Melwood's Miracle

Chapter 41: Familiar Face

Chris's POV

For a couple months now, Willow has been walking, or wobbling rather around the apartment. We haven't wanted to take her out in public yet because she could fall and hurt herself, she could wander off, or some stranger could take her.

But today Melissa thinks we should let her walk with us when we go to the grocery store. I don't think it's an entirely horrible idea, but she's been fine walking in the apartment without complaining.

Melissa turns over in bed towards me. "Chris."
"Hmm?" I mumble.
"If you don't want to take Willow to the store, I'll stay with her while you just go," she suggests.

Across the room Willow stands i her crib and calls out, "Da! Ma!"
"Hi, sweetie," I say and get out of bed to get her, avoiding Melissa's suggestion altogether.

I lift Willow out of her crib and hug her to my chest.
"Do you want to go get food?" I whisper into her ear.
She pulls away from me and nods her head furiously.
"Yeah?" I ask.
"Ye," she manages.

I turn towards Melissa. "Looks like we're going to the grocery store with our one year old."
"Good. Okay," she says as she picks up her book off the bedside table.

Melissa's POV

I get dressed and go to the kitchen to get Willow's favourite cereal ready fro her in a bowl. A minute later she comes dashing out of the bedroom saying something that sounds like, "look! Look!"

She's wearing a dress that I got her for her birthday which was two weeks ago.
"Very pretty Lo," I say and hand her the plastic bowl filled with cereal.
"Tink you," she says, almost clearly.

"You're very welcome. Go sit over at the table. I don't want to see cereal all over the floor like yesterday," I tell her, pointing towards the table to show her what I mean.
I watch as she walks over, sets her bowl on the table then pulls herself onto the chair and sits on her knees.

'Cartoons?" I ask her, walking over to the living room where the TV is.
"Peas," she says and I smile, turning on some cartoons for her to watch while she eats.

Chris's POV

"Are you ready Willow?" I ask her as she stands in-front of me by the door with her little shoes on. "Say, I'm ready."
"I'm ree-dy," she sings lightly.

Slowly after, we make it to the car, then the grocery store soon after.
I carry Willow inside and then as I predicted she started squirming for me to put her down.

"Okay, okay," I say as I put her down on the floor.
She runs forward, fast and I call after her. "Slow down Willow. Daddy isn't that fast."

Melissa comes up next to me. "Can you get the spaghetti sauce over there. I'll go get the bread."
"Got it."

I make it over to the aisle and lean down to get the sauce on the bottom shelf. Suddenly, a little girl, maybe seven years old touches my leg.

"I know you," she says.
I stand up and make a confused face. "Uh."

Then I see her at the end of the aisle. She's the last person I ever thought I would see at the grocery store.

—
Cliffhanger again lol
-E