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(2/4/04 1:38 pm)
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Babes in Toyland (Flash Fic #53) [Liason]
A/N: This was written in response to a flash fic prompt at The Canvas. The prompt was: "The best things in life aren’t things."
Elizabeth Webber walked into Toys "R" Us hand in hand in with her niece, Lily. It was Lily’s seventh birthday, so Elizabeth had promised her she could pick any toy in the store as her present. Elizabeth knew Lily had been looking forward to it; Sarah told her she’d been talking about it for weeks. Apparently she’d even brainstormed a list of possibilities and enlisted her friends’ help in narrowing it down to just a couple possibilities.
Feeling a light tug on her right hand, Elizabeth glanced down at her niece and felt a simultaneous tug in her heart; Lily had all the adults in her life, including her adoring aunt, wrapped around her pinky.
“Aunt Elizabeth, can we look at the roller skates first?” said Lily, nearly breathless with excitement. She looked up at Elizabeth with the wide blue eyes she’d inherited from her father.
Elizabeth smiled, and her own eyes, which were a few shades darker than her beloved niece’s, danced with love. She’d long since forgiven her sister and Lucky for their betrayal, and if it hadn’t happened, the two might never have gotten together—and Lily wouldn’t have existed.
She leaned down and ruffled Lily’s fine blonde hair, marveling at just how much she looked like Sarah. “Sure, birthday girl. We can look at whatever you want.”
That was all the encouragement Lily needed. Soon Elizabeth was being steered through the Saturday afternoon crowd of adults and children back by one very eager
seven-year-old. Elizabeth shook her head, amused that Lily seemed to know exactly where the sporting goods aisle was located. They debated the merits of the white skates with the hot pink wheels versus the lilac skates with the light gray wheels.
“I know you like them both, but which one’s your favorite, Lily?” said Elizabeth, running her hands over one of the brightly colored cardboard boxes.
Frowning with concentration, Lily said, “I don’t know. I think I want the white ones. But Kacey has the white ones. She’ll call me a copycat.”
Suppressing a smile, Elizabeth bent down until she was at eye level with Lily. “Then how about the purple ones? I think they’re pretty.”
“But I want the white ones!” Lily crossed her arms and pouted prettily.
“Like I said, Lily, you can get whatever you want today. Your wish is my command, honey.” She grinned conspiratorially. “But don’t tell your mom I said that. She’ll say I’m spoiling you rotten.” Then Elizabeth mimed zipping her lips shut.
Lily mimicked the gesture, her movements large and exaggerated.
Straightening, Elizabeth smoothed her hands over her khaki shorts. “So how about we look at the next thing on your list. What do you say?” Elizabeth held out her hand to Lily.
Lily took it, and in a sing-song voice said, “Ye-es.”
So the search continued.
They were on their way to look at the latest Barbie dolls when Lily came to a sudden halt Elizabeth stopped as well and turned to follow Lily’s rapt gaze. That’s when she saw him. Her mouth went dry.
Long legs encased in denim that was so faded it was almost white. Black t-shirt stretched across broad shoulders and a chest that tapered in a perfect v. Spiky blonde hair that some might have thought was just a touch too long, but that Elizabeth thought was gorgeous. How would it feel under her hands? His back was to her, so she couldn’t see his face, but she’d bet money that it had featured in many a woman’s secret fantasy.
His strides were slow and measured and gave the impression of power and an almost deadly grace.
At his side was a little girl with straight brown hair in a braid. She walked with a curiously lopsided, rolling gait.
“Aunt Elizabeth, why is she walking like that?” Lily asked, her forehead wrinkled in confusion.
Elizabeth didn’t respond immediately, unsure of what to say. Finally she spoke. “Well, I think she has what’s called a disability.” She paused.
“What’s that?” said Lily.
“You know how I have brown hair and you and mommy have blonde hair?”
Lily nodded silently and waited, watching Elizabeth expectantly.
“You didn’t make your hair blonde; it’s just been like that since you were born. I think one of that girl’s legs is longer than the other one, and she was just born like that.”
“Oh,” said Lily. Then she clapped her hands together and gave a little hop. “Let’s go see the Care Bears! I want Funshine Bear.”
Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief; she was off the hook. She glanced around, her dark blue eyes searching the crowd for the blonde-haired man. No luck.
She turned her attention back to her niece. They strode into the stuffed animal section and scanned it for Care Bears. Lily and Elizabeth had just reached the Care Bears when the mysterious man and the girl with him (his daughter?) entered the aisle and made their way toward them.
She licked her lips nervously and tucked her dark hair behind her ear. Be cool, Elizabeth, she thought to herself. He was just a man. She’d seen plenty of those before. But none of them had looked quite like that.
There was no doubt about it--that face had launched at least a dozen fantasies and would no doubt be haunting her own.
While Elizabeth had been busy staring avidly at the tall, lean-hipped man making his way toward her, her niece had grabbed a sunny yellow Care Bear, presumably the Funshine Bear she’d been raving about a few minutes earlier.
