Lady Baby

16

The house was big and they had to ride up a lift to reach their door. A man had greeted them at the lobby. He called her 'Sharon' like she knew him, but she didn't know his face so she hid behind Maximum.

When Maximum pushed their door open, Sharon took a step in and sniffed the air.

"It smells of..." She sniffed again as Maximum stepped in too and shut the door behind them.

"Of what?"

"Smells of vanilla cake aunt Martha use to make." She walked in, noting a very big painting ahead. She walked over and placed a palm on its rough surface; it was a picture of two people holding hands. Maximum walked over and stood beside her.

"I do not know who aunt Martha is but a friend made several cupcakes for you..."

Looking away from the painting, she blinked up at him. "This painting makes me feel some way." She paused and frowned. "I feel some way in my chest. Here." Placing her hand over where her heart beat, she looked up at Maximum's face. "Do you feel it, too?"

Maximum stared at the painting until his eyes got teary. "I feel it, too."

When his jaw moved funny, Sharon placed a hand on it but he jerked as though her hand was hot. "Sorry." She let her hand drop. "I like it, especially the colours."

"Thanks" He glanced at her face then cleared his throat. He looked so sad. "Come. I have a surprise for you."

The kitchen was wide, white and shiny. The best part? Cupcakes.

Sharon rushed over. She had never seen cupcakes so colourful and beautiful. "All these for me?"

Maximum frowned like he did not know the answer then he nodded. "Yes, anything for my Sharon. Sit." He pulled out a stool and she settled in.

One thing she loved about being in a grownup body was being able to reach high places. And the stool—she didn't need an adult to lift and place her on the stool.

"Eat. When you are done, I would take you around the house and show you pictures of us." He placed a cupcake in front of her. The paper thing was already removed so she could just gobble it up. Mother was not here to frown and pinch her cheek because she ate fast. Maximum would protect her from mother, she was certain of it.

After six cupcakes and a glass of orange juice, Maximum took her hand and led her out of the kitchen. The parlour had the hugest TV she had ever seen and the rug was the softest, and more paintings on the wall—beautiful paintings. The chairs were the colour of Winnie the Pooh's donkey friend, Eeyore. And the lights on the ceiling were like white flower cups hanging downwards. Everything felt familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. It was a funny feeling. After the parlour, Maximum took her upstairs. There were other doors but he did not open them. She made up her mind to check them later.

"This is my studio."

"Whoa!" She took it all in at once. "More painting. You are the one that painted all of them?" She gasped when she saw a painting of him. "This is you!" She giggled at him and grinned when he smiled.

"I didn't paint that though."

She wanted to tell him that's she didn't mind he didn't paint it and that he had a very lovely face, too but the painting to her left distracted her.

"Me." She walked over. "That is me." She pointed at herself, glancing at Maximum as she went. He looked shy the way he shrugged and held the back of his neck. The painting was big with her face covering everything. Her hair too. Sharon placed a hand on her head and frowned when she didn't touch a huge mass of hair. "How did my hair become like that?"