“DAHDEE!”
“Heyyy!” Ron kneeled down and threw his arms out wide to greet his daughter as 2-year old Kamie came flying out of the Stoppable house and plastered him with a huge hug. “Sorry I was a bit late, sweetie. Traffic’s a nightmare today.”
“Iz ohkay,” reassured Kamie. “Whuht ztorwee do yew got vor me tonight, Dahdee?”
“Have,” corrected Ron. “What story do I have for you tonight? And you know what? I don’t know, I was thinkin’ first you could tell me what you did today.”
“Not much, Dahdee.”
“"Not much?” How can a big girl like you with so much energy end up doing “not much” all day? Is Grandma Stoppable not taking you to the park like she said she would?” he asked, mockingly looking at Mrs. Stoppable.
Mrs. Stoppable, standing in the doorway, rolled her eyes.
“No, Dahdee!” Kamie giggled. “Gwandma took me to the park! I juzt had a nap errweeuhr, iz all.”
“Ohh, you had a nap earlier?” he asked, Kamie enthusiastically nodding in response. “A big nap, or a small one?”
“Uhhhmmm…A meedeeyum one,” grinned Kamie, smiling.
“A medium one? Well, let’s get you home for dinner, you special medium-nap taking young woman!” declared Ron, picking her up as he stood up. “Oof! My, you’re just growing up bigger every day!”
“Yeah! Maybe one day I myte gwow up to be bigger than yew!”
“Eh heh – well, you just might, Kamie!” cheered Ron. “Okay, it’s car seat time!” He walked back to the green Saturn Ion and picked Kamie up to put her in-
“No!”
“What? What’s wrong, Kamie?” asked Ron, looking at his daughter as she resisted him putting her in the car seat.
“Don’ puht me in the car zeat, Dahdee! I wanna geh in ih myzelf!”
“Ohhh…Okay, then!” Ron put her on the backseat and waited until Kamie had climbed into the car seat. “All set?”
“Yeah!” smiled Kamie, putting the child safety seat’s belts over her shoulder and snapping the buckle in. “Awl buckled in!”
“Hold on – make sure the belt is snug against you, sweetie – Remember, we don’t want it to be too loose now.”
Kamie checked the strap adjusters, finding no looseness in them. “Nope! All znug!”
Ron patted her tummy. “Okay, then. Just wanted to be extra-sure you were safe and sound, honey.”
“Yep!”
Ron smiled, shut the passenger door, got in the driver’s seat, started the car, and backed out of the driveway. “Wave to Grandma Stoppable!”
“Bye-bye, Gwandma!” waved Kamie. “Thank you vor weading wif me today! Zee you again zoon!”
“You’re welcome, Kamie!” waved back Mrs. Stoppable, who waited until the Ion had turned the corner and was out of view.
“So you said Grandma took you to the part today? What’d you do there?”
“Pwayed Copz an’ Wobberz wif zome of the othur kids who were alweady dere.”
“Oh? What side were you on?”
“Wobberz!”
Ron grinned, shaking his head as he looked back towards the road. “Why does that not surprise me?”
“Oh! And alzo, Dadhee - Gwandma taught me how to control my powehrz better!”
“She did?”
“Yeah! Now I can make cool zhapes wif ‘em!”
“Really?”
“Yeah! Wanna zee?”
“Uh, not right now, sweetie. Daddy needs to concentrate on driving us home safely right. If he sees green energy flames in his rearview mirror, he’s gonna think the car’s on fire – and then he’s gonna have to pull the car over and stop to make that it’s not.”
“Dahdee!” whined Kamie, feeling a bit dejected. “I won’t zet the car on fire!”
“I know you won’t, Kamie.”
“Zo how come I can’t zhow you now?”
“Tell you what – You can show me all the crazy shapes you can make with your powers after we get home and have dinner. Is that okay?”
“No! I wanna zhow you now! Pwease?”
“I’m sorry, Kamie. Not right now.”
“THAT’Z NOT FAIR! I WANNA ZHOW YOU NOW!” shrieked the little girl, who turned her head away and began to cry in her tantrum.
