Page 36 of Defending What is Mine

Vanessa runs over, doing her best not to let us see her limp from the landing. “Did you see, Mommy? Did you see?”

“Yep. I sure did. When did you go and get so brave?”

Vanessa smiles. “Billy from school taught me. He reminds me of Jack sometimes.”

I don’t even need to look at her to know Mollie is leveling the biggest see-I-told-you-so look in the history of I-told-you-so looks. “Oh yeah? How so?” I ask, choosing to keep my focus on the seven-year-old in front of me instead of the adult beside me who’s acting like one.

“Because, Billy isn’t scared of anything either. He even jumps off the top of the jungle gym when the teachers aren’t looking.”

“Well, I definitely don’t want you jumping off the top of the jungle gym. There’s a good reason he only does it when the teachers aren’t looking. Got it?”

Vanessa half-rolls her eyes. “I know, I know.”

Mollie, apparently unwilling to leave well enough alone, puts her thumb on the scale when she asks Vanessa about Jack. “So, tell us, Sweets. Do you miss Jack as much as Mommy does?”

Without even stopping to ponder the question she replies emphatically, “No. Mommy misses him way more. I mean I do miss him, but she talks to him sometimes even though he’s not there. I don’t do that. It’s kind of weird.”

While still cracking up with laughter, Mollie bumps her shoulder into mine. “Oh, come on. Don’t be a sourpuss. That’s funny and you know it.”

My cheeks flash hot. “I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I say to Vanessa with wide eyes, and a stern that’s-enough-about-that look. Eager for a subject change, I notice Vanessa still rubbing at her knee. “Did you scrape it when you landed?”

“Yeah, but it only hurts a little. Billy says his dad tells him to rub dirt in it when he hurts something while he’s playing.”

Mollie chuckles, leaving me to be the adult. “I hope you and Billy both know that’s only a figure a speech. You should not rub actual dirt in a cut. Now, with the red of your cheeks and the limp in your walk, I’d say you’re ready for a warm car ride and a nice hot chocolate. How’s that sound?”

Vanessa looks back at the swings and then turns to me and nods. “Yeah. I don’t think I’m going to get any higher than I already did, anyway. Not without lots more practice.”

I flash an overly-worried look at Mollie as I nod along. “Practice makes perfect,” I agree while fighting fears of her swinging any higher than she did today. “Well then, let’s get you home to that hot chocolate.”

Mollie stoops down to look Vanessa in the eye. “Maybe, while we drink our hot chocolate you can tell me some of the other things Mommy does when she thinks she’s alone.”

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