A Day in the Park

Everything was leading up to this day. It was you and your little niece. She turns 3 soon. Her mother is not with us anymore. You got custody because no one knew the father and your parents aren’t able to take care of a little one. Do you know how hard it is to explain to a 2 year old that mommy’s not coming back?

It was you and your niece Chloe’s weekly visit to the park. You usually go straight to the slides. It’s the one thing that Chloe can do by herself. Today was different. It was a bright sunny day and there were many people in the park which is strange for your small town. We start to head for the slides when Chloe walks off in the other direction. Not realizing what she is doing; you see that there is a guy holding his arms open for her to walk straight into them. You start to yell to her but she ignores you, so you run to her and this guy. He doesn’t look familiar to you. There are all these girls surrounding him as well. Once you reach Chloe, she is already in his arms.

You hear him say “What your name beautiful?”

“Chloe” she says.

That’s when he notices you coming straight to him looking mad.

“Who is this magnificent lady you are with?” He asks.

“That’s Pancakes” she says giggling.

When hearing all this, your face lightens and you walk up clam but stern.

Talking to Chloe: “What do you think you are doing babez?” To him “Hi I’m Kenzie.”

“Nice to meet both of you, I’m Liam.” He says.

“We are going to go play on the slides. Will you come play with us?” Chloe says. “Babez he has other things to do.” You say.

“I would love to Chloe.” He says.

You try to take Chloe out of his arms but she would not go to you. So you all go walk over to the slides. You notice that the groups of girls are following you. You lean over to Liam and say “You know we are being followed right?” He responses by asking “You really don’t know who I am, do you?” "I do not. Should I?” By this point you get scared that you are about to have something really bad happen to you or Chloe. Chloe means the world to you since she was born. You had just finished college and was working in a homeless shelter when everything happened.

He put a hand on you, when you were in your own little world for a while and says “I am in a band. That is why all the girls are following me.” You look over to him with your mouth wide open. Chloe being Chloe puts her hand to your mouth saying “It’s not nice to have your mouth open like that Pancakes.” You close your mouth while Liam is laughing. Liam puts Chloe down and she goes off to the slide.

“Why are you called Pancakes and not mom?” Liam asks.

“When she was little she wasn’t able to call me Kenzie; it had always came out pancakes. Her mother loved the nickname so my parents, and my sister call me pancakes when Chloe is around.” You responded.

“Oh. Do you have Chloe for the day then” He asks.

“No. My sister had a really bad drug problem and had over dosed in May. I got custody of Chloe.” He is just staring at me at this point. You look at Chloe and see that she has this plastered smile on her. You look back to Liam and notice he is looking at Chloe as well.  I wonder what he is thinking. I know that it is hard for me to even think let alone speak about it; but this is the first time telling someone what had happen. I don’t really want him to leave thinking this is a messed up family. You look back at him and he speaks while still looking at Chloe. “I am so sorry for your loss.” You look away and think about your sister. You smile because she will always be that same girl you knew in high school. She was the one that didn’t know she was beautiful even when someone told her. Liam leans down to you and takes your hand in his and kisses it. You are taken aback by this. You pull your hand away, and his eyes were so bewildered that you almost wanted to hug him right there and then. You put your hand back down saying “Sorry. I’m just not use to people touching me.” He looks at you and smiles. “It is my fault. I should have asked or said something before.”

Chloe comes over and looks at the two of you, then looks at your hands. Her smile grew even more. She pulls both of you two and says to come play on the slides. Both of you with your hands in each others get up and go to play with her. After a while on the slides you ask Chloe if you could go swing. She lets you go off and swing while Liam plays with her on the slide. Once on the swing you are able to see the two of them. There are a few girls that come ask him for hugs and pictures. Chloe being a little 3 year old girl asks to be in them as well and smiles like the picture were for her.

The girls start to head back home and Liam goes back playing with Chloe on the slide. He looks over to you every now and then. After a few more looks Liam walks with Chloes hand in his to the swings and he starts to push the both of you.

The sun was slowly going down and you needed to get Chloe home so you could start dinner. You thank Liam for spending the day with you guys.

“Could I spend more time with you and Chloe?” Liam asks.

You nod and invite him over for dinner. Tonight was your famous Pumpkin black bean bake. Chloe loves it and it has everything nutrition that you could get in a meal.