Finding Family

Evalynn: Home away from... home?

The following morning, once I'd eaten breakfast and then got dressed, I'd been able to spend time with mamma while Ben watched some cartoons. She filled me in on the house rules and what normally happened when, and while she talked she fiddled with my hair.
"So just to check you try and have Ben spend time not just watching TV?" I asked, dubiously eyeing the cartoon cars Ben was watching as she gently twisted my hair.
"That's the plan. I don't do it to be mean, its just meant to be more healthy. And he's so happy and sweet playing pirates or at the park. What do you normally do with your day? Do you watch a lot of telly by any chance?" Mamma replied.
I smiled. "Well normally I get up and do my homework or reading or something and then after lunch I go out with my friends. When they're away I'll go out on my own exploring, and pretend I'm exploring some unknown land. If its wet I stay home and read or play games. I watch TV a lot in the evenings though." I explained.
"You like to explore then?"
"Yeah, I just like being outdoors. Its that or singing and dancing around in my room. My favourite things."
"God you're so cute. Do you have a hairband I can use to tie this up?" She asked, moving my hair.
I took a sideways glance as I slipped my hairband from my wrist (I kept one there out of habit) and could see that she'd plaited my hair. She took the hairband from me and looped it into my hair.
"There we are, much better. It's all out of your face now." She told me.
"Can I go look..." I trailed off as she nodded, and ran to the downstairs bathroom, looking at my reflection with a grin. For the first time ever my hair was plaited in such a way that no frizzy little tufts stuck out, and it was tight enough sections weren't slipping out without it being so tight it hurt. "Woah." I breathed; the best part was I'd hardly felt her plaiting my hair.

After I felt like I'd sufficiently admired my hair, I headed back to the living room with a massive smile.
"I'm sorry, it's just... well... I've never seen my hair so neat. No-one knows what to do with it to get it to stop sticking up when I'm at... home? Is it home? I guess it is yeah." I told her as I sat back down next to her.
She smiled. "Well there's not much to say to that except you know my hair's been a nightmare just like that in the past, so I'm pretty practised at tying it up."
"But how were you so gentle doing it to mine?" I asked, still surprised I'd hardly noticed it.
She laughed. "I was left in charge of both Star and Daisy at different points during the summer, and I've wanted a chance to tie up a little girl's hair just once, so I took the opportunities to practice."
I snuggled up closer to her with a soft smile. "I love it so much." I whispered.
Her arms slipped round me, pushing me closer against her as if she was afraid she'd somehow lose me again. "I'd hoped you would." She told me, before pressing a kiss to my forehead.
"Can I join?" Ben asked, looking at the two of us together.
I shrugged and mamma smiled. "I don't see why not." She replied.
So Ben climbed onto the sofa to join us and we took him into our little snuggle as well. And I was happy. And it just felt like, with the three of us there like that, well it felt like home.

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We went to the park that was through the woods during that afternoon, and I talked to Faye relentlessly about me and my life and what I enjoyed. When I wasn't talking she'd talk about anything that particularly came to her mind to reply to my rambles. Mick ended up walking along holding Ben's hand and half listening to us. I liked him, not quite as much as I loved Ben and mamma just yet, but I appreciated him for letting me into his life.
"Mmm... my favourite subject at school... That's tough. It's not History or French... Probably something hands on. Science. No... Computing. I also like art, but not so much in the lesson as when I'm doing it for fun." I wasn't entirely sure I had a favourite subject, there were a few I liked, but those two were the ones I most looked forwards to.
"Oh Computing nice!" Mick said, joining in with our conversation out of no-where. "Have you done any programming?"
I smiled. "Not much. We get to do most of that after Christmas."
"Programming is good, but it's hard. Databases... now they're great to play around with."
"Mick this isn't about you." Faye grumped.
I tried not to giggle at her childish frustration, still determined to make a good impression. "It's fine." I replied.
"She just gets in a huff about all that stuff because she doesn't understand it do you Tozie-boo." Mick teased.
Rolling her eyes, she laughed. "Remind me again why I agreed to marry you?"
He laughed and I decided I'd rather walk with Ben instead while they teased each other.