Reflections of Light

Big Thoughts

Stomping about in his Wellington boots, Billy swung a large branch in front of him to beat a path through the undergrowth; Big Tiger being dragged by the forearm behind him with his tail barely skimming the dirt ground, and the small green snake peering out of his jacket collar.
Nibs had charged off ahead, leading their rag-tag party; his white tail flashing like a beacon through the branches.

"... And den, Mummy an' Declan said dey woz havin' a baby, but I finked dats unfair cause he's my frwiend; dey don't need a new baby, dey have me!" He whacked at the bushes around him with the stick, trekking through the plant life that bordered the park; a veritable jungle to the young boy.
"Da baby betta play games wif me." Billy said. Then he giggled. "Den, I c'n teach dem to be my minion. Raaaa!"

Letting loose his war cry, he charged out the bushes after the overly-excited dog, swinging the branch wildly as he attacked invisible enemies. The sunlight was bright out in the open, making him squint, as he tucked Big Tiger under his arm to free his hand to shield his face.

Across the field from him, a woman with a pushchair sat on a bench, a small blonde child strapped into the buggy, wriggling her feet and pulling on the clips in an attempt to get out as the woman rocked the pram back and forth soothingly as she stared straight ahead.

"You okay?" Billy chimed, running up to her.

Nyx didn't seem to hear him for a second, but then she started in surprise, blinking as she pulled herself out of her daze. "Sorry, I glazed over for a second."

"Woz you finking?" Billy asked. "You woz all distracted."

"Uh... I was thinking about some things, yes." Nyx chuckled.

"Finking big foughts and cleva fings." Billy nodded knowingly.

"Yes, thoughts and clever things." Nyx agreed, humouring the boy.

"Big foughts."

"Huh?"

"Not small foughts, big foughts." Billy repeated, looking proud of himself. "Small foughts are easy, don't need much work. Big foughts are more harder."

"Ohh, right!" Nyx nodded, thoroughly cheered up and engaging with the boy now. "You're very clever and observant."

"I'm top of my lessons, you know." Billy boasted. "Espes-ially in science and Histwy. Your baby is trying to escape."

Nyx looked down to where Abby was struggling stubbornly with the strollers clips, making irritated grizzling sounds. "Oh, sorry Baby Bird! I thought you were still tired after playing on the swings."

Reaching forward, she began to undo the straps with the purpose of pulling the active child up onto her lap.

Billy wrinkled his nose. "Why are you wearing gloves? It's sunny."

Nyx paused in her tracks. "Oh, uh... I just decided to."

Looking at the woman in front of him, it was occurring to Billy that she did in fact seem a little bit overdressed for the season- not bizarrely so, mind. Just for the warm weather, she was oddly covered up; all long sleeves and gloves and even a lightweight blue scarf. Every inch of skin had been carefully covered, as to reduce contact with anything unwarranted.

He was distracted from his observation though by the young child sitting on her lap, looking at him with curious eyes.

"Aww, so cute! Is et a boy or a girl?"

"A girl." Nyx said, a little put out by the question. Abby was grown enough to clearly look like a little girl, and if not the summery pink dress and hair bow was probably a give away. "Her name's Abby. Short for Abigail."

"Ooh. Like I'm Billy, short for William!" Scrambling up onto the bench, he claimed the seat next to them, clearly not planning to leave soon. "Her hair is really blonde and pretty." He said, lightly stroking his fingertips over Abby's feathery tresses. "Mummy's having a baby, you know."

"I do know." Nyx said. "She told me the other day."

"I don't know if dats gonna be a boy or a girl."

"Well, you won't be able to tell for a while." Nyx said, bouncing Abby on her knee and making the young girl giggle with glee. "They do have a scan where you can find out which one it is after the baby is a bit bigger. But some mummys like to keep it a surprise until the baby is born."

"Is dat wot you did?"

"I'm sorry?"

He pointed at Abby. "When you had a baby, did you keep et secwit wot et woz?"

"Ohhh!" Nyx chuckled in realisation. "No, no, I... I didn't give birth to her. She's actually my brother's and his ex-girlfriends. I'm just... Looking after her for the time being."

"Why?"

"Well... Her mummy got sick and wasn't able to. So I decided to help."

"But you have a boyfriend, don't you? Dats wot my mummy sez."

"I'm seeing someone, yes." Nyx said warily. "Does your mummy talk about my relationships a lot?"

"Uh... Only a little bit. Can I play wif Abby? Maybe... On da roundabout, ef I spin it weally slowly?"

"Oh..." Nyx said, letting out a small, tired sigh as she looked across the park to the playground. "I guess so..."

"William, I told you not to run off!" Luci yelled, spying him from across the field and crossing over towards them.

"You said we woz going to da park, so I went to da park." Billy said smartly.

"Don't get smart-mouthed, you know you weren't supposed to do that." Luci scolded him. "You do that again, I'll put you on the child leash."

"No-ooo!" Billy whined, his face screwing up in a sulk. Seeing Billy in distress, Nibs lolloped over, butting his head gently against the boys side.

"Yes." Luci said. "Just because Grandma's back home, doesn't mean you can misbehave."

"Nanny said I can do what I like." Billy grumbled.

Luci rolled her eyes. "Honestly. I swear... L'Ange, you don't look well."

"I'm fine. Just tired." Nyx said quickly, strapping Abby back into the buggy with unsteady hands.
It was true. She was feeling strangely tired; her energy had been fluctuating ever since her experience with the toy bear, and suddenly it had dropped quite quickly.

"Are you sure?" Luci narrowed her eyes. "You're not sick? Drunk? High? Pregnant?"

"No!" Nyx said defensively. Anxiously, she pushed her hair out of her face, her breath shallow in her throat. She was tempted to tell the faerie girl the truth; about the strange visions, on the off chance she'd understand- Heck, just even to share the burden, to have someone else know. But it wasn't like they were friends; she couldn't tell her, it didn't work like that. She couldn't just trust her.

Taking a step, she tripped, sending herself sprawling on all fours. There she stayed for several seconds, trying to squeeze back the tears that had sprung up in her eyes.

'No, no, you won't cry... What the hell is GOING ON?!'

Suddenly, a pair of cool, firm hands were on her shoulders, slowly easing her up off the dirt.
"I'm sorry." Alysha apologised softly, pulling Nyx close almost as if she were a child. "I've not been paying attention, have I? Don't worry, I've got you now."