What Should have been

Ice Cream

Elizabeth stares in Awe at the machine singing in front of her, It reminds her of a doll.

It wears a dress of light blue and the legs are striped like stockings, the face is blue eyed and rosy with brunette locks tied up into a long tail.

Children run in and out of the room excitedly.

But one child stays, she hides in a corner scribbling a drawing of a rabbit in yellow crayon.

The music stops for a bit and Elizabeth asks for an ice cream, while the girl hidden in the corner perks up at the request.

An ice cream would be nice right about now.

She gets up and walks into view.

"C-Can I have one too?"

Elizabeth turns around and stares at the girl, her straight black hair contrasts against the light strawberry blonde of Elizabeth's curls.

"Oh I didn't know you were here Cassidy. What would you like?"

"Strawberry."

The machine finishes making the first cone, the holding tray extends and Elizabeth grabs it.

"One strawberry cone please?" Elizabeth says.

The machine dispenses it, when the holding tray extends Cassidy grabs the cone and starts to walk away.

"Wait!" Elizabeth follows her back to her corner and they both sit down.

Cassidy grabs her crayon and resumes drawing.

"What's that you're drawing?" Elizabeth points and presses down on the paper.

"It's a bunny." Cassidy says, she picks up a green crayon and scribbles in the grass underneath the animal.

Elizabeth giggles "He kind of looks like a dog his ears are too small."

Cassidy grimaces, and Elizabeth realizes her mistake.

"I mean, that's ok, maybe he's a special short eared rabbit."

Cassidy continues scribbling, this time a yellow sun.

"Can I try?" Elizabeth asks quizically.

Cassidy doesn't answer but she looks up and stares Elizabeth in the eyes for a while.

"Here."

Cassidy gives her a handful of crayons.

Elizabeth moves over next to her and begins drawing two figures holding Ice cream cones.

"What's that?" Cassidy says pointing at one of the figures.

"It's a red, bow, the one in my hair."

Cassidy giggles.

"It looks too big to be a bow, you look like a bunny rabbit!"

They both laugh, and soon Henry comes to pick Elizabeth up and bring her home, She takes his hand and takes one last look at Cassidy before walking out of the door.

The next day Henry finds the picture on the ground, he picks it up and looks it over before folding it up and sticking it in his pocket.

It's been 2 years Since William went to prison.

Since then, Henry has been taking care of his children.

But he's  beat, after all handling an extra three additions to the family can definitely take alot out of a man.

But he doesn't regret it one bit, they're happy and he's happy and that's all that matters.