Guava 20, Pistachio 21: Picnics
Title: Picnics
Main Story: In the Heart
Flavors, Toppings, Extras: Guava 20 (I'm a big girl/boy now), pistachio 21 (a picnic), malt (PFAH: Olivia : the past is gone, but something might be found to take its place), whipped cream (Olivia is almost eleven in the first), caramel (Felicity is four in the last one).
Word Count: 600
Rating: PG-13.
Summary: Three picnics.
One bright Sunday in June, the Sunday between Father's Day and Olivia's eleventh birthday, they take a picnic out to the park after church. They spend less time in the park now that Olivia is growing up. The swings and carnival games that once delighted a little girl don't hold much pleasure for her anymore. But she's still here, in their one weekly unbroken stretch of time together. She still thinks this is a treat.
Hugh hopes she always will, but he's realistic enough to know it's not likely. Still, he doesn't like to think of that far-off but far too close day when she'll turn to him and see, not her father, but an old man. Someone no longer worth her time.
"Stop brooding, Daddy," Olivia says, without looking up from her ice cream.
He looks up, a little startled, and smiles ruefully. "Am I brooding?"
"You know you are," she says, and bends a reproachful look on him. "It's Sunday, Daddy."
"I'm sorry." And he is, because she's right. Whatever has happened or will happened, right now it's a beautiful Sunday in June, and they're celebrating.
He smiles, more naturally this time. "What shall we do next, Sunny?"
--
It's not their first date. That would be silly, because they met in November, it's now April, and not even Olivia and Jake are that bad at relationships. But it is one of the first, the two of them together sprawled out on a blanket in the spring sun.
He thinks Olivia has the day off, but he just skeeved off early, and it's worth it. Sure, this park doesn't deserve the name, and their picnic consists of one sandwich each, but there's something about the way the sun hits Olivia's hair, the not-quite-pressure of light on his skin.
Something started when he met her. He's not sure what, yet, but every time he looks at her, he feels like smiling. Touching her feels like today, bright and warm and joyful. She's the sun; he is a flower, turning to follow her as she passes.
He looks to her, and to his surprise, she's crying, quiet tears creeping down her cheeks.
"Hey." He sits up, touches her shoulder. "Are you okay?"
She turns to face him, eyes open and surprised. "Yes, perfectly. Why?"
"You're crying."
"Am I?" She touches her own face, and blinks. "How strange. I don't know why."
--
Every time Grammy and Grampy come from California, they go out for a picnic. Unless it's rainy, or sleety, or once when it snowed really hard and Felicity's braids froze when she went outside. If it's nice out they go on a picnic. Felicity always gets to help make the sandwiches. She likes smearing the peanut butter on the bread, and licking it off her fingers afterwards while Mommy laughs.
When they actually get to the park, Grampy, Mommy and Daddy usually just sit on the blanket and talk, but Felicity never does. She runs around the park, the wind through her hair, catches leaves, picks flowers. Grammy, who is very young for a grammy, runs with her, laughing, dancing with her and spinning her around in the air. And when she's tired, Grampy lets her sit on his lap and cuddle close.
One time, drowsing on her grampy's lap, she hears him say to Mommy, "Do you remember when we used to do this?"
"When I was Liss's age," she says, and laughs again. "Yes. Those were some of the best days of my life."
Grampy smiles-- Felicity can hear it in his voice. "Mine too, Sunny. Mine too."
Main Story: In the Heart
Flavors, Toppings, Extras: Guava 20 (I'm a big girl/boy now), pistachio 21 (a picnic), malt (PFAH: Olivia : the past is gone, but something might be found to take its place), whipped cream (Olivia is almost eleven in the first), caramel (Felicity is four in the last one).
Word Count: 600
Rating: PG-13.
Summary: Three picnics.
One bright Sunday in June, the Sunday between Father's Day and Olivia's eleventh birthday, they take a picnic out to the park after church. They spend less time in the park now that Olivia is growing up. The swings and carnival games that once delighted a little girl don't hold much pleasure for her anymore. But she's still here, in their one weekly unbroken stretch of time together. She still thinks this is a treat.
Hugh hopes she always will, but he's realistic enough to know it's not likely. Still, he doesn't like to think of that far-off but far too close day when she'll turn to him and see, not her father, but an old man. Someone no longer worth her time.
"Stop brooding, Daddy," Olivia says, without looking up from her ice cream.
He looks up, a little startled, and smiles ruefully. "Am I brooding?"
"You know you are," she says, and bends a reproachful look on him. "It's Sunday, Daddy."
"I'm sorry." And he is, because she's right. Whatever has happened or will happened, right now it's a beautiful Sunday in June, and they're celebrating.
He smiles, more naturally this time. "What shall we do next, Sunny?"
--
It's not their first date. That would be silly, because they met in November, it's now April, and not even Olivia and Jake are that bad at relationships. But it is one of the first, the two of them together sprawled out on a blanket in the spring sun.
He thinks Olivia has the day off, but he just skeeved off early, and it's worth it. Sure, this park doesn't deserve the name, and their picnic consists of one sandwich each, but there's something about the way the sun hits Olivia's hair, the not-quite-pressure of light on his skin.
Something started when he met her. He's not sure what, yet, but every time he looks at her, he feels like smiling. Touching her feels like today, bright and warm and joyful. She's the sun; he is a flower, turning to follow her as she passes.
He looks to her, and to his surprise, she's crying, quiet tears creeping down her cheeks.
"Hey." He sits up, touches her shoulder. "Are you okay?"
She turns to face him, eyes open and surprised. "Yes, perfectly. Why?"
"You're crying."
"Am I?" She touches her own face, and blinks. "How strange. I don't know why."
--
Every time Grammy and Grampy come from California, they go out for a picnic. Unless it's rainy, or sleety, or once when it snowed really hard and Felicity's braids froze when she went outside. If it's nice out they go on a picnic. Felicity always gets to help make the sandwiches. She likes smearing the peanut butter on the bread, and licking it off her fingers afterwards while Mommy laughs.
When they actually get to the park, Grampy, Mommy and Daddy usually just sit on the blanket and talk, but Felicity never does. She runs around the park, the wind through her hair, catches leaves, picks flowers. Grammy, who is very young for a grammy, runs with her, laughing, dancing with her and spinning her around in the air. And when she's tired, Grampy lets her sit on his lap and cuddle close.
One time, drowsing on her grampy's lap, she hears him say to Mommy, "Do you remember when we used to do this?"
"When I was Liss's age," she says, and laughs again. "Yes. Those were some of the best days of my life."
Grampy smiles-- Felicity can hear it in his voice. "Mine too, Sunny. Mine too."