Page 4 of Returning to Everton

“What’s a prune, Mommy?”

“It’s a really wrinkly fruit. Look at your fingers.”

She turns her hands over and giggles. “How’d you know my fingers were gonna look like that?”

“Because that’s what happens when you stay in the water for too long, Bug.”

Violet giggles again as I dry her off. I know she can dry herself with magic, but sometimes this way is more fun. Besides, I get to tickle her and hear her tinkling giggles this way.

“Mommy! Stop! That... Tickles!” she squeaks out between giggle fits.

“Okay, okay, let’s go finish your poop.”

“Mommy! It’s not poop! It’s cookies!” And there’s that giggle again—my favorite sound in the world.

Violet gets her bowls out and rolls chunks of each color dough into short strands. After stacking the different colored dough on top of each other, she twists them together. She likes doing this part without her magic, so she can feel the dough in her hands. She curls the ends to make a circle and presses them together. After she places each cookie on the baking sheet, I put them in the oven and set a timer. While they’re cooking, Violet goes to the living room and watches her favorite cartoon.

When the timer goes off, I take the cookies out and set them to cool while Violet gets lost in her show. I hurry up and place a chocolate Kiss on each cookie before they get too cool. Once they’ve cooled completely, I call Violet in to finish decorating them.

“Mommy! You put the kisses on without me!”

“I know, sweetie, but they were hot, and you were so into your show I didn’t want to interrupt you. Besides, I saved the fun part for you!”

“Well, okay. I do like putting the icing and sprinkles on,” she pouts

Once she has all the cookies decorated to her liking, we put two on a plate and the rest in a container. I make us each a glass of milk, and we take our milk and cookies to the living room to eat and relax before bed.

“Alright, Violet, eat your cookie and watch your show. It’s almost time for bed.”

“Okay, Mommy! Thank you for letting me bake cookies tonight.”

“You’re welcome, baby girl. I know you like baking almost as much as I do.” I laugh when I see her face. She’s looking at me like I’m crazy.

“Mommy! You know I like baking more than you do!”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. How could I forget?” I laugh again as she nods her head once as if to say that’s right. This kid, I swear, she’s too much sometimes.

About twenty minutes later, Violet’s nodding off in her spot on the couch, so I get up and carry her to bed. She’s getting so big I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to do this without using some magic to help. But I love holding her in my arms.

She starts to stir, so I whisper, “Shhh, it’s okay sweetie, Mommy’s just putting you in bed.”

I use my magic to pull the blankets down, then I lay her down and cover her up. She looks so peaceful all curled up in her bed.

I lean over and kiss her head and whisper, “Goodnight, sweetie.”

She yawns, “Good night, Mommy.” I leave her in her room and get ready for bed myself.

It’s been such a busy day, and I am worn out. Time for this mom to take a hot bath and relax before bed. I’m soaking in my favorite vanilla bubble bath, enjoying a glass of wine as I try to get a little more reading in today. I open my Kindle app to my newest read,Becomingby Dakota Brown. It’s about a young mage that’s off to college, where she meets a wolf pack with two wolves and a vampire. They’re an odd pack, but they really work well together. I’m finally getting to the good part, but I can’t seem to keep my eyes open. Oh well, I guess that’s my cue to go to bed.

I get out of the tub and use my magic to dry off. I put a nightshirt and some panties on and crawl in bed. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day. Now that I’ve decided to move, I’m ready to get the ball rollin’. I just hope I can find a good job and actually afford the house Quinn was telling me about. It sounds just perfect. I fall asleep and dream of the perfect life, in the perfect house, with my dream job as a magical baker.

2

Rowen

The next day I wake up to a message from Quinn kindly reminding me to call about the house. I can’t decide if I should laugh or sigh. Clearly, she really wants me to get this house. I ruefully text her back as I lay in bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

Me:Quinn, I just woke up give me a minute damn.

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