matilda / j.avery

eighteen - harriet

Mae and Harriet stare at each other in silence, Harriets hands covered in eggs and toast. "More?" Mae asks hesitantly. Should a child really eat this much?

Harriet nods and bangs her hand on the table. "Mo pease. Tank you."

Mae smiles softly and sets another piece of buttered toast on the mat. She watches her eat, looking over as Jackson comes out midway through tying his tie. "Wowza."

He smirks, looking down at his black shirt and trousers, a black tie to match. "Gotta make a good impression, no?"

"You always make a good impression. Even to drunk girls who get bottled." She smiles and goes over, straightening the knot. "There."

He kisses her gently. "Thank you. Has she eaten?"

"Yeah, everything in the kitchen." Mae jokes.

Jackson kisses Harriets head. "That's my growing girl. You be good for Mae, okay? I love you both."

"Byeeeeee." Harriet waves as she watches her dad head out.

"Good luck!" Mae calls and he waves behind him to acknowledge he heard. Mae turns her attention to the toast-egg-juice covered fiend and tilts her head. "I think I should clean you up before daycare huh."

Harriet looks up at her as if she understands every word said. "Hi!" She grins.

Mae laughs and unbuckles the chair clasps, lifting Harriet onto her hip. She sits her on the counter and uses a dozen wipes to clean the girl - definitely not eco friendly there, but she doesn't trust herself to put the kid in a bath and not make a fool of herself. From there she changes her into some tights, a black tee and a grey dungaree dress with some boots, slipping Jackson's hoodie over her own dirty tee and leggings.

"Alright kiddo, let's go." She smiles. She is proud of herself; kids aren't really her thing but she has to try. And Jackson trusts her so that's a bonus.

After successfully managing to navigate car seat buckles - why do they have to make it so difficult!? - she finally parks up at the hospital and climbs out. Teddy waits with Allison and Leo. "Hi!" She smiles.

Mae holds Harriets hand as she walks beside her. "We made it!"

"And on time, how'd you do that?" Teddy jokes. "Hi Harriet!"

"Hellow." Harriet waves.

Mae smiles and they walk to daycare. She waits by the door for a minute to make sure she actually did drop her off and hasn't lost her, and that she settles okay, before her and Teddy head up to the lounge. "How on earth she ate 3 pieces of toast and eggs I will never know."

"Kids are wild like that. Sometimes they eat absolutely nothing and you feel like THE worst parent because its somehow your fault, then others they eat and eat and you don't know what to do because how is it humanly possible?" Teddy ties her hair back.

Mae pulls her scrub top over her bra. "I have a lot to learn huh."

"That you do. And if you're godmother, you have to babysit once a month by law." Teddy says as a matter of fact.

"Oh really huh? No chance." She jokes and slips her own phone into the locket, instead holding her work one close. "Okay. Day care know to contact me today. Should I let my scrub team know?"

"If you want." Teddy shrugs. "The team down there are real good. They usually always manage to fix things without needing to contact us."

Mae exhales slowly. "I am terrified Teddy. I cannot be the reason Jackson looses his kid." She taps the mobile against her hand. "I couldn't live with myself."