"Who are you talking to Rose?" I call to my six year old daughter as she plays on the swing set outside of my Victorian home. My mind was caught in how to revive the azaleas when I heard her voice. The laughter in it that only a young child could possess.
"Just Lucy mom." Her voice carries me to through the small yard as she replies.
"Oh okay." My mind is still caught up in the azaleas, making me not process the words. As I hear her laughter again, I come to the realization. My head snaps behind me to see her by herself.
Playing it off as an imaginary friend, I get back to gardening. They looked to have the roots well below the ground, the dead flowers were cut off as I trimmed it- I just don't see what the problem was... Wait! Water! They needed water!
Wiping the dust off my dirty pants, I set off for the water hose.
"Mommy did you see where Lucy went?"
Turning to look at her, her hazel eyes were filled with sadness, her smile was droopy, and even her arms looked like they gave up with living. Every sign to make my motherly instincts kick in.
Sweeping her into a big bear hug, I spin her around just like her deceased father used to do. She immediately erupts into a giggling fit.
"No hon I didn't. How about we go out for ice cream?"
"Two scoops with sprinkles?"
My face is stern after her question and I make sure she sees it. Right before I'm going to put my answer to words she gives me the look. The one where her smile tilts down and her eyes plead to me. The look that was half cute and half depressing. The one that you just couldn't resist.
"Okay fine two scoops."
"With sprinkles." My daughter pleads to me.
"With sprinkles."
With the sound of car doors they are off. A squeal could be heard in the backyard from the play set as the swing sways back and forth. Back and forth. If you listen closely laughter could be heard. Laughter that most would call just the wind. Just how the moving swing was just from the wind.
****
As we both walk into Two Scoops my daughter rushes ahead to drool at all of the choices. Chuckling softly to myself from the irony of it all, I move to join her.
"She's quite a looker." A man says to me making me jump from fright.
"What?"
"Your daughter. She quite beautiful, almost like her mother."
Was this man seriously trying to hit on me? Looking towards the man in disgust, he was truly the handsome type. Short brown hair, ocean blue eyes, and probably a six pack under that shirt. Handsome but probably cocky.
"What's a beautiful woman like you doing here without a ring on her finger?"
"Just getting my daughter a treat. Now if you'll excuse me." I say trying to get ahead of the man and to my daughter. He lets me pass. We both get two scoops of Rocky Road with sprinkles.
"$12.50," The acne covered teenager tells me at checkout. I start digging through my purse. I know my wallet was in their somewhere.
"Put their purchase on my tab. I'll pay for the lovely lady and her little one." The man from before calls out to the clerk. I see him walk towards us.
"You didn't have to do that you know." I say it like I was annoyed. My daughter tugs at my pants. Crouching down, I look to her cute face. I knew what she wanted. She couldn't reach the ice cream, but I needed to talk to her.
