Leah Stone (reapinghavok) wrote in immune_ic, @ 2012-06-11 04:19:00 |
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Entry tags: | # 2012 [06] june, leah |
WHO: Leah
WHEN: June 11, 2019; mid-morning
WHERE: Sing Sing playground
WHAT: Reevaluating her relationships.
RATING: Low.
The past week had been… interesting, to say the least. Filled with surprises (some good, some not so good) and revelations. Having Marigold back had come as a huge shock. There were moments where she still couldn’t quite believe that the baby she’d been carrying had been alive all this time, but every time she looked at that precious little face, her features strongly pointing toward Stone blood, while hinting subtly at Tollins, there couldn’t be any doubt at all. Marigold was alive and back with her mother, and that was both joyful and tragic all at once. One of the little girl’s favorite places at Sing Sing was, unsurprisingly, the playground. Leah had been spending a lot of time there recently, bonding with the child who didn’t know that Leah was her mother. It had only taken Marigold — who was now learning her real name — two days to adjust to her new life at Sing Sing. Two days and she was already completely willing to accept Leah as her caretaker. Leah had wondered at this; how the girl was so easily trusting. Whether she opened up this easily to everyone, or if she was just so starved for maternal affection that she was willing to accept any attention that was tossed her way. Either option, if they were true, was equally abhorrent. Evan had told her that the government facility was essentially more of a prison for children than anything else. That saddened Leah all the more, to think that her daughter had been neglected all this time. That reason made her want to confess her relation. However, there was also the question of what the people at the facility had told Marigold about her parents. Apart from the fact that she didn’t have any, of course. Had they told her that her mother had abandoned her? There were so many things that Leah wanted to know, and so many things that she didn’t. With the exception of her youngest sister, everyone kept telling her that Marigold deserved to know the truth. Leah didn’t argue that point, but those people who advised her to make the confession couldn’t possibly understand how much the negative risks weighed on Leah’s heart. If Marigold rejected her as a parent… she’d be crushed. It would be almost as bad as losing Marigold the first time. Lately, it felt like this little girl was all she had. Lilah was always busy in her lab, Brandon was absorbed in his projects, Kori seemed to be avoiding her, and Evan… Evan had done what he’d promised he wouldn’t do to her and now she was forced to question her dedication to that relationship. On the night he returned from Jersey City, she briefly considered telling him she loved him, but then Marigold was plunked into her arms and that plan was pushed to the side. Maybe it was supposed to happen that way, though. Karma preventing her from giving him her heart completely, because of what inevitably would happen. Maybe Marigold was the only close relationship she was supposed to have. Maybe this was the price she paid for trying to become more social. Well, if that was the case, she wanted to cling to this mother-daughter relationship as tightly as possible. This meant she would have to tell Marigold how close they really were. “Come here for a minute, Sweetness,” she said, opening her arms to welcome the girl coming down the slide. “I’ve got something to tell you.” Marigold happily plopped herself down in Leah’s lap as soon as the woman had taken a seat in one of the swings. Leah smiled, smoothing stray strands of blonde hair away from the little girl’s face and then tugging playfully on one of her pigtails. How was she even supposed to begin to explain this? “Remember when Rae told you how important we were to each other, and how you told her that you don’t have a mommy?” Band-Aid approach. Maybe that was the best method. Definitely not the easiest, though. Leah could feel her heart pounding in her ears. Suddenly the cool morning felt too hot. When Marigold nodded, Leah had no other choice but to continue. “Well… you actually do have a mommy, Sweetness…” The little girl looked at her curiously. “I do? Who is she? Is she pretty? Does she like horsies?” It was the last question that did it. Leah had cried a few times over the past week, but never when anyone was around to see, especially not Marigold. Now, Leah couldn’t help it. A soft laugh preceded her blurred vision as tears welled up in her eyes. She laughed and she cried and she pulled Marigold against her a little more tightly. Kissing the top of the girl’s head, she answered two of the four questions. “She does like horsies,” was the first question she answered. A brief pause and then, “I’m your mommy, Marigold.” “You are?” Marigold’s voice was slightly muffled by Leah’s shirt. “I am. I’m your mommy, and,” she pulled away to see Marigold’s face. “And you’re my little girl. And I’m never letting anyone take you from me again.” Marigold’s next words were enough to make Leah cry a little harder. “I always wanted a mommy.” “I always wanted a little girl.” Marigold looked up at her, smiling, “Just like me?” Nodding, Leah kissed the girl’s forehead. “Just like you.” Marigold was all Leah needed. If Marigold got sick, Leah would take care of her. If Marigold tried to go out among the zombies, Leah would stop her. If Marigold wanted to try to work herself to death, Leah could and would prevent that. Nothing bad would happen to Marigold ever again. Leah would make certain. |