The Playground in the Park, Thursday Afternoon
Yesterday, Karla had made a very important promise. She'd promised Val a day at the playground and there was no way she was going to renege on that. Thus, Thursday afternoon found Kayla swinging on the swings in the park, while Karla sat on a nearby bench, holding Nommy, and pushing Kayla's swing with Craft. At her feet was a sizable picnic basket, filled with sandwiches, juice in both sippy cups and bottles, Kayla's 'spinkles,' a small island's worth of bananas, and even a bit of ice cream wrapped in cooling spells. Karla had packed extra just in case; she figured Ender had probably gotten all the sandwiches he needed during his class (yes, she remembered), but there was always the chance that Ben would join them. Or other people would wander by. It wasn't like Fandom lacked for hungry kids of varying ages even on normal weekends.
"Mommy, push me higher!" Kayla called. "Pleeeeeeeeease!"
"Nope!" Karla called back, nets of Craft still invisibly hovering in the air to either side of Kayla's swing. "You tried to jump off the swing last time. Now you have to stay low until I'm sure you won't do it again."
"But I was gonna flyyyyy!" Kayla's tiny wings fluttered on her back, trying to increase the height of the swing.
"And this is why the answer is still no," Karla said with a sigh. Looking down at the infant in her arms, Karla shook her head. "I can't wait till your wings come in and I get to chase both of you," she told her sleeping son. "Maybe I'll just borrow an entire herd of Scelties from Khary and let them take turns sitting on you till you're grown."
"Mommy, push me higher!" Kayla called. "Pleeeeeeeeease!"
"Nope!" Karla called back, nets of Craft still invisibly hovering in the air to either side of Kayla's swing. "You tried to jump off the swing last time. Now you have to stay low until I'm sure you won't do it again."
"But I was gonna flyyyyy!" Kayla's tiny wings fluttered on her back, trying to increase the height of the swing.
"And this is why the answer is still no," Karla said with a sigh. Looking down at the infant in her arms, Karla shook her head. "I can't wait till your wings come in and I get to chase both of you," she told her sleeping son. "Maybe I'll just borrow an entire herd of Scelties from Khary and let them take turns sitting on you till you're grown."