The door closed with a heavy thud, blocking the thick heat of the outside world from invading the newly built house. Teacher worked me like a warhorse, traffic was terrible, and this heat is killer, Chrys thought as she unceremoniously kicked her sneakers off, inhaling deeply and allowing the scent of vanilla and chocolate to fill her nose, but at least I'm home now... with her.
Miss Delatrese-- Mommy-- had found Chrys working behind the counter at a cafe. She was a regular, and the two built quite the rapport. Chrys has learned that the older woman was living off of dividends from her dead husband's investments. The widow learned that the barista wanted to go to art school. The two entered a particular arrangement: Miss Delatrese was happy to pay for Chrys' tuition, pay for her HRT, and spoil her with presents, on the condition that she quit her job and live as her daughter-- the child her departed husband could never give her.
As Chrys walks toward the great room, the smell of baking cookies gets stronger with every step. As the smell gets stronger, her grownup mask slips more and more. As she rounds the corner and sees her mommy in the kitchen, her walking pace had lightened from a trudge to excited padding, and when mommy looks up and gives her that big, loving smile, she's skipping with joy.
"There's my sweet baby girl," Miss Delatrese coos as Chrys lands in her arms, bundling her uo tight in her arms. "Did you have a good day at school?"
"I tried, but, my teacher was super mean again today..." Chrys replies, her voice gradually lowering to a mumble with each word.
"It's okay, little one. They just don't remember what it was like to start from scratch... even if they refuse to acknowledge your hard work, just remember that mommy is still proud of you."
"Okay," Chrys replies, squeezing her arms around the older woman's waist and thunking her head down on her chest.
"Sweet little girl... Mommy's got you." Miss Delatrese runs her hand up and down Chrys' back, letting the girl stay there for as long as she needs. "I bet eating will make you feel better~ I've already set the table, and your favorite cookies are about to come out of the oven."
At the promise of food, Chrys finally detaches from the embrace, smiling as she turns her gaze to the kitchen island... but then freezes. In front of the barstools, there were three plates of food set out.
"...Mommy, did you accidentally make a plate for dad again...?"
"Hm? Oh! Oh, no, sweetie, don't worry. I actually have a bit of a surprise for you! Come with me, sweetie."
The two walk together to Chrys' bedroom, the walls painted bubblegum pink with PokΓ©mon posters plastered all over them. In the middle of the plush carpet, there's a cardboard box. A big one, with holes punched through the top.
"You see, sweetie, Mommy sees all the work you do, practicing your art every day and doing so well at school, so she got you a present to remind you how proud she is~! Go ahead and open it!"
Chrys doesn't hesitate, walking over to the box. Miss Delatrese didn't secure it with tape, so all she really has to do is pull apart the interlocking flaps and voilΓ , her prize is revealed... drawing a gasp from the student.
Inside is another girl, roughly around the same age as Chrys. She has curly red hair, and a face that's plastered in freckles, her green eyes glassed over as they open in response to the light, only to stare vacantly upwards. She's wearing a baby blue onesie with cloud patternage, and there's the telltale bulge of padding worn beneath it around her waist.
"Isn't it just precious? It looks just like the toy mommy had when she was around your age. Your very own baby doll, so you can practice being a mommy. I found it at the same shop I found you! It eats and drinks and goes to the bathroom just like a real baby, so you have to take good care of it, okay?"
"She's adorable," Chrys agrees with a smile, gently reaching in to grip the girl under her arms, guiding her to sit up. The doll complies with ease, malleable and placid. "Can I name her? I want to call her... um... Baby!"
"Baby the baby?" Mommy asks with a chuckle. "That's perfect, little one. Now, let's go practice feeding your baby doll."
