Page 90 of Not A Whisper

He grunts, doubling over out of sight. A small child, no more than six or seven, hops up onto the sidewalk and makes a beeline for the stairs of my building. The determined scowl and fresh tears on her face as she pumps her little arms and legs is adorable. Her backpack bounces up and down behind her. Small braids flail wildly all around her face.

“Shasha!” Lance grunts out, trying to stand. “Wait, you’re going to fall.”

The warning comes too late. I watch as her sneaker catches the lip of the slightly raised portion of the sidewalk. Her eyes widen with alarm as she topples forward. At the last minute, she goes to catch herself, her arms flinging out in front of her. Still, as she hits the ground, she cries out.

I’m moving in her direction before she can even lift her head.

“DADDY!” she screams before bursting into tears.

“Hey, hey, you’re ok,” I coo as I approach, crouching down beside her.

The little girl shakes her head, her eyes so full of tears that I don’t think she sees me at all.

“No I’m not, I’m hurt!” She gets to her hands and knees slowly, then sits back on her heels to look at her hands.

I glance down at them too before tsking. “No you’re not. Look, not even a scratch.”

The little girl sniffs while studying her hands incredulously. Slowly, her tears begin to slow. Swallowing hard, she looks up at me. “I’m not hurt?”

I shake my head. “Nope. You’re fine, you just scared yourself, but you look like you’re a big girl. You aren’t going to let a little fear and a fall ruin your day now, are you?”

Her little mouth turns downward in a thoughtful frown.

“Shasha!” Lance calls, his voice strained. “I’m coming. You just got me real good.” In a lower voice I hear him mutter, “Your mother must’ve taught you that move.”

Lance hobbles over to us, holding on to his crotch. Pain pinches his facial features. When he sees me, however, he lets go of himself and shoots me a sheepish smile.

I smile back. “I found something of yours.”

The little girl turns as her father approaches. “Daddy!”

“Hey, you ok, baby girl?” he asks, crouching down beside her.

“I’m not a baby, Daddy.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “I’m a big girl. I just got scared, but I know I’m ok. This lady sees me as big, so I’m big.”

She points to me. Lance’s brows raise. He looks from his daughter to me then back down at her.

“You know what? You are a big girl, aren’t you?” He helps her to her feet and then offers me his hand to do the same for me.

I take it gratefully. “Thanks.”

“Yes!” His daughter cries out, a smile stretching across her face.

“Big enough to understand that your mom and I have to take turns sharing you?” Lance pushes gently. “That in order to be fair to each other, and you, we have to do this?”

The little girl scowls and opens her mouth, probably to protest, but I cut in with a smile down at her.

“Taking turns is so important. A big girl would understand that. Mommy’s and daddy’s both need the love of a big girlequally or you’ll hurt their feelings, but you already know that, don’t you?”

“Oh, um,” the little girl thinks about this for a second. Again she scowls, falling deep into thought.

I look at Lance who’s biting back the urge to smile as he watches his daughter. He must feel my gaze because he looks up at me.

“We have big feelings,” he explains, nudging his head at his little mini me.

I chuckle. “Completely understandable.”

“Alright, I’ll go to mommy. I don’t want her to feel bad,” Lance’s daughter says. She looks at me. “Are you going to come with us?”

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