Ready to play - Part 4

It’s just like Teddy says. Kinsey looks pretty as a peach in her new dress. Her old clothes, the ones that weren’t right, lie in a pile by the bed.

The blue knit dress fits her perfectly, or is it just a little snug? A little tight across the chest? Maybe just a little. But the blue will match Momma’s dress, and the pink trim makes it extra special.

“Don’t forget your socks,” the bear says.

“I’m not.” Kinsey pulls the white knee socks up her legs. She admires the bows at the top.  She picks up the matching hairband; another white bow, as if she were a decorated gift.

“Go show Momma,” prompts the bear.

Kinsey goes through to the master bedroom, taps her fingers on the door.

“Come in.”

Kinsey pushes the door, finds her mother sitting at her vanity. Yes, they’re both in blue. Kinsey smiles. “I put on the dress, Momma.”

Naomi stands up and beckons her daughter over with a curled finger. She looks Kinsey up and down, fusses at her sleeves. “Pretty as a peach.”

Kinsey giggles. “That’s what Teddy said!”

“Is that so,” Naomi replies mildly. She strokes Kinsey’s cheek. “Photographer’s gonna love you, little girl.”

“Yes, Momma.” Kinsey blinks. “Can I show Daddy?”

“Hold your horses. We need to fix your hair.”

Kinsey sits at the vanity and doesn’t say a word as Naomi brushes her hair until it shines. She looks at her reflection. Pretty as a peach. She is perfectly still while Naomi adjusts the hairband.

“Now,” says Naomi, “where are your shoes?”

Kinsey looks down at her socked feet and twists her lips. “Momma, can I wear heels?” She gives her mother a hopeful look. “So we match?”

“Go fetch the shoes I picked out,” Naomi replies.

Kinsey’s nose wrinkles as she considers pushing the issue. Doesn’t she get to choose? Isn’t she in charge of her own feet?

No. Silly. Momma’s in charge. Momma’s always been in charge.

She gets up and runs back to her room, returning with the white saddle shoes and also Mr. Theodore Hugglesworth.

“Who’s this?” Naomi asks.

“Teddy,” replies Kinsey. “I already told you.” She puts the shoes down and holds out the bear with both hands. “He’s a talking bear.” She softens her voice, as if revealing a closely guarded secret. “He’s also got special eyes. They go all bright and shiny.”

“Is that right,” says Naomi. She takes the bear and puts it on the stool by the vanity. She crouches down and helps Kinsey step into the shoes. She hums with satisfaction, looks up at Kinsey and says, “You look ready for your first day of Kindergarten.”

Kinsey frowns. “Momma.”

“Well, you do. A picture of innocence.”

“Momma.” Kinsey puts her hands on her hips. “I’m not a baby.”

Naomi smiles. “You’re such a big girl, you show Momma how you tie those shoelaces.”

Kinsey looks down at her feet. She’s tied her laces before, she must have done it a hundred times.

“I can’t,” she says.

“Can’t never could,” says Naomi. “Try.”

Kinsey shakes her head. “I don’t know how,” she says softly.

And this must be bad news, this must put her back in Kindergarten like Momma says. Or even worse?

But Momma isn’t mad. She smiles and says, “Daddy can teach you.”

Kinsey nods at the plan and is reassured as Naomi ties the shoelaces.

“Momma, what’s a primary?”

Naomi straightens up and smiles at her daughter. “It’s just something Daddy has to do. He has to get his name on the ticket and then there’ll be the big election, and he’ll be in charge.”

Kinsey smiles slyly. “I thought you’re in charge, Momma.”

Naomi smiles back. “I’m in charge of you, I reckon,” and she taps Kinsey playfully on the nose. “You ready if the reporter wants to ask you questions tomorrow?”

Kinsey nods. “I guess.”

“You don’t have to be shy, All you have to do is tell the truth. And if he asks you about Daddy…”

Kinsey produces a beatific smile. “I love my daddy!”

Naomi pulls her daughter close and hugs her tight. “You’re gonna be just fine.”

“Teddy told me what to say,” Kinsey says, wriggling out of her mother’s arms and fetching the bear. “Teddy said after the photos that we can go to Casey’s. Can we, Momma?”

Naomi raises her eyebrows. “That bear sure talks a lot. What a chatty bear.”

Kinsey giggles and swings her hips. “Teddy says we’re gonna have pizza.”

“Is he saying that now, honey?”

Kinsey frowns. “No, Momma, you’d hear him.” She strokes the bear’s head. “He’s not talking right now.”

“Why not?” Naomi takes the bear and looks into its face. “What’s the matter, hmm? Feeling shy?”

Kinsey watches as Naomi holds the bear to her ear and nods. “Mmm-hmm. I see.” She passes the bear back to Kinsey. “He says he only talks to sweet little girls.”

Kinsey giggles, and then she looks at her mother. “Did he really say that, Momma?”

Naomi nods. “Says he only talks to good little girls who mind their mommas.”

Kinsey giggles again.

“Is that what you are?” asks Naomi. And it’s now that Kinsey notices that they’re the same height. She glances down at her feet. She’s wearing her special shoes, and Momma is in her bare feet. She’s as tall as Momma, which manages to strike her as impossible and perfectly reasonable at the same time.

“Are you?”

Kinsey blinks. “Momma?”

Naomi laughs gently. “Are you my good little girl?”

The twenty-one-year-old nods. “Yes, Momma.”

“You sure? Because you were being ugly this morning, telling Momma you didn’t want to sleep in your own room. Remember?”

Kinsey frowns. That doesn’t sound like her. “No, Momma.”

“So you’re okay staying in your own room? You’ll be good?”

Kinsey nods. Of course she will. These questions are peculiar, but at least the answers are simple. “Yes, Momma.”

Naomi strokes her daughter’s hair. “Good girl.” She smiles at her. “I reckoned we had a problem this morning, I reckoned maybe we wouldn’t invite the photographer after all.”

“But my special dress!” Kinsey exclaims, prepared to be devastated. “I’m pretty as a peach, Momma. Teddy said so.”

Naomi smiles. “I don’t think Teddy is going to have so much to say in future.”

“Why?”

“Sounds like he’s done his job, filled your head with good advice. And now, instead of being a problem, you’re an asset.”

Kinsey holds the teddy bear to her chest, looking down at its face. The bear’s eyes are glassy and dark. No shine, no sparkle. “What’s an asset?”

“An asset, Kinsey, means that you’ll help Daddy in the primary.” Naomi sighs. “Folks are going to see you and they’re going to know butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth. And they’re going to think Daddy and me are saints for taking care of you.” She hugs Kinsey again. “You’re a special girl now, Kinsey. And we don’t have to worry about any silly stories from the old days, because we’re good people, Daddy and me, and Kinsey…we’re gonna call you a gift from God.”

Kinsey doesn’t know anything about silly stories, but she does know about gifts. She grins. “Cause I got bows,” she says, reaching for her hair band.

Naomi smiles. “Funny girl. Okay, give me a twirl.”

Kinsey obliges, spinning around on her saddle shoes, the silent teddy bear dangling from one hand.

“You’re a peach, all right,” says Naomi. “Now, why don’t you go show Daddy. He’s on the porch.”

Kinsey doesn’t need telling twice. She beams at her mother, and then she rushes away to find her father.

THE END

"A teddy bear nanny-cam keeps making its way from the nursery to the eldest daughter's bedroom..." - Joseph

Yeah, I took some liberties with the original idea 😉 - Sebtomato