“If we wait so you can show me after dinner, then you’ll be able to show Mommy what you’ve learned at the same time…”
Kamie’s crying stopped. She looked up. “Mahwmee’s back fwom her mizzion?”
“Yep – she was home when I got back from work earlier, waiting to see you and what you’ve learned since yesterday! So how’s about it, Kamie? Do you want to pull over to the side of the road so you can show me here in the car – or do you want to wait until after we have dinner, when you can show Mommy and Daddy all the cool shapes Grandma helped you learn how to make and control with your powers?”
“Uhmm…I zhink I can wait now, Dahdee,” Kamie smiled, wiping her tears as she yawned.
“See? Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?”
There was no response.
Ron looked in the rearview mirror. “Right, Ka - Oh.”
“…Just as I get settled…Coming!” Kim called, tiredly rubbing her eyes as she threw the blanket aside, getting up off the couch as the doorbell continued to ring. “Alright, all right! Hold-” Upon opening the door, a sleeping Kamie was pushed into her arms by her husband. “What-”
“Apparently the medium nap she had at Mom’s wasn’t enough,” whispered Ron. “Whoah, Kim – you look-”
Kim looked at her sound-asleep daughter – and handed her back to Ron. “You get her tucked in,” she whispered back. “I’m about to pass out myself here. I barely had enough energy to make dinner – which, by the way, is waiting for you on the counter, covered in plastic wrap.”
Ron smiled. “That mission took a lot more out of you than you thought, eh? Alright. You go get your own energy back, baby. I’ll tuck her in.”
Kim practically collapsed snoring onto the floor, but made it back to couch in time, pulling the blanket over her before quickly falling asleep.
Ron just stood there for a while, looking at his snoring wife and his snoring daughter. He smiled, then walked to Kamie’s room and set the girl down in her crib, laying Kamie’s head down carefully onto her little pillow. He kissed Kamie on the forehead, and pulled the blanket over her. He stood some more watching his daughter sleep, a warm smile on his face before he headed to the door. “Goodnight, my sweet little big girl.”
Shortly after he left, Kamie’s tiny hands gripped the blanket tighter, pulling it a bit further up over her body.
“Kamie…”
“Mmmph…”
“Kamie, wake up, sweetie.”
Kamie groggily woke up, rubbing her eyes. “Dahdee?”
“Shh…” Ron put his finger to his lips, then continued in a whisper. “That mission Mommy went on took a lot more out of her than she expected it to, and she’s still really, really tired this morning. So what we’re gonna do is we’re gonna make breakfast for her - and so Mommy can have a nice, quiet, and peaceful house to rest and recover from the mission today, you and I are gonna go out and spend the whole day together!”
“Huh? Mommy doesn’t want to come with us?”
“Shh!” Ron reiterated. “It’s not that, Kamie. Mommy would love to come with us, but she’s still really tired from that mission, and so you and I are gonna go out and spend some time together, just the two of us, and leave the house quiet for a day so Mommy can rest well and get her energy back.”
“Oh! I geh ih now!” said Kamie. “Oopz!” She clasped her hands over her mouth. “But we gotta do ih qwietly zo we don’t wake Mawhmee, wight?”
“Yeah, you have to be quiet, but only while we’re still inside the house – so let’s get you dressed, then make breakfast for Mommy before we head out!”
“Okay!”
Dressing Kamie was easy. A new diaper, her I escaped from Alcatraz and all I could bring with me was this lousy T-Shirt shirtwhich Ron had bought after stopping an escaped Monkey Fist in San Francisco, her favourite pair of greens shorts, her favourite black socks, and her little Robin Hood Velcro sneakers – and soon they were downstairs in the kitchen making a cheese and bacon omelet for Kim. After listening to Ron’s instructions, Kamie cracked open two eggs, put the yolk and whites in a bowl with two tablespoons of water, mixed it, and handed it to Ron, who cooked up the pan and made the omelet – letting Kamie sprinkle on the shredded cheese and bacon bits before folding the omelet over. Next, Kamie poured a glass of orange juice into a travel mug, put the lid on the mug – then Ron cooked up hash browns and sausages to go with the omelet. Finished with everything, Ron put all the food on a plate, Kamie helped him cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and they set it down as quietly as they could on the living room table, scooting the table closer to the couch for Kim to see when she woke up.
