Growing Up - DISCONTINUED

Chapter 1

AN: If you haven't read the summary/intro/description, you might want to go read it!

Selene

"Momma?" A hand tugged at Channary's sleeve.

"Yes, baby?"

Selene made a face. "I'm not a baby, Momma. I'm five already."

Channary laughed. "Yes, but you'll always be my baby girl. Now, what is it you were going to tell me?"

"Can me and Winter go to the park?"

"Winter and I, dear."

"Can Winter and I go to the park? We want to look in the neighborhood, too, since we just moved here. Maybe we can make some new friends! Please, Momma?"

"Alright, but I'm coming with you."

"But Momma, Auntie said she's coming with me and Winter!"

Channary picked herself up, her purse and her keys. "It doesn't hurt to have another adult watching you. We can get ice cream afterwards, alright?"

"Yay! Thanks, Momma! I'm going to get Winter and Auntie right now!" Selene skipped off happily.

"Since when did she learn to say 'neighborhood'?" remarked a new voice behind Channary. 

"Ah, baby sister, can't you see Selene is a smart child? Of course, she can't help it, being a Blackburn."

Levana snickered. "Don't go spoiling the poor girl. She certainly couldn't pick her own mother."

Channary waved her off carelessly. "No one could. I wouldn't choose our mother if I could. Neither would you. Besides, Selene is a princess. She can't be spoiled."

"Doesn't that then make you the scheming queen who's waiting for a prince to manipulate you into marrying your daughter?"

Channary laughed. "No boy will ever be good enough for my Selene. Come now, the girls are waiting for us."

***

Half an hour later, the four of them were sitting on a park bench, licking half-melted ice cream cones they bought at a nearby shop.

Selene hopped off the bench after she finished hers. "I'm gonna go play now, Momma."

"But your hands are still sticky and sweet. Come here and wipe them clean, baby."

"I'm not gonna eat my hands, Momma!" Selene made a great show of dragging her feet as she trudged toward Channary.

"You might when you have dirt all over them, dear." Selene pretended to gag, and she and Winter burst into giggles as Channary wiped Selene's hands with wet-ones. "Run along now, dear."

Selene cheered, grabbed Winter by the hand, and together they ran off toward the slide, their laughter ringing like bells.

Channary smiled as she watched them run and play, suddenly wishing she could've done these things as a child. "I think Selene will grow up to be a great actress one day, just like me."

Levana snorted. "Let's hope the only things she'll inherit from you are looks and a talent for acting. Leave out everything else."

"What do you mean, everything else?" responded Channary innocently.

"Well, you don't know who Selene's father is. Doesn't that say something?"

Channary shrugged. "Oh, well." She glanced down at her watch. "My stars, it's five! We should get them home, Levana."