You, Me, and Riley

chapter 38

Dana

"Are you sure you don't want to go peanut?" I asked Riley as she sat in the middle of the living room stacking blocks "it will be a lot of fun."

"No tank you Mommy." she said looking back at me with a smile. "I stay ere wit you and Mama."

"But think of all the friends you're going to make." I said.

"But I have fiends" she said with a shrug.

"Don't tell your Mama that I'm telling you this" I said looking behind me to make sure Hayden wasn't standing there "but the more friends you invite to your birthday party the more gifts you get."

"I'm standing right here Dana" Hayden said, walking up behind me and hitting the back of my head.

"I don't see you trying to convince her." I said with a grin as she sat down next to me and put her legs on my lap.

"Mommy do make a goo poin doe Mama." Riley said setting down her blocks and looking at us.

"Oh does she" Hayden said smiling as Riley stood up to join us on the couch.

"I guess I can twy the gwoup jus dis once." she said curling up on Haydens lap and looking up at me with big serious eyes. "Ut we ould hab mo fun here."

"We would have fun here wouldn't we?" But baby you would have making lots of new friends, and not so you can get new gifts." Hayden said "You have Jessican and Andy and Scott and they are your bestest friends but don't you want more?"

"I can't have mo bes fiends Mama" she said seriously "I aw-ready beaking the rues wit Anie and scott."

"You're right, silly me" Hayden said tickling Riley with a laugh "but you can have more friends."

"I guess Uo make a goo poin too Mama." Riley said "I twy the group." she said with a sigh.

"Thats my girl!" I said with a grin standing up and carrying her upstairs "Lets put on some play clothes while Mama packs lunch."

I waited as she picked out the clothes that she wanted to wear today laughing as she handed me a pair of pink plaid overall shorts, a red polka dot shirt, and her purple rain boots. Riley was going through a pick her own clothing phase and she never managed to pick out matching clothes.

"Ready to go?" I asked after I helped her into her boots. I watched as she ran to her crib and grabbed the folder of adoption paperwork and walked over to me with a smile and took my hand.

"Why don't we leave those here." Riley hadn't talked about Hayden and I adopting her since we brought it up to her last week but she carried the paperwork around like a new comfort item. I think I saw that folder more than I saw Leo. "I promise it will be here when we get home." I said starting to panic when her eyes filled up with tears and she held the folder to her chest. I sighed through a laugh when she ran out of the room and straight to the kitchen where Hayden was packing the lunch.

"What did Mama say sweetheart?" she asked, looking at me in confusion.

"I not bing the apers." she said looking at her with a frown.

"We don't want them to get ruined do we?" Hayden asked looking at her with a smile "The park is all dirty and gross."

"I need to bing dem" She said through a sob. "I need dem."

"We're going to have to get new papers anyway" Hayden whispered to me with a shrug "these ones are all wrinkled and gross." I nodded before walking up behind her and kissing the top of her head.

"You can bring your folder sweetheart." I said smiling when she looked up at me with big watery eyes.

"I bing it?" she asked looking between Hayden and I smiling when we nodded.

"How about we put it in the picnic basket so you can play and eat without worrying about it getting lost or dirty." Hayden asked after a few seconds.

"Otay Mama." she said wiggling off of her hip and handing her the folder before running to the door.

"Lets gooooo!" I yelled, running to meet her and picking her up, carrying her to the car. She squealed through a laugh as I spun her in a circle before buckling her in her carseat and waiting as Hayden put the basket next to her.

"Et's gooooo!" Riley mimicked me as Hayden and I climbed in and started the car.

"Will you stop teaching her things like that?" Hayden asked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I said in confusion.

"Right" she said with a snort "and she learned that swear word from bubble guppies."

"Oh yeah" I said with a sheepish smile"to be fair I didn't mean to teach her that word, she was in the kitchen when I stubbed my toe on the table." I said as we pulled up to the park. "Lets gooooo." I said unbuckling Riley and running towards the tree I saw Mike and Sheri sitting under.

"Hey" Mike said standing up to take the basket from Hayden as Riley ran off to meet the kids at the playground "you guys are early."

"Yeah" I said with a shrug "we thought it would help Riley's anxiety if she was here with just her friends first, instead of walking in on the mayhem of a massive littles playdate."

"Makes since" Sheri said as her and Hayden started unpacking the baskets "How is she doing with the possible adoption?" she asked as Hayden pulled the folder out of the basket.

"She hasn't talked about it since we brought it up last week" she said with a grin "but she carries that folder everywhere. I have no idea what that means though."

"I think that means you need to talk to your kid." Mike said with a snort "She's obviously not processing what you've asked her. That's a big question for a 3 year old."

"We planned on talking to her tonight" I said watching as Riley ran around the playground with a frown on her face "We wanted to give her the chance to think about it without feeling pressure from us, but I think she needs to feel pressure from us."

I watched as more and more littles arrived and with each new face Riley got less and less excited. "She doesn't seem very happy Dana" Hayden said looking at me with worried eyes "maybe we didn't make the right decision."

"I've been thinking the same thing." I said with a frown "I assumed it was like last time, she didn't want to go to the last playdate either, but then she loved it."

"I think we're going to go home." Hayden said smiling at Sheri as I started packing up the basket and Hayden walked towards the playground.

"She doesn't look to happy." She doesn't look to happy Sheri said with a sad smile.

"She tried." I said watching as Hayden walked back to us with Riley on her hip smiling as she waved to Mike and Sheri and turned towards the car.

"Bye Unca Mike bye Aun Sheri." she said as we started to walk away.

When we finally made it home we all walked into the living room setting Riley on the couch before kneeling in front of her.

"I think Mommy and I owe you an apology baby." Hayden said with a small smile "I think you were trying to tell us that you really didn't want to go, that you wanted to stay here with Mommy and me, but we weren't doing a good job at listening. We are so sorry angel."

"Dat's okay Mama" she said with a grin "I jus be wit you."

"We wanna be with you too, peanut." I said looking at Hayden before reaching into the basket and grabbing the folder "we also wanted to talk abo-well that went great." I mumbled as Riley looked at us with big eyes before turning around and running up the stairs.

Hey friends! Sorry for the SUPER slow updates. I've been having difficulties getting my creative juices flowing but I love all my books and have no intentions of not completing them! I have the story lines mapped out and know where I want to go, its just a matter of getting there. I  love all of the comments and posts and remember to stay safe and healthy out there!