“Okay, Kamie! First, wash your hands so you can get them all clean after handling those raw eggs, then I’ll wash my hands after you’re done – and after that, whaddya say we go see Grandma Stoppable again?”
“Yeah!” cheered Kamie. “Letz go zee Gwandma again!”
“Shh!”
“Oopz!” Kamie giggled. “Zowwy!”
“GWANDMA!”
“Hi, Kamie!”
“I zaid Ih’d zee you again zoon!”
“So you did, young woman.” She looked over Ron’s shoulder. “Where’s your Mommy?”
“She got in from a mission yesterday and was completely bushed, so this little bundle of noisy giggles and I –” Ron picked up the laughing Kamie in a hug from behind, and blew a raspberry on her chest. “–are spending the day together away from the house so Mommy can get some nice, quiet, and peaceful rest.”
“Hmm…Well, if the little bundle of noisy giggles were older, I’d ask you two for help in cleaning out the garage today - but for right now, I think I can let that pass,” said Mrs. Stoppable. “So why don’t we-”
“Wait!” Kamie interrupted. “Daddy and I can help you wif cweaning out the gawage, Gwandma!”
Ron looked at Kamie. “Huh?”
“C’mon, Dahdee. I helped you and Mommy cwean out the gawage at our houze…”
“Perfect!” Mrs. Stoppable clapped. “Well then, let’s get to it!”
“You don’t still have the-” Ron stammered.
“The what?”
“T-T-The G-G-Garden- Gn-Gno-”
“The Garden Gnome?”
“Yes! The Garden Gnome! The most evil creature ever to cross my path! The bane of my exist-”
“What? Ron, your daughter gets over her fear of lightning in half a year, and after…well, it would be 22 years if that blue-skinned guy hadn’t de-aged everybody 5 years, but I guess it’s officially 18 years – that Garden Gnome still scares you?”
“YES!”
“Dahdee!” Kamie scowled at Ron, crossing her arms. “Ztop twying to zcare Gwandma zo you can get out of doing chorez! Ih won’ wurk on Mawhmee, zo ih won’ wurk on Gwandma!”
Mrs. Stoppable laughed. “That’s right, Kamie! It won’t work on me. And you know what? It didn’t work on me wayyy before you were born while I was still raising your Daddy, either!”
“Zee, Dahdee?”
Ron smiled, a bit uncertainly. “All right, Kamie. You win. Let’s go help Grandma clean out her garage. But whatever you do – do not make eye contact with that Gnome!”
Kamie rolled her eyes. “C’mon, Dahdee…”
“Mmm, that smells good, Ron – Huh?” As her eyes unblurred, Kim noticed the food was on the living room table –but the letter stuck out to her first. Picking it up, she read it out loud to herself. “Dear…Mawhmee…Zince? Oh, Since…Since…you…are still…tired…Dahdee…and…I… are…spending…the…day…together…away…from the house – so you can have it quiet while you rest – no, wait…rest! Ah! Rest…and…get your energy back…We made you breakfast first before you left – hope it isn’t too cold by the…zime? No, time…by the time you …wake…up. Love, Kamie and Daddy. Oh, how sweet!” Kim sleepily smiled, flicked on the TV, and took the plastic wrap off her breakfast plate. The food was still hot, somewhat. Changing the channel to the U.S. Women’ Soccer game that was on, Kim looked out the window before starting to eat. “Have fun, you two.”
“…The knick-knacks go next to the bric-a-brac, and…there we go! All done!” After putting the last small box from Mrs. Stoppable - who had been handed it by Kamie - in the attic, Mr. Stoppable stepped off the ladder and clapped all the dust off his hands.
“Yay! All done!” clapped Kamie.
Mrs. Stoppable knelt down and hugged Kamie. “And I have you and your Daddy to thank for helping us get it done so fast!”
“You’re welcome, Gwandma – and Gwandpa, too!”
“I’m an actuary.” Mr. Stoppable, smiling, looked up. “Ron – c’mon, son…Stop that.”
“Why is it still in the garage? WHY IS IT STILL IN THE GARAGE?”
“Cuz ih woodden’t fit ih the attick, Dahdee,” Kamie answered.
