My Baby Girl

The Pool Party Catastrophe

One Week Later
*Ashley's POV*

"Everleigh Joy Benson! Come over here right now so I can get your bathing suit on!" I call to my three year old who is running around her bedroom butt naked. Lately she has been having trouble listening and following the rules. I guess they don't call it a threenager for nothing!

"Everleigh, I'm going to count down from five and you're going to come here and get your bathing suit on, do you understand? Five, four, three, two," By that time Everleigh is standing in front of me with a pouty lip.

"Thank you." I say, and slip her blue bathing suit on. Lucy just recently got an underground pool put in her backyard, so to celebrate she invited the PLL cast over for a grand opening pool party!

"There we go!" I say. "Now was that so bad?" Everleigh shakes her head.

"that's what I thought. Now please get your pool toys from the backyard so we can bring them to Lucy's house ok?"

"Ok mommy." Everleigh says, and disappears from her room. I sigh. Raising a three year old is hard work!

***

After all the snacks, pool toys, towels, and bags are loaded into the trunk, Everleigh and I are finally ready to go. But when I'm ready to leave, Everleigh is no where to be found!"

"Everleigh!" I call. No reply. I run into the house and call her name over and over. No reply. My heart starts to pound when I see the patio door wide open, but then I catch sight of Everleigh nearly falling into our pool! I immediately rush over to her.

"Everleigh! What did I say about going by the pool?" I ask frustrated. Everleigh's little face scrunches up, and tears pool in her eyes.

"I'm sorry momma." she says sniffing. I'm still angry.

"How many times have I told you that Everleigh?" I ask. She starts to cry.

"I'm sowy- I- I- was jwust trying to-to- get my fwoaty ou-out of the pool so I-I can bring it to wucy's house!" She says, pointing to her yellow ducky floating on the water's surface. I relax a bit.

"It's ok Ev." I say, embracing her into a hug. I'm sorry I got mad."

"It's ok." Everleigh says into my shoulder. I caress her cheek in my hand and wipe the stray tears away from her eyes. "What do you say we forget this whole thing happened and go have fun at Lucy's?" I ask. Everleigh smiles and nods. I give her one more hug, and kiss her soft forehead. I retreive her floaty from the pool and walk with her to the car. She clambers up into her carseat, and waits patiently for me to strap her in. I walk around to the diver's side of the car, and slide into my seat.

***
"We're here!" I announce, as I pull up in Lucy's driveway. I can see that Troian and Daxton are already there, a long with Sasha.

"Yay!" Everleigh says, clapping her hands together, and doing a little giddy wiggle in her seat. As I come around to unbuckle her, she squeals excitedly.

"Hold on Ev! Stop squirming or I can't get you unbuckled!" I say laughing. The second the seat belts jiggle loose, Everleigh's out and already skipping up to the front door. I pop the trunk and retrieve our belongings. Then I meet up with Everleigh at the door.

"Hello!" Lucy says, opening the door in her peachy pink cover up.

"Wucy!" Everleigh says, and throws her arms around Lucy's legs.

"How's my Ever?" Lucy asks, hugging Everleigh back.

"Good! Uppy!" Everleigh begs, reaching her arms out for Lucy to pick her up. Lucy picks Ev up, and Everleigh clings to her.