"Mamma, can I do
that?" My once-quiet daughter asked as she watched me milking one of the
cows that we had.
"Sure. Let me help
you." I showed her all she had to do.
"I like doing
this." She spoke out as happily as she could.
"I bet there’s a lot that
you'd like to talk about." That’s when she went quiet again.
"What’s wrong?" I
asked, starting to worry.
"I speak too much. I sorry." That took me by surprise
"No, you don’t. I've
been wanting you to talk; you just do it as much and
as long as you want to. I won't stop you."
"Really?" I nodded yes then helped her out of her seat. I
poured the stuff into the holding containers behind us. I picked her up.
"Shanda, what made you
not talk for so long?"
"My Daddy didn't let me.
Said that he didn't want to hear it. I was too
noisy." Her face dropped.
"He told me that if I
didn't stop he would get rid of me and no one would want me." I felt
myself get angry. How could anyone do this to a child? Especially this one,
she's so sweet and loving.
"Shanda where's your
real mother?"
"You are." I
smiled.
"Yes I am but what about
the one that had you first."
Shanda shook her head.
"I see." I now understood why that little girl had never spoken; she
was afraid that I would get rid of her as well.
I held her so she could get a
better look at my face.
"You are where you
belong now and you can make as much noise as you want when you play or do
chores or whatever you want." Her eyes lit up before she leaned to me so
she was close to my ears. Shanda whispered the words I'll cherish for the rest
of my life.
"I love you Mamma,"
Tears filled my eyes,
"What’s wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just so
happy. You don't know how long I've wanted you to say that to me." Shanda
started grinning more as I held her to me as I walked into the other barn to
see how Timmy was coming along with his chores before heading inside.
As I watched, I heard a crash
from the kitchen. Jumping up and running, Chase had managed to knock the trashcan
over again.
"Chace
Cullen Walker, You know that you’re not to be in that trash!" I scolded as
my hand connected with his diapered backside. He looked at me before deciding
to cry. I went ahead and put him in the crib I had placed in the living room,
as I was weaning both him and Bliss from sleeping in my room. I watched as
Bliss headed towards the mess.
"Bliss, you get into
that trash, I'll smack you backside as well." I warned. She must have
understood because she turned and headed to another area of the house. It was
getting late anyways; the twins had been out for sometime already. I called to
the young girls telling them to get ready, I was going to get their brother and
tell him to get ready for bed as well.