A Hand To Hold | Cglre |

Chapter 13: Pure Love

Sophie's POV:

"How about we celebrate a bit," Ian said with a smile, his eyes twinkling with excitement.

I rubbed my eyes, feeling the remnants of sleep still clinging to me, and looked at him curiously. "Celebwate?"

Evelyn's warm smile matched Ian's enthusiasm. "The doctor said we can start giving you some new foods, so we thought we'd get you a special treat. How does that sound, sweetheart?"

I nodded, still feeling a bit groggy but the idea of something special made my heart flutter with excitement. "Otay."

As we drove, the world outside the car window passed by in a blur of colors and shapes. My mind wandered, imagining all the wonderful things a "special treat" could be. Finally, we parked in front of a small, colorful shop. Ian came around to my side of the car, unbuckling me from my car seat with a gentle, reassuring touch.

"Up you go, Sophie," he said, lifting me out of the car. I clung to his hand, my steps a little wobbly due to the diaper, but I wanted to walk on my own. The shop was filled with bright colors and sweet smells that made my nose tingle with delight.

"What dis pwace?" I asked, my eyes wide with wonder.

Evelyn knelt down to my level, her eyes sparkling. "It's an ice cream shop, Sophie. You're going to try ice cream for the very first time."

I looked up at Ian, my expression a mix of curiosity and uncertainty. "What's ice cweam?"

Ian crouched down beside us, his face close to mine. "It's a delicious treat, cold and sweet. You're going to love it, I promise."

Their enthusiasm was contagious, and I found myself smiling, despite my uncertainty. They let me pick out a flavor, and I chose something pink that looked pretty and inviting. Evelyn handed the cone to me, and I stared at it, unsure of what to do.

"Just take a little lick," Ian suggested, demonstrating with his own cone, his tongue barely touching the creamy surface.

I mimicked him, my tongue tentatively touching the cold, creamy surface. The sensation was shocking at first, making me shiver, but the taste was so sweet and yummy. I took another lick, and then another, the coldness fading into sheer delight. Before I knew it, I was giggling with joy.

Evelyn's laughter joined mine. "Looks like someone likes ice cream."

As I continued licking the ice cream, it began to melt quickly, dripping down the sides of the cone and onto my hands. I tried to keep up, but it was melting too fast, and soon I was a sticky mess.

"Oh no," I said, looking at the sticky mess. "Ice cweam messy!"

Evelyn chuckled, her eyes filled with amusement. She reached into the diaper bag she always carried. "It's okay, sweetie. Finish your ice cream, and then we'll get you all cleaned up."

Ian took the cone from my messy hands. "Here, let me help with that," he said, taking a few licks to catch the drips. "We don't want to waste any of this delicious ice cream."

I giggled, watching him. "You wike ice cweam too?"

"Of course," Ian replied with a grin. "Ice cream is one of my favorite treats."

Once my hands were clean, I carefully finished the ice cream, trying not to make another mess. "Yummy," I said, licking the last bit from the cone.