“That Garden Gnome is EVIL!” pointed Ron, looking away from the lawn ornament.
“And so was your daughter, at one point. C’mon, Kamie – let’s go inside. I’m sure Daddy doesn’t want a fresh lunch to fill him up after all that work, nor do I think he wants to see what you’ve learned how to do with your powers after we finish eating that lunch – right?”
“Wha? Dadhee wantz to zee-”
“Play along, honey,” whispered Mr. Stoppable as he passed by.
“Oh! Wight! Thank you, Gwandpa!” Kamie whispered back – before turning back to Mrs. Stoppable. “Yeah, Gwandma! Dahdee wouldn’t want to do all that! Let’z go inzide!” she declared, taking Mrs. Stoppable’s hands and walking back into the house with her.
“W-Wait!” cried Ron, throwing his hand out in protest and running at the door – making it a second too late with a WHUMP! “Ow…” Standing up, his pants fell down. “What – aw, man!” He looked up – and some neighbourhood kids were giggling at him. “Ahh!” He quickly hit the button to close the automatic garage door, then pulled his pants back up, buckled them, and walked back into the house.
“All full?” asked Ron. “Oh, that’s a naptime yawn, all right,” he said at Kamie’s response – a massive, nodding yawn. “Right, Mom?”
“No, Dahdee, I don’ need a na–” Kamie yawned again.
“Oh, I have to agree with your father on this one. That’s a naptime yawn, all right. Looks like all that helping out in the garage tired you out,” said Mrs. Stoppable.
“I DON’ NEED A NAP!” protested Kamie as Ron took her out of her high chair and into the living room, clearing his throat as he sat down on the couch with her. “I WON’ TAKE ONE IF YOU TWY TO MAKE ME TAKE ONE, DAHDEE! I WON’-”
“Rest your weary head now, Little Kamie
It’s time for a story from Daddy-Ronnie…
Let yourself be calmed now, Little Kamie
All you need right is a short little naaap…
Just close those tired eyes now, Little Kamie
You’ll have more fun once you wake up…”
“Ron…That was a beautiful song!” said Mrs. Stoppable. “Does it always work on her like when you sing Rufus to sleep?”
“Shh – most of the time, Mom. But she’s a really light sleeper - especially right after she’s fallen asleep,” Ron noted, gently laying the snoring Kamie down on the couch. Turning around, he nearly had his eye poked out as Mr. Stoppable thrust a blanket into his face.
“I’m an actuary. She stands more of a risk of growing cold and catching a fever if she doesn’t have a blanket, so I took one from the linen closet.”
“Right.” Ron smiled, taking the blanket and tucking Kamie in. “Thanks, Dad.”
“No problem, Son. I can work anywhere put a dollar value on human life, but I’d rather not see another one on hers so soon.”
Right – let’s go in the other room, then – I do have one thing I want to ask you,” said Mrs. Stoppable.
“Uh…okay.”
“Mom, please – we can’t tell her right now! Are you kidding me?”
“Ron, she’s going to find out about it sooner or later. The earlier you tell her in her life, the better! Think about what’s going to happen when she starts that dance school your friend Bonnie runs – or preschool in general! I know how badly you were treated there sometimes, but you just got called a loser all the time.”
“Oh, yes, honey – remind him about it…”
“You didn’t have the extra stigma of once being the most notorious and dangerous thief in the entire world, and the former archenemy of your own mother! I don’t want to see her come crying home because the other kids at school were all taunting her, calling her a thief, and teasing her about when she’s going on her 11-country vacation! I don’t think you want to see that happening, either. Right? Do you, Ronnie?”
“Okay. One: No more calling me “Ronnie;” Two: Except for the fact that she’d take being called a thief a compliment?”
“I – you know what I mean, Ron!”
“Listen to your mother, Ron. Take her word for it – telling Kamie as early as possible is going to give you and Kim much less of a headache and guilt trip than if you tell her later, when it’s a lot further down the line. It’s like when we told you Santa Claus wasn’t going to come to our house, and you’d have to go to Kim’s house if you wanted to see him – we told you when you were only 7, and you took it so well!”
