Exotic

XXXVII

Kath

I head home with Sydney and her family as my parents agreed to let me stay with them until Monday. Abigail was buzzing on the way home, telling Syd how cool she was etc.

Nat dropped us all at the house and left again because she had to pick up Ollie from a friend's house. He wasn't too fussed on seeing Syd with all the animals as much as Abi. Such a shame, seeing as Sydney is a natural with the animals within the zoo. If she stayed there and pursued a career, she'd certainly thrive throughout her life. She really had a way with the animals.

Abigail led me to her room so she could show me where she put her model of the Queen Mary and just to kidnap me for the rest of the afternoon. She really enjoys being around me. I suspect it's down to being one of the big, cool high school kids. I'm older and naturally, she'll think that I am very cool. Which I am. I am very cool. 

"Syd is gonna teach me bass, so I have a bass guitar. Do you wanna see it?" the little girl bounced as she sat on her bed.

"I'd love to see your bass guitar." I nod to the little girl. She smiled widely and got off of the bed and laid on the floor to reach under it. She pulled out the tiniest little case and unzipped it to show me the cutest pink bass guitar I have ever seen.

"It's pink!" she beamed.

"It's the prettiest pink bass I have ever seen." I tell her. 

"I know right! Mum said I can put some stickers on it too."

"I have stickers on one of my guitars. Maybe I could show you one day."

"Yeah!" she cheered.

"Can you play anything yet?" I ask.

"Uh, no. But I know the names of the strings! Syd taught me that back in Australia."

"What are they called?" I muse.

"Um, this one is E. Then this one is A. That one is D. And then this one is G." she pointed to the strings as she spoke.

"That's right. High five!" I praise and hold out my hand to her. She slaps her hand to mine with a big smile and all I can think about is how adorable she is.

 "Kids! Come down!" I hear Nat call.

"Put your bass away, Abs. Your Mammy wants us." I tell the girl. She agrees and makes a quick job of putting the instrument away so we could go down to answer Nat's call. Abigail takes my hand and leads me downstairs, and it's kinda funny because she is so small and I'm quite tall, so her hand is like, right above her head.

"There you are," Nat smiled at us as we came into the living room, "Come sit, we have something very important to ask you all."

Abi and I sit on the sofa next to Syd, Abigail immediately climbing into my lap and snuggling in. Nat pouted at us as she sat down next to Dewey. As per usual, they're making goo-goo eyes at  each other.

"What is it, Mum?" Sydney asked.

"Well," she started off, "Dewey and I were talking and we decided, if you three were okay with it, that we will get married and Dewey would move in with us."

Ollie and Abi haven't made it a thing to call Dewey Mama, yet. It's only Syd who does and I believe that it's because she is old enough to understand what being a parent means, and that Dewey has stepped up to that responsibility much quicker and better than her own father has. As far as Ollie and Abigail are concerned, their other parent is in Australia, missing them. Which probably isn't the case, unfortunately. From what Syd's told me, her father never really cared for them because of Nat's sexuality. He thought they'd be just like her. Completely prejudice and cruel, to judge kids because of the gender their mother is attracted to, but for it to be towards your own children is a whole new level...