Katie
It is not a part of this world. It is not a part of her world. It is a pocket outside of the worlds. And within them. A pocket of time and space and thought. Katie's time. Wanda's space. Lorna's thought.
( This child should not exist. )
( This child should not exist. )
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Wanda smiles widely. "Mr. Jean-Paul, shhh, she's sleeping."
Interdimensional travel can be exhausting for a small child.
She glares a bit at the cigarette. "You shouldn't smoke around children."
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"You're supposed to talk to Lorna!" Wanda insists, stamping her foot impatiently. People are always trying to weasel out of their responsibilities! It's simply infuriating sometimes.
"She really wants her Mommy."
Wanda doesn't seem to understand how impossible she's being. She only knows two things: children belong with their mother and the world is made up of chaos. There will never be a good time for this to happen.
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Wanda follows him inside and places the girl on a sofa. She's heavy for such a little thing.
"Um. I could maybe make some. Or I could have some delivered. But it might take some other kid's clothes to do it? Sometimes my powers work weird."
She shrugs. The kid hadn't needed a wardrobe in the otherworld.
"I don't wanna tell Lorna. She'll yell at me. I guess you should do what you think is best."
Wanda doesn't know what's best. If Wanda knew what's best this wouldn't be happening. She shrugs again.
"Can I have a soda?"
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Wanda walks over to the refrigerator and gets herself a Sprite before answering.
"Yeah. Kathryn."
She perches on the table, legs swinging. She's so happy he's taking this well.
"She should have toys and books. And you should talk to her a lot 'cause she was mostly alone for a long time and even though she maybe wasn't awake still you should talk to her 'cause we don't want her to be stupid. Lorna won't like her if she's stupid 'cause she thinks she's so smart though she like Sally Stupid Head so maybe I don't know. You know?"
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Wanda really doesn't understand why anyone wouldn't want to keep their baby. It is simply a foreign idea that her very fractured mind cannot comprehend at this juncture.
"I'm not God," she says finally. "I won't interfere."
She sips her soda.
"But, Mr. Jean-Paul why would that happen? What's wrong with Katie that Lorna won't want her? Maybe I can fix it."
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Wanda stares. Mike said almost the same thing but she doesn't see the difference. This Lorna, That Lorna. She's the same Wanda. Why is everyone else different?
"Okay. If you think that's right."
It's clear from her voice Wanda doesn't think it's right. But she nods.
"Okay. I trust you."
She looks at the waking child and jumps off the table.
"Katie? I want you to meet Mr. Jean-Paul."
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Fathers are hardly important to Wanda. Her children's paternity is anyone's guess and her own was so oft questioned her sense of paternal rights is highly skewed.
Katie peers up at Jean-Paul. He is not entirely unfamiliar. She's seen someone like him in Lorna's subconscious. She waves a chubby little hand at him, tentative, but not bawling. She looks around the room, confused by its depth.
"...Mommy?" she asks in a very small voice.
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Wanda shrugs again. She'd done her part and...well...he seemed to have things well in hand.
Jean-Paul would make a good father.
She should have turned the kid's hair black after all.
Wanda slips away, quietly, disappearing into the dark.
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