“Yeah, but only because I knew Kim got just one day of presents and we had 8 for Chanukah… Alright, I get your point, guys! Stop looking at me like that, Mom! But since Kim and I are her parents – we’ll know when the time is right to tell her everything more than anyone else!”
“…I know that, Ron. But that doesn’t mean we can’t give you our input. You know having only one view isn’t the best way to make a final decision. Oi, you should have heard the advice we got from your grandparents when you were little – hoo! If we’d have actually followed most of what they told us to do, Shego wouldn’t have been the only member of the Stoppable family to have the honour of being in prison.”
“Dahdee?”
“Shit! Did she just hear all of that?”
“Ron!”
“Ohp! Sorry, Mom! I forgot about the language rule in this house! Kim and I have a slightly more lax one at the Possible-Stoppable home.”
“I see. Well, you’re forgiven. Just remember – better to be honest with her now, then tell her the truth later.”
“Yeah, yeah…”
“Dahdee?”
Ron slid open the kitchen door. “Yes, Kamie? Hey, what’s wrong, sweetie?” he asked, immediately noticing the toddler’s sour expression.
“I – I – I WENT POO-POO IH MY PANTZ!” bawled Kamie, throwing herself against Ron, crying up a storm.
“What? Oh, Kamie, Kamie, Kamie…” Ron picked Kamie up, patted the girl on the back gently, and rocked her back and forth slowly. “Shh…Shhhh…There, there, sweetie – there, there, it’s okay…It’s okay…Why are you crying about it? You’ve never cried about it before.”
“THAT’Z BECUZ’ MAWHMEE ZAYZ IH’M ZUPPOZED TO BE UZHING THE POIWET NOW!”
“Poiwet? Oh…Oh, yeah…Poiwet.”
“Poiwet?” asked Mrs. Stoppable.
“Potty Toilet,” Ron clarified. “Kim started her training about two weeks ago.”
“Ah.”
Another monumental bawl erupted from Kamie, focusing Ron’s attention back to her. “Kamie, Kamie… Kamie, look at me, please, sweetie. Will you please look at me, Kam – thank you very much,” said Ron, promptly wiping away Kamie’s tears. “Now, let me tell you something: There’s no reason for you to be ashamed about going poo-poo in your pants, Kamie.”
“YEZ THERE IHZ! MAWHMEE ZAID IH’M ZUPPOZED TO BE UZHING THE POI-”
“Kamie, Mommy only started teaching you to use the poiwet two weeks ago. She doesn’t expect you to be using it EVERY time just yet.”
“Zhe…doezn’t?” asked Kamie.
“Nooo! Of course not, sweetie! You’re only 2 years old! The point of Mommy starting you on using the poiwet is so you can use it once or twice when potty training starts, and slowly start using it more and more, until you’re ready to be using it all the time. There’s absolutely no reason at all to be ashamed about going poo-poo in your pants right now. It’s natural for anyone your age to still go poo-poo in their pants.”
“Ih is?”
“Of course it is. It’s why you’re still wearing a diaper right now, silly young woman,” chuckled Ron, playfully wiggling her cheek, making Kamie giggle – though Kamie tried to surpress that. “And speaking of your diaper, I it is time to get yours changed. Okay! Into the bathroom we go! Ready? 1…2… 3! VRRROOM!” He speedwalked to the bathroom, holding Kamie away from him so she felt like she was flying.
“Hmm…I should’ve done that with him when he needed a diaper change…” noted Mr. Stoppable.
Finished, Ron and Kamie came out of the bathroom. “Gwandma? Gwandpa?”
“Yes, dear?”
“Uhm…I wanna go vizit Gwandma and Gwandmpa Pozzible. Iz ih alwight iv we weave bevore zhowing Dahdee what Ih’ve wearned vrom you?”
Mrs. Stoppable smiled. “It’s your choice, sweetie. But I’m sure that not only your Daddy, but Grandma and Grandpa Possible, too - would love to see what you learned from us, since they haven’t seen it and we already have.”
“Yeah! Let’z go vizit Gwandma and Gwandpa Pozzible, Dahdee!” Kamie ran to hug Mr. and Mrs. Stoppable. “Bye Gwandma Ztoppable! Bye Gwandpa Ztoppable! Ih’ll zee you again zoon zometime!”
