriance?" Hershel raised his eyebrows.

"You mean nutriance?" I mocked him under my breath in a high pitched tone. 

RJ laughed. "Hah, I'm her favourite."

"Actually Teddy's my favourite." I responded, starting to put the scrambled eggs on plates.

"Hey, that's mean!" RJ sulked. 

"Food's ready." I distracted them.

"Yay!" Hershel called. 

He and RJ ran over to the dinner table. I put the two plates of food on the table before I walked over to Coco. I'd been warming her bottle at the same time so when the microwave pinged, I grabbed it before sitting on the sofa. I began to feed her the bottle when I saw RJ guzzling his eggs. "RJ, slow down, little one."

"Sorry, big one." He responded with his mouthful. 

I smiled softly before looking down to Coco who was staring at me with her big eyes. "Hi, baby." I whispered to her.

"You know she can't reply with a bottle in her mouth." Hershel told me.

"No, shit, Sherlock." I sarcastically responded before remembering I was talking to a seven year old. I looked up to him. "Sorry... Forgot you were... You."

"Shit." RJ grinned.

"Well, dad's gonna kill me." I told him.

"I won't let him, Ellie." Hershel smiled, raising his arms to "show off" his biceps. 

I fought the urge to tell him that I'd seen stronger pancakes. "Thanks, kiddo."

After feeding all three children, I put Coco down for a nap. I was playing Twister with Hershel and RJ. "Okay, RJ, left foot red." Hershel told him.

"But my left foot can't reach red." RJ pointed out, trying to reach the closest red dot.

"Then you lose." I laughed triumphantly as he fell. Both RJ and Hershel watched me with sulks as I laughed. "I beat you both. You're both losers. Suck on that, kids." I grinned, walking over to the kitchen and grabbing an apple to eat.

"You're a sore winner." Hershel stated.

"Yea." I scoffed. "It brings me joy, kids. One day you'll both me taller than me and will beat my ass at that game. I'm gonna bask in the glory while I still can."