“I’m ready, Aunt Elizabeth. I got Funshine Bear. Can we go now?”
Lily’s voice yanked Elizabeth out of her trance. She sighed and turned to look at her niece. “Just a minute, honey.”
When she turned back around, the man and the girl were standing a scant few feet away.
“Which one do you want, Katie?” he asked, gesturing at the brightly colored bears.
“I want Funshine Bear,” the girl replied, pointing at the yellow stuffed bear cradled in Lily’s arms.
His sky blue eyes connected briefly with Elizabeth’s, creating a tingle of awareness that started in her stomach and radiated outward. It ended its journey in her fingers. They itched to touch him.
Noticing the sudden dampness of her palms, Elizabeth rubbed them against her shorts, drawing the man’s gaze downward.
Was he looking at her legs?
Before she could decide, he turned back to the girl. His tone was patient when he said, “Honey, looks like she got the last one. How about the blue one?”
“Daddy, the blue one is Grumpy Bear. I don’t want him. I want Funshine Bear.”
The tone of childish impatience that colored her voice was known to adults ‘round the world, and Elizabeth winced in silent sympathy.
“Katie…” The word trailed off on a tired sigh. He raked a hand through his hair, leaving it temptingly tousled.
“If Mommy was here, she’d let me have it,” she said. Her chocolate brown eyes looked old beyond her years, and Elizabeth wondered why. Her lower lip wobbled dangerously. She gave a quiet sniffle.
He kneeled down so he could look into his daughter’s eyes. With infinite tenderness he brushed a stray tendril of hair from her cheek and tucked the strand behind her ear. “But Mommy’s not here, honey. And I’m sorry she’s gone. We’ll just have to do the best we can.”
It was then that Elizabeth made her decision. Grasping Lily’s elbow, she moved back a few steps and turned her back on the man and his daughter. “Lily, will you do something for me?”
She waited till Lily said yes.
“Will you give that girl Funshine Bear? Please? For me?”
Lily’s arms tightened protectively against the toy in question. Though she had her mother’s hair and her father’s eyes, she’d evidently also inherited her aunt’s stubbornness. Elizabeth recognized it in the upward tilt of her chin.
“But why, it’s my birthday. You said I could have anything I wanted.” She stomped her foot once, emphatically.
“You’re right, I did say that. But sweetie, I want you to listen to me for just a minute. That little girl is just like you, only she doesn’t have a mommy. What if your mommy went away? Wouldn’t you be sad?”
“Yes,” she replied, still clutching the bear.
“Lily, I think if you let her have Funshine Bear, she’ll be a little less sad. And that will make you and me feel good. You can pick something else. If Funshine Bear is really the only thing you want, then I promise I’ll come back here with you next Saturday and get him for you. We could have mint chocolate chip ice cream today instead.”
She held her breath and waited for Lily’s reaction. “What do you think, Lily?”
“Ok. But can I have a hot fudge sundae instead?”
Elizabeth released the breath she’d been holding and hugged Lily. Smiling proudly she said, “Anything you want, Lily. Thank you.”
She and Lily turned back toward the man and his daughter, who didn’t seem to have resolved anything, if the tear stains on the girl’s cheeks were any indication.
Clearing her throat softly, Elizabeth said, “Excuse me” and waited for the stranger to look at her. When he did, she continued, saying, “My niece has something she’d like to say Katie.” She nudged Lily forward and waited for her to speak.
“Does it hurt?” Lily suddenly asked, breaking the silence. “My aunt said one of your legs is—”
Mortified, Elizabeth placed her hand on Lily’s shoulder and said, “Lily, that’s enough. Tell her about the bear.” She was so embarrassed she couldn’t meet the stranger’s eyes. Her cheeks were on fire. She fixed her gaze on a point somewhere above his right shoulder.
But then he spoke, and his voice forced her to look at him. “No, it’s ok. Really. Go ahead, Katie. You can answer her.”
Katie shook her head and looked at Lily. “No, it doesn’t.”
Lily spoke up again. “And where’s your mommy?”
“Daddy says she’s watching me from heaven.”
Lily stepped forward and handed the bear to Katie, who accepted it with a tiny smile.
Her handsome father looked down at Lily and echoed the smile. It completely transformed his face. Then his gaze lifted and met Elizabeth’s. “Thank you,” he said softly. He reached out to shake her hand. “Elizabeth, right?”
Afraid she wouldn’t be able to speak if she opened her mouth, she merely nodded. His hand was warm and slightly rough. She shivered, but not from cold.
He finally released her hand and said, “I’m Jason. So can I treat you and Lily to some ice cream? It’s the least I can do.”
Elizabeth finally found her voice. “Sure. I’d like that.”
His smile widened and Elizabeth noticed a definite twinkle in his blue, blue eyes.
Uh oh. She was in big trouble.
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