“You better!” waved the Stoppables as their son and his daughter headed out the door.
“That’s our boy,” sighed Mr. Stoppable, watching the car head out of sight again. “I…honestly didn’t think he’d be able to handle the responsibility of raising a child.”
“Boy? Jean, our boy became a man ages ago. And you’re joking, right? Ronnie’s always stayed a child at heart. Like my Mom said: It takes a child to raise one.”
“Hmm…Yeah, I guess you’re right. Hunh. Looks like the new generations do have something to teach the older ones, after all.”
“They always do, dear. They always do.”
“Kamie! What a surprise! James! Guess who just showed up! And how’s my darling little granddaughter?” asked Mrs. Possible, picking up Kamie and lightly poking her in the nose. Kamie reacted by shyly giggling and looking away “It’s a good thing you caught us on a weekend! Uh, wait – Where’s Kimmie, Ronald?”
“Mawhmee waz ztill weally tired vrom her mizzion lazt night, zo we made her bweakfast, then let her have the houze to herzelv today.”
“You did that for Mommy? You’re such a nice young woman, Kamie! I’m sure she appreciated that very much.”
“Ih waz Dahdee’z idea, mostly.”
“Who – Kamie-cub!”
“Gwandpa!” Kamie nearly jumped out of Mrs. Possible’s hands before she was set down and ran to the open arms of Mr. Possible.
“Hey-ey! I haven’t seen you in ages, Kamie-cub! Look how much you’ve grown! How have you been, big girl?”
“Gweat! C’mon! I wanna zhow you, Gwandma, and Daddy what Gwandma Stoppable taught me how to do wif my powerhz!”
“Oh? Well, then, you better come into the living room and show us!” said Mr. Stoppable, picking Kamie up and giving her a piggyback ride. Once in the living room, he set Kamie down, and she sat in Ron’s lap. “Okay, Kamie – we’re ready. Show us what you’ve learned!”
“Okay!” Kamie closed her eyes and concentrated. Her hands ignited into the green energy flames all-too-familiar to the Possibles’ eyes – but as they watched in amazement, the flames grew cloudier, then flattened out – and eventually, a small circle of energy broke from her hands, floating into the air like a smoke ring.
“Wow, Kamie!” said Ron, clapping along with Mr. and Mrs. Possible. “That’s amazing!”
“Lessee…” Mrs. Possible put her hand under her chin, exaggerating her thinking process to amuse the chuckling Kamie. “Can you make other shapes, Kamie?”
“Uhm…”
“Oh! I got it!” piped up Ron.
“Have ih!”
“Huh?”
“Have ih, Dahdee! You zaid, “I got ih."”
“I – Uh…Yep, that’s right! I did say that. Thank you very much, Kamie.”
“And what idea does Daddy have?” asked Mrs. Stoppable.
“…Why don't you try making a heart for Mommy? Maybe when we get back, then you can show her something really special!”
“Okay!” Kamie eagerly nodded. She concentrated, closing her eyes. Her green energy flames lit up around her hands - and pooled into a heart shape that separated away from the rest of the flames, again hovering in midair and dissipating like a bubbly smoke ring.
“Wow! Look at that, Kamie!” gasped Mr. Possible.
Kamie opened her eyes - and gasped in awe as the green energy heart floated away like a balloon. “Cool!”
“Can you do it with your eyes open?” asked Ron.
“I don' know, but I'll twy, Dahdee.”
“Well,” Ron smiled, “You go right ahead and try.”
Kamie concentrated again, this time with her eyes open - and this time successfully made a slightly bigger green energy heart, which floated right to Ron. “Ahaha - that tickles!” he laughed, giggling as the green energy passed over his body, feeling like the fog from a smoke machine.
Kamie suddenly got an evil glint in her eye as Ron laughed. “Dahdee’s tik-lish?” she asked innocently, pivoting on one foot from side to side.
“Eeeheehee, yes, Daddy's very tickli – uh-oh.”
A second later, he was on the ground in hysterics as a laughing Kamie attempted to tickle him in every ticklish spot on his body. “Aha – ahaha – Rufus! Ahaha! Rufus – eeehee – help me, Rufus! Ahahahaha – Get – ooohoohoo – Get this tickle machine off me, Rufus! Eeeheeheehee!”
