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Callie had always been a little reckless. Climbing things she shouldn’t, running too fast on pavement that wasn’t meant for bare knees. So when Shauna heard the loud, startled cry from the backyard, she wasn’t surprised. Her heart jumped anyway.
She hurried out the back door, spotting Callie sitting in the grass, hands braced behind her, chin trembling. Her knees were scraped raw, little rivers of blood trickling down pale skin.
“Oh, honey...” Shauna crouched beside her, brushing a stray strand of hair from Callie’s face. “Let me see.”
Callie sniffled, trying to act like it didn’t hurt, but her big, blue, watery eyes betrayed her. Shauna scooped her up without asking, Callie’s arms instinctively wrapping around her neck.
Inside, Shauna set her on the counter, wet a washcloth with warm water, and knelt in front of her. “This might sting,” she warned gently, dabbing at the blood.
Callie flinched but didn’t pull away. “It’s okay,” she mumbled, blinking fast.
Shauna worked quietly. She cleaned, disinfected, blew softly on the sting to soothe it. She pressed two colorful Band-Aids over the worst of it. Frogs. The only ones left in the cabinet.
“Frogs are cool,” Callie muttered, trying not to smile.
“Yeah. They’re tough little guys.” Shauna chuckled softly, thumb brushing the side of Callie’s leg. “Just like you.”
There was this invisible wall between them. Shauna always struggled to connect with her daughter. It wasn’t easy dealing with taking care of a child knowing someone else should’ve been here with them, too. But in moments like these, when Callie leaned into her touch, when she let herself be cared for... Shauna didn’t mind her.
She kissed the top of Callie’s head. “All better.”
For a fleeting second, it really did feel that way.
If only Callie could stay this little and innocent forever.
So easy to comfort. So easy to hold. Her problems still small enough to fix with warm water, antiseptic, and a couple of frog-shaped Band-Aids.
Shauna ran her fingers absently through her daughter’s hair, wondering how many more years she had left before scraped knees turned into slammed doors. Before bruises came from things she couldn’t see or kiss better.
The thought sat heavy in her chest.
Callie looked up at her then, with her trusting eyes. “Mom… can I still play? If I’m careful?”
Shauna smiled, smoothing her thumb over Callie’s chubby cheek. “Yeah, go on. Just be careful, okay?”
Callie nodded, hopping down. Limped a little, but not enough to stop her. Within seconds, she was back outside, giggling like nothing had ever happened.
Shauna stood there for a while, leaning against the doorframe, watching her.
If only.