A Time For Love (A Time For Love Series-Book 1)

The First Afternoon

STEF POV 

"Lena got me so many clothes. I don't know what to wear." Bird says as the two of us had been hanging out in her room for the last hour just chatting together with each other.

I was grateful the shower Lena had helped me take just a bit ago was over and done with, and thankfully it wasn't as bad as I had anticipated. I guess I'd just need to get over my pride and how ugly my body was because I wasn't going to be able to get into the shower alone for a bit. That was the reality as I look over at Bird and smile as she sits beside me on the bed.

"I never had this many clothes, and I don't know what to wear, I'm kinda confused."

"It's..it's okay to be confused, baby..babygirl. But.. but what do you feel like wearing out of the two? Sometimes, if you narrow it down to fewer choices, it can help. So out of these two which one do you feel like...like...wearing the..the most?"

"Mm neither. I  kinda just wanna wear jeans and the Celtics teeshirt." She says, looking at me as I smile.

"That...that is fine, honey.  Lena...Lena put it in the second draw. You.. you can wear that with a long shirt underneath..that. That way you don't cold, okay?"

"Okay, Mama." She calls me yet again, and even if she had been calling me that off and on for the past few weeks every time I hear it, it just makes my heart explode. Smiling, I watch her slowly use her walker to get to her dresser draws as she pulls out the shirt.

"You.. you need socks too baby. Lena...Lena put them in the top draw."

"Oh, right! I forgot. And she said I have to change them every day and my underwear? Everyday?" She looks at me rather surprised as I nod my head. "They did in the hospital but I thought they just did it because it was a hospital."

"Yes..yes honey. Everyday. She..she got you a lot, and we can..can..do laundry once.. once a week. So you will always..always have clean clothing. But we..change socks..and underwear every...everyday and shower. Oh.. okay?"

"Okay, but that is a lot to remember, Mama. What if i forget?" She asks, looking worried.

"Come..come here baby." I say as she slowly walks back over to me and sits beside on the bed, and I gently cup her cheek.

"It's..it's a lot to remember..baby?"

"Yea. I just did whatever before. I never had many clothes, and no one told me to change or anything."

"I..I understand, honey. Listen, Lena and I won't be upset if you forget..but..but...but.. we can put up a list of things that need to be done daily. Even... even I need a list now too..and we can go over it in the morning. You.. you don't need to worry, baby. We are in all of this together, and no one.. no one is going to get upset, honey. No.. no one." I reassure her as she continues to look worried at me.

"Mama?" She whispers as I squeeze her hand again, and a soft smile forms across my face.

"Yes, my..my love."

"New stuff feels weird. I like it all, but I never had new stuff, ever, and I don't know what I want for Christmas. Lena asked me, but I don't know, Mama."

"It's okay, baby. Sometimes..sometimes when something is unfamiliar to us, it can feel weird, and that...that is okay.  We can even be used to something, and it still feels... feels weird."

"I think the only thing I wanted for Christmas was for you to be okay and for us to be out of that hospital. That's all I wanted, Mama." Leaning in I kiss her little forehead and gently grab her hand again.

"And that can...can be enough. That's the only thing I wanted, too, baby. To...to...be home with you. You... you are an amazing present, and one...one I will never grow tired of. I will never grow tired of hearing you call me Mama. Ever. And it's a word I never knew would make... would make me this happy." I say, my voice cracking as she moves closer to me, wrapping her arms around my waist as I hold her close.