Rufus, emerging from his pocket, looked at Kamie tickling Ron – then ran up his side and up her arm, causing Kamie to squeal at her own ticklishness as the naked mole rat ran over her neck and other shoulder, then jumped off her – a moment Ron used to pick his daughter up as he stood up, effectively stopping her from her tickle attack. “Wufus!” Kamie glared at the animal teasingly, crossing her arms and sticking her chin out in a huff. “We had a deal, Wufus! Twaitor!”
“Ho ho - sorry!” chittered Rufus, shrugging.
“Oh, no – It’s 3:00, dear!” said Mr. Possible, checking his watch.
“Oh, you’re right! Kamie, I’m sorry – I know you and Daddy just got here, but we forgot we’re meeting some friends for an afternoon time at the gold course, You’re gonna have to come back and show us more of those cool things you’ve learned another time.”
“We have to go now?”
Mrs. Possible kissed her granddaughter’s forehead. “Yes, Kamie.”
“But – But-” pouted Kamie – clearly on the verge of crying.
“Whoah! Wait, Dr. P. – Did you say 4:00?”
“That’s right, Ronald. It’s 4:00.”
“Ay yi yi yi yi! Kamie, we gotta go home now, anyways. Mommy’s probably startin’ to make dinner for right about now.”
“Kamie sniffed back a tear. “Okay…” She held her head up. “I can wive wif that.”
“Thaaat’s my girl!” beamed Ron. “Okay, let’s go back home!”
“Wait! Dahdee!”
“Huh?”
“Bevore we go home – Let’z buy zome new flowerz vor Joe to take on hiz twavels.”
Ron nearly slammed on the brakes right there. He waited until they were at a stop light before looking back at the adamant toddler. “All – All right, then.”
Carefully, Kamie placed the vase of flowers next to the tombstone, then stepped back with her head down, Ron calmly putting his arm over her shoulder.
It only took a few seconds, but in moments, Kamie was bawling into a kneeling Ron’s shoulder. “I MIZZ HIM! I MIZZ HIM ZO MUCH, DAHDEE!”
“Shhh…I know, Kamie. I never met him - but if he was good friends with you and Mommy, he must’ve been one cool guy. Go on. Cry until you’ve got it all out of you. You have every right to do that here.”
Kamie bawled for about another 5 minutes, then dried her tears a she calmed down. “Okay, Dahdee. Now we can go home.”
“WE’RE BAHK! MAWHMEE?”
“IN THE BATHROOM, KAMIE PUMPKIN!”
Five seconds later, Kamie ran into the bathroom, finding Kim cleaning her prosthetic eye and doing the regular maintenance that a person with one eye missing had to do every couple of months or so. “MAWHMEE!” cried the toddler, rushing up and grabbing Kim’s legs. “Are you veeling better now?”
“Whoah there, Kamie – Don’t wiggle Mommy’s leg while she’s trying to clean her prosthetic eye. And to answer your question: Yes, I’m feeling much better, thanks to this quiet house I’ve had to myself all day! How was your day with Daddy?”
“Ih waz gweat! Firzt, we helped Gwandma and Gwandpa Ztoppable cwean out their gawage, then we went to Gwandma and Gwandpa Pozzible’s, and zhowed Daddy and them what Ih’ve leared to do wif my powherz, thankz to Gwandma Ztoppable’s help – then before we came home, we stopped and put out some fwesh flowerz vor Joe to take on hiz twavels.”
Kim, having just finished putting her prosthetic eye in, stopped, stunned. She turned around and looked at her little girl. “Flowers for Joe to take on his travels?”
“That was all her idea,” Ron appeared in the bathroom doorway, pointing at Kamie.
Kim kneeled down – and hugged her daughter. “I’m proud of you, Kamie. That was a very mature decision, and I’m glad you made it.”
“Oh! Oh! I wanna zhow you what Ih’ve learned how to do wif my powerhz!”
“Huh? All right – show me, Kamie-Pumpkin.”
“Yay!” Kamie closed her eyes, concentrated – and soon a big green energy heart floated over Kim.
