Childish

71

When we got home, I ended up choosing my walker instead of my blocks to play with. The freedom that it gave me was something I couldn't pass up on.

I never had a chance to be independent unless I was playing. I couldn't walk on my own. I struggled to do basic tasks that I would have been able to if my body was its normal size. I'd gotten used to being reliant on others to help me with things. After all, that was what Alpine was all about.

Daddy sat on the couch with his phone up to his ear. He'd gotten a call not long after we got home and needed to deal with it.

Ever since he became the mayor, he had to deal with lots of dumb things. It never occurred to me just how much work that would be. I didn't think he even knew, either.

This time, it seemed like there was a water pipe that needed to be fixed and the approval for the budget had to go through him.

I was just glad I didn't have to deal with it. Over the years, I'd come to not like problems or stress or anything that babies typically didn't have to deal with. I just liked playing and watching TV. Since that was expected of me, no one complained and I was considered obedient.

The Lyla that first came to Alpine would have hated the thought of being obedient to rules that I didn't agree with. There was still that part of me hidden deep down. But I'd learned that it was easier to obey and do as I was told rather than constantly be told I was wrong. It wasn't killing me to just play with toys every day.

I walked myself over to daddy and reached out for him. He was just locking his phone after his call when I approached him.

"Hey, Ly. What's up?"

"You look stressed out, daddy."

He lifted me out of my walker and set me in his lap. "I am. I didn't realize how hard it would be to run a whole town of people."

"Maybe that's why your dad was so mean."

"I think you might be right. Remind me not to let myself get to that point."

"Oh, I will." I reached for his phone and was able to get it in my hands. But the phone was password-protected and I didn't know it. Daddy made sure of that.

"I don't think so." He took his phone back from me and slid it into his front pocket, making it impossible for me to get it.

I groaned. "You're no fun. I just wanted to play a game."

"You have plenty of toys to play with. You don't need my phone."

I sighed and rested my head against his chest. "When is Cooper coming home? I hate playing by myself."

"You know, I remember a time when you hated when anyone else played even nearby."

"That was a long time ago, daddy." I'd gotten over most of the attitude I'd developed when first moving to Alpine. I didn't want to associate with anyone because of the nature of Alpine's... rules and such. But after living there for so long and realizing that the kids were okay, for the most part, I didn't mind playing with them and making friends. Jax and Nolan were more like my best friends but I still made friends that were closer to my age. Ms. Diane was a big help with that, too.

He rubbed my back as he spoke. It was something he'd picked up on over the years. "I'm glad you decided to give the other kids a chance. It's not as bad as you think to have friends."

"Friends that I'm smarter than."

"They're at a disadvantage. Not everyone grows up and then becomes a baby. You're just... an exception. Don't hold that over their heads."

"I won't. But I think it does put me on a pedestal, in a way."

"Lyla-"

"I know, I know." We were all just babies and that was the part I tried to focus on the most. I tried to disassociate myself from the real me when I was around the other kids. Even being around mommy and daddy I found myself leaning into the baby side of myself. Sometimes, I did it involuntarily but I never hated that it happened.

It made living in Alpine that much easier.

He patted my back twice and got to his feet. "Come on. Let's see if mommy needs help with dinner."

---

I struggled to stay awake for when Cooper would come home. I wanted to say hi to him before I went to bed but it was taking a lot for me to just remain conscious. It didn't help that I was curled up in mommy's arms with my blanket tucked around my body and a pacifier in my mouth.

But when the door opened and daddy walked in with a sleeping Cooper in his arms, I was able to wake up enough.

"Cooper!" I called out excitedly.

Mommy shushed me. "Ly, Cooper's sleeping. We don't want to wake him up."

Cooper rubbed his nose against daddy's shoulder before turning his head so I could see him better. Cooper definitely got daddy's looks. He had his nose and the shape of their lips was the same. His hair was more like mommy's. It was a blonde color that brightened in the summer. He also tanned really well which I was always jealous about. He was already tall for his age so we all expected him to get up to 6 feet by the time he turned 16. But, because we were in Alpine, he still acted like a baby. He learned things from daddy and mommy at home and I definitely taught him things I wasn't supposed to but it was obvious he was still a baby. Mentally, at least.

I sighed and laid back against mommy's chest. "Can I go to bed? I'm tired."

She kissed the top of my head. "You don't have to ask me twice."

Following daddy, she carried me up the steps and into my bedroom. Our rooms were set up so that there was a doorway that joined the two rooms together. There wasn't a door so it was always open. Every so often, I would hear Cooper snoring or talking in his sleep. Or farting.

Mommy laid me in my crib and adjusted my blanket around me. She made sure my bear and bunny were close by and kissed me goodnight. I hated that she couldn't stay close by all night but I knew I could sleep just as well without her. I didn't have to sleep with her every night.

Daddy walked through the doorway and stopped before he exited. "Goodnight, Lyla."

"Goodnight, daddy."