All the Single Mothers!

Susan’s Dress // Adelaide’s Outfit

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Susan liked to take Adelaide to the park every Saturday afternoon. It was a day Arthur couldn’t get out of working – he always ran shift in the afternoon – and it was always a day Susan had off of work! It was her quality day with Adelaide. Sundays, she often had Arthur watch her while she graded assignments. But Saturdays! Those were the days Susan looked forward to the most!

Today Adelaide had her long, mid-back length brown hair pulled up into a high ponytail as per her mother’s request. She was playing on the large, colorful playground with a bright expression. Susan was sitting on a bench where she could see Adelaide, a magazine lazily plopped in her lap. It really was such a beautiful day – the park was full of children! Susan was friendly with many regulars, and had a conversation with the person beside her.

Adelaide paid no heed to her mother, and instead focused on climbing the playground. ”No! Me first!” She told the other girl she was playing with. The other girl complained, and Adelaide pushed her slightly to the side. The girl complained but Adelaide glared. ”I wouldn’t have to push you if you’d listen, dummy!” She insisted. As the day progressed Adelaide’s playmate abandoned her, and she was alone and bored. She stood atop the playground, looking over the fields as though she was a queen surveying her kingdom. She spotted a newcomer, an older girl, climbing up. She leaned over the rail.

”That spot’s got splinters and stuff,” Adelaide said, feeling superior for knowing that. ”You gotta climb on the other side over there,” she pointed to the left side of the wooden platforms.

Adelaide rose her eyebrows when the girl insisted she was going to just wing it. Hello! She was blocking traffic! Other, more sensible kids were climbing up and annoyed at how slow she was. ”Okaaaaay. But you’re gonna stab yourself.” Adelaide said. She laughed when Isabelle pricked herself. ”I toooold you! Go on the other side!”

Now the other kids were all up, for now at least. Soon, they’d slide, but for now they were all on the platforms and crawling around. ”Better switch sides now a‘for everybody comes back up.” She said.

Adelaide smirked to herself. ”Yeah huh it is! ‘Cause it’s not me. And cause they’re usually reeeeeeeeally dumb,” Adelaide said, her hands locked on her hips. She knew what was funny! More than this person who clearly did not know how funny worked.

She observed how the other girl climbed, shaking her head slightly at the technique. So amateur! And this girl was like what? Old? Blegh! And she was like probably half her age but was so much better! That was just another example of how better Adelaide was! She flipped her long hair back and grinned.

Her grin fell, though, when the older girl was now looking down at her. No! Adelaide liked to be leader! ”Yeah, you did it, but way lame!” She huffed. ”I can go down there and show you the right way to do it!”

Adelaide scoffed at Isabelle’s comment. ”Nut-uh! You’re soooo lacking in tech-unique.” Adelaide insisted. She heard a woman call out and glanced at LeAnn. Not too far from her was Susan, who looked up at her words. She made eye contact with Adelaide and closed her notebook.

”Addy! You behave!” She said. Adelaide pouted.

”I am, mommy!” She said. She turned to Isabelle and stuck her nose in the air. ”Watch me and I will climb the best!” She said, approaching the slide. Fearlessly, she went down the park’s largest slide, before she approached the rock climbing unit. She shoved a kid out of her way to get there faster.

Susan shook her head at her daughter and glanced to LeAnn. ”Ah, she’s your daughter? I love her little outside!” She said, putting her papers back into her lap. They were assignments she had to grade. ”I’m Susan Summers – that vindictive three year old is my daughter. Pleasure to meet you!”