“Oh, wow! That’s so cool, sweetie!”
“Ih is?”
“Yeah! Actually, you know what? Can you make a small one?”
“Yeah!” Kamie nodded.
“Okay, hold on…” Kim slipped the prosthetic eye out and pointed at the space behind it in her eye socket. “Can you make it go right in there?”
“Yeah…I think zo…”
Kim pulled Kamie right next to her, to shorten the distance“Well, you try your best – and if you get it in there, then I can keep it with me and take it everywhere I go.”
Kamie’s eyes lit up with excitement. Concentrating, she made a very small heart with her powers, and directed it right to where Kim had pointed to put it.
Feeling the tickle of the green energy, she slipped the prosthetic eye down in place, trapping the token behind it. “And there we go!” she said, hugging the bug-eyed and delighted Kamie. “Now whenever I feel a bit down, I can just look over with my good eye and remember that your heart is always with me, sweetie!”
“And that will make you veel better?” asked Kamie.
Kim smiled. “Knowing that you love me always makes me feel better, Kamie-Pumpkin. Now – who wants dinner? I cooked some chicken covered in BBQ sauce, mashed potatoes with gravy, cheesy grits, and…canned peas!”
“Yay! Canned peas!” clapped Kamie, hopping up and down in excitement.
Ron looked at Kamie in partially fake, partially honest disgust. “Canned peas?”
“Yeh! I wike 'em!”
“Ew!”
“Thay're not ew!”
“Icky! Icky! Blegh!” Ron stuck his tounge out in teasing disgust.
“Dahdee!” Kamie giggled as she whined. “Thay are not icky!”
“If you say so…They’re definitely not kosher, in my opinion…”
Kamie just laughed. “Dahdee – you’re zo zilly…”
“You’re silly.”
“You’re zilly!”
“Hey, kids, knock it off!” chimed in Kim. “Here, Kamie – drink your milk, so you can make the bones in body get really, really strong. Ron – just eat the peas…”
Ron sighed, poking the canned peas with his fork. He looked up – Kamie was looking at him. Smiling, Ron ate a big spoonful of the peas. Kamie smiled, satisfied.
Full from dinner and dessert, Kamie lied on Ron’s back on the couch, holding up and reading her Disney’s Robin Hood Little Golden Book. “…and…they…lived…happily…ever…after…The end.”
Ron gasped at his daughter. “Do you know what you just did, Kamie?”
“Huh?” asked Kamie, looking at him. “What did I do, Dahdee?”
“You just read that entire book all by yourself! You didn’t need me to help you with anything!”
Kamie pondered the answer for a moment – then looked like the happiest girl in the world. “You’re wight, Dahdee! I did ih!”
Ron rustled her hair and kissed her on the forehead. “I’m so proud of you, Kamie…You’re growing up so fast…”
“Dadhee?” Kamie rolled over onto her belly. “I had a lot of fun today.”
“I had a lot of fun, too, Kamie. It was good to spend some time with you, since I wasn’t here for a while.”
A moment of silence passed while Kamie picked up Ron’s finger and played with it in her tiny gripping hands.
“Dahdee?” The little girl broke the silence, looking right back up into his eyes.
“What?”
She hugged him with a big yawning smile. “I wuv you, Dahdee.”
Ron smiled, kissed her forehead, and petted the back of her head a little bit while he yawned. “I love you, too, Kamie. I love you, too.”
15 minutes later, Kim walked in to find her husband and 2-year old daughter snoring on the couch. “Ugh. You guys…You’re gonna catch some nasty colds if you sleep without a blanket.” She grabbed a blanket from the hall closet and tucked them both in with it. “Sweet dreams, you two,” she smiled, turning off the light.
FIN
Author’s Note: For those of you from KPSlash reading this and wondering if something seemed familiar - you're right. The scenes with Kamie making the green energy hearts were directly inspired by the beautiful drawing by HazuraSinner, KP: Powers do more than hurt. You can check it out on her devart site – and check out Hazura’s Kitty!Kim & Kitty!Shego family drawings, too, based on the Kasey & Sheki series of stories by NoDrogs – which you should also check out if you haven’t already done so.
-RavenStar