A Child's Choice

Chapter 4

Dakoda and Jacob ran into the clothing store, the only normal store for quite a few blocks that Ebony could see, and ran straight for the children's clothes section, Ebony almost running to keep up with them.

She found Dakoda looking in wonder at the boy's section of clothes, with Jacob luckily in the next isle over, and she quickly hurried them both over to the girl's section.

"But I wanted some of the boy's clothes!" Dakoda protested as she was ushered away into the girl's wear.

"How about we get you some girl's clothes first, then we'll get you one set of boy's clothes?" Ebony asked.

"Okay!" Dakoda said happily, pacified.

"Are we getting me any clothes?" Jacob asked.

"Not today, sweetie. Just clothes for Dakoda today."

"Why?" Jacob asked.

"Because they money if from Dakoda's dad, just for Dakoda. And you already have clothes for the park." She replied.

"Oh." Was all she got back.

"Sorry, Jacob."

"It's okay mummy."

She thought it better if next time she had enough money to get Jacob some new clothes too, not just money from Alex for Dakoda. She just had nothing to spare at the moment. Until Alex paid her, she had to save everything for her final bit of rent, which was due Friday. After that, she had to be fully out of the apartment.

"What about this?" Dakoda said, holding up a dress, "Can I get this for the park?"

"No. How about you go and find me some pants you like?" Ebony said, "We'll see about the dress after you have three pairs of pants, and three tops."

"Okay." Dakoda said, walking carefully along the isle of clothing. "How about these?" She held up a pair of jeans.

"Perfect. Can you get a size 6?" Ebony asked, taking a guess at her size, "And we'll go and try them on to see if they fit."

After finding out that a size 6 was perfect for her, Dakoda went and found two more pairs of jeans, both with patterns on them, in a size 6, then went looking for tops, all in size 6. When she had clothes that she liked, and Ebony approved, they went back to the boy's section and Dakoda chose a pair of cargo pants, with lots of pockets, and a top with Iron Man on it, because it looked cool, and decided she didn't want the dress after all.

When Ebony bought it all, they went back to the fitting room to get her dressed for the park, and went to put everything in the car.

Jacob was bored by this time, and kept kicking the footpath as they walked, looking very grumpy.

"I want an ice cream." He said, kicking the ground again.

"No." Ebony said, "We're going to the park. We have sandwiches to eat there, and some cake from the kitchen."

"Can I have some cake?" he tried. Ebony looked at him and shook her head.

"No."

"But mummy!" he cried, "I want cake!"

"Throw a tantrum, and you won't get any." Ebony said, turning her back on him and going to the car, placing all the bags inside.

When they all got to the car, Dakoda was almost dancing in happiness, and Jacob was sulking. Once she had both of them out of the car, she asked Jacob to show Dakoda around his favourite park, which he did so, by taking her hand and leading her over to the swings, showing her how to climb into one, and how to swing, by swinging your feet backwards and forwards.

Dakoda had a few tries, before Ebony came over and gave her a push, helping her to get started. Once she was going, Dakoda loved it, and kept on swinging, almost throwing a tantrum when Ebony had to go and get her off, as other children were waiting for the swings.

"You have to share the playground, Dakoda." She explained, taking her over to the climbing frame, "It's something for everyone." Jacob was up at the top of the frame, looking down at them, a big grin on his face, his earlier mood forgotten.

"What if I don't want to share?" Dakoda said darkly, arms crossed.

"Then we won't get to come back to the park." Ebony replied.

"But I want to come back!" Dakoda cried, stamping her foot.

"Then you have to learn to share."

"I don't want to!"

"We could always go home." Ebony said, looking down at her, a frown on her face. "Do you want to go home?"

"NO!" Dakoda cried.

"No!" Jacob said from above them, as equally displeased about this idea as Dakoda.

"Then we'll have to teach Dakoda to share, won't we?" Ebony asked, looking from one to the other.

"Yes mummy." Jacob said.

"Yes nanny." Dakoda said, looking down.

"My name's Ebony." Ebony said, "Not nanny.

"Yes Ebony." Dakoda mumbled.

"Good. Do you know how to climb?" She asked, watching Dakoda shake her head. "I'll just have to show you how then."

Ebony put her hands on a rung above her, and hoisted herself up onto the climbing frame, leaving Dakoda on the ground, her mouth open in surprise.

"But I thought the park was only for kids!" Dakoda said in surprise.

"And who said that?" Ebony laughed down at her, "I'm an adult, and I'm on a playground. I'm having fun too."

"Can I climb up?" Dakoda asked, scared.

Ebony let go, and fell back down to the ground next to her, making her grin. "Sure. I'll help you." She took Dakoda around the waist, and lifted her up onto the frame.

After an hour or so, Dakoda and Jacob were tired and they came over for food and water, after which Ebony took them to a book store.

In the book store, Dakoda was once again amazed that she was able to pick out anything she wanted, and it was bought for her, within reason. Ebony put aside some books to be delivered later, but kept a lot of the picture books both of the children picked out. Ebony figured that they could both read books about dinosaurs as well as fairies.

When they finished there, she took them to a supermarket, which Dakoda found fascinating, and showed them how to pick vegetables, and fruits, and how the things they bought today were going to be dinner tonight.

She let them each pick out one lolly to keep for dessert, and bought everything needed for an apple pie as well. If she had the money, she may as well go all out.

Once they got home, she got an apron for each of them, and taught them how to peel potatoes, and then she chopped them up into slices, and laid them out in a dish. She then got Dakoda to measure out some cream, and pour that over the top, and told Jacob to pour some milk over the top of it, sprinkled some cheese over it, and put it in the oven to cook.

She then got them to wash up, and sit playing in the loungeroom, with toy brought out from Dakoda's play room. Once they were set up playing, she made a second scallop potato dish, and sprinkled mushrooms, spring onions, bacon, and some already roasted chicken through its layers, and added the cream and milk, more cheese, and into the oven it went, for her and Alex.

She then started to make the apple pie, using just some simple puff pastry, without bothering to make it herself, something she would do when she had some child free time.

Once the pie was finished, she called the children over to help put designs on the top, and into the oven it went as well. She was so surprised how big the kitchen was, for someone who never cooked in it.