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In the beginning.
In the beginning, Abby asked lots of questions.
This was not something Sturgis was familiar with, having only spent significant time with little Neville and Neville didn't ask as many. Abby, however, had all of these questions. Her favourite was the dreaded 'why?' Head cocked to one side, eyes narrowed, and then that word. "Why?" Sometimes, it held hands with another word: but. "But why?"
"Time fer a bath.""But why?""So ya can come out clean as a whistle.""But why?""'Cause little girls take baths before bed.""But why?""So they can go ta sleep.""Why sleep?"
He knew this to mean why do I have to go to sleep. "Why sleep?" came up often.
"So you'll wake up rested an' ready ta play.""Ready to play! Yes.""No....that's not.....it's time fer a bath.""Time to play.""Yeah. Sure. Time ta play in the bath with the big ships an' sea creatures." "Yes!"
By a certain age, each exchange became a detailed inquiry. It was not something she grew out of like all of the books said. Yes, he read parenting books. When one gives up hope of ever being a parent at age twenty-three and then the unexpected happens, that someone sees it as his only chance and doesn't want to blow it. This is how he viewed the responsibility of raising Abby. Yes, he was a mess and survivor's guilt absolutely crippled at times, but the greatest happiness amongst bouts with depression, anxiety, and masochism was Abby. For a time, especially in the beginning, they had a new holiday each week. He could tell she was sad just as he was, so the holidays were really for them both. It's Raining Pancakes Day was one of their favourites. The spell was easy enough and the clean up gave them something to do together.
Dance at the Halves was another. On this day, they'd stop whatever they were doing at half past the hour to dance for five straight minutes. Sturgis thought this one to be the best until Abby insisted on staying up all day and night long because "it has to be a full 24 hours". The girl was clever and he didn't want to stifle the creativity.
After some time, holidays fell to monthly and they took turns creating them. The Sweets Challenge was Abby's idea. It was less a holiday (though certainly celebrated) and more a contest. They'd come up with wild, outlandish names for sweets, write them all down on paper, fold that paper, and put it in a hat (she went through a hat phase) before each would draw one from the many names they'd come up with. The challenge was to create a sweet based on this nonsensical name, make a batch of it in the kitchen, and then serve them up to determine who would be crowned the Master Sweetsmith. That crown was not figurative. It was literal, bejeweled, and glorious. Nine times out of ten, Abby wore that crown and not because Sturgis loved to see her smile either (which he did), she had talent. She deserved the crown. Abby Fenwick, Master Sweetsmith.
[To be continued...]
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