Page 11 of Nocere

"Rose is our friend, love." Alice grinned at the kid. "But good job with stranger danger."

"Okay," she said, and tugged me through the living room toward the sliding glass doors where the swing set stood in plain view. I unlocked the door for her, and Luna led me over to a swing of her choosing.

"Need a boost?" I asked as she gripped the chains with the seat by her rear.

"Nope. I can do it." She pulled herself up and giggled when her feet dangled. "See?"

"Good job. Do you want me to push you?" I asked, smiling at her cute attempts to get herself moving.

"Just one push then you can swing, too."

"Yes, ma'am." I grinned and gave her one good push to get her started, before joining her on the adjacent swing.

"Rose, you can go so high!" squealed Luna, and I laughed hard as the freedom of the movement hit me like an uprising of wind.

"So can you. I bet you can beat me."

"I beat my sister. She thinks she's better but wrong." Luna giggled up a storm and I couldn't help sliding under the prospect of her joy.

"Is it fun having a sister?"

"Uh huh. I have two sisters. Do you?"

"Nope. No sisters."

"Do you have two mommies?"

"Nope." I leaned my head against the chains while watching her. "Two mommies is pretty special though."

"Uh huh. And a Papa Marc."

"Who's Papa Marc?"

"Moms say he helped make me and my sisters 'cause he loves us so much." Luna held her feet out in front of her as if admiring her boots. I certainly did so it made sense.

"Well, that sounds like a very special family to me," I said, unable to wipe the smile from my face at that point.

"Uh huh." Luna hummed a sweet tune while she swung, then dragged her feet to slow herself down after a few minutes. I followed suit and watched as she hopped from the swing then raced over to the slide. First, she cleaned off some fallen leaves from it, then proceeded to climb.

"Sam," I heard Ainsley call through the open door. The screen blocked some of my view of what they were doing, but I could hear what they said. "Careful. Okay?"

"I can handle it," Samirah said, just before the screen door opened and she stepped out.

I drew my gaze away to watch Luna on her third trip down the slide. She abandoned that endeavor for the seesaw swing.

Samirah joined us, and took a seat on the swing beside me while she smiled at Luna. "Hello, sweet girl."

"Sami, watch this." Luna stood up on the big swing and pretended to surf, while holding on though.

"That's pretty darn awesome, kiddo." Samirah grinned and clapped once. "I think you should be a skateboarder."

"Maybe Santa can bring me it," Luna said, giggling while she returned to her seat.

Samirah turned her attention to me and my gaze flickered in her direction, though I made sure I focused primarily on Luna in fear of her getting hurt on my watch.

"You're a natural with her. I saw," said Samirah.

"I grew up around a lot of kids. She's an easy one."

---