On My Doorstep [Editing]

Epilogue

"I can't find Ami."

Fawn stared at Kevin in disbelief when she walked into their daughter's room. She had sent Kevin to Ami's room to make sure she wasn't putting on a completely impractical outfit for her birthday party. Per her daughter's request, Fawn had booked a bouncy castle, a magician, and had Kevin install a tire swing in their backyard. As much as Fawn wanted Ami to feel some ownership over picking her outfits, she had to make sure that she'd be able to have fun today without tarnishing one of the more expensive dresses or other outfits she'd gotten as a gift.

And now he was saying he couldn't find her.

"What do you mean? Where could she have gone?" Fawn pressed.

Kevin shrugged, animatedly, and now a grin on his face.

"I mean, I looked everywhere. Wait- Do you think her invisibility spell finally worked?" Kevin asked as he pretended to be stunned.

"Oh, no!" Fawn gasped, throwing her hands over her cheeks. "If we can't find her, we might have to cancel the party."

There was movement near the closet, and they both glanced quickly before pretending they hadn't seen a thing. Kevin nodded, then sighed.

"I think so. I'll call the magician and bouncy castle guy to tell them not to come anymore," he hung his head, and Fawn almost cracked a smile.

Suddenly, Ami came running out from behind the closet doors. She looked worried as she tried to haul several small bags and some magic sticks with her.

"No, no, no daddy! Mommy, tell him not to call dem!" Ami waved her hands around wildly. She dropped a few items in the process, and it took everything Kevin had not to burst out laughing.

Fawn smiled gently, "well, we thought you had vanished ma cherie."

Ami shook her head, "no, I used another spell to come back."

"Okay, well I'm glad. Now, we have to pick out an outfit for your birthday party. Together," Fawn informed her daughter.

"I already picked this one," Ami announced.

She was wearing a pair of tights that she had outgrown, which Fawn was meaning to donate, and a top that was made of faux leather. Fawn had no idea where that one had come from, but she guessed Kevin might have caved when he was at the store with Ami the other day. It was cute how much Ami liked her outfit, but it was not gonna work.

"Okay, well you're gonna be really active today, and this outfit is not gonna survive all the running and jumping around. I wouldn't want you to ruin these clothes, okay? So, let's pick something else," Fawn said.

Ami huffed, "I'll take care of dese."

Kevin squatted down so that he was at eye-level with Ami. "Well, you have a lot of other clothes you like that will look even better. Why don't we try those?"

The 3-year-old looked at both of her parents, let out a heaving sigh, then walked over to her dresser. Fawn and Kevin smiled at each other, sealing the accomplishment with a quiet high-five.

Hours later, some guests had arrived, and Ami was playing with her aunt and cousins downstairs. Fawn stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom surveying her outfit. The yellow dress she picked out matched the outfit Ami was wearing. Fawn wondered if it might be some kinda cliche, but Kevin thought it was a nice touch.

The concern she had about the colour paled in comparison to a more obvious issue. Fawn's eyes scanned down her body until they landed on her midsection, and she sighed.