Reminiscing

Not So Fashionably Late

Nancy's POV~

"Nancy, man do I love your kid!" Valerie gushed in between gasps of air.

She had been running after her while I went out to retrieve Desiree's inhaler from the car. Although she seemed perfectly fine and capable of running around freely like any other kid—I was still terrified of her wellbeing. I had to admit that I was still traumatized about the 'her being ripped away from my arms' incident after giving birth to her, so I deemed my worry as some sort of paranoia of having the same thing happening yet again, but this time as I rushed through the ER doors.

I was scared of having her confined inside the hospital's room again. I wanted her to feel free. To be able to try all the things kids her age did. Yet I couldn't shake my fear away and that's what worried me. Would I ever be able to stop my traumatizing experience to haunt me each time I saw my daughter running?

"Why's that?" I asked after plopping down on a bench. "Because you just realized my awesomeness got passed down to her hereditarily? Or because she got my good looks?"

"You're so condescending!" Valerie shook her head disapprovingly. "She really does act like you though."

I laughed and asked her why she thought this.

"Just moments ago she asked me if I thought she was pretty and that if I believed she could get a boyfriend."

"Please tell me you didn't encourage this early interest in boys. She's too young for that!" I complained, completely appalled that Desirée would actually ask something like that.

"I said she was beautiful but that I didn't believe you would be too happy about that idea."

"Damn right I wouldn't!" I huffed.

"I have a feeling you're going to be that overprotective mother that purposely scares away all of her daughter's love interests'." When I agreed Valerie continued to speak. "And I'll be the extremely nice and trustworthy friend to help your daughter escape her prison cell—in other words, her room—in order for her to meet up with her secret boyfriend that she'll keep hidden from you."

"You wouldn't." I narrowed my eyes at her while she threw her head back and laughed. "I'd disown you if you so much as betrayed me like that. You're supposed to help me protect her from all the dirty-minded guys and girls out there!"

"You know I'm kidding Nancy."

I watched as Desirée interacted with other children that were also playing at the park. Although she spent the majority of her nine years inside a hospital, she didn't seem to have any trouble approaching other kids and striking a conversation with them. This made me really happy because it would have been hard for me to see my daughter being an apathetic child that shied away from people rather than making friends, which was something she needed.

"She seems happy." Valerie voiced my own thoughts.

"She does. I'm glad she's enjoying herself. She deserves it." I checked my wristwatch and I stood from the bench. "We should get going."

Even if I wanted to spend more time out here and watch Desirée enjoying herself, we really needed to get back. I still had to prepare dinner for Candice and I was guessing it wouldn't take that long for her to arrive.

Of course by 'preparing dinner' I actually meant that Jane, Valerie and I had to pull something together.

Even if I couldn't cook, I would still make an effort and cook something special for Candice. Hopefully, she'll take in consideration my effort instead of the actual food.