Lux plays a game on my iPhone. I think back to her word.
She never says anything. Anything other than my name.
I don’t know if I should be happy that her vocabulary has expanded, or sad that she has edged further away from me.

She drops my phone.
It hits the ground.
Thud.
“Lu-uux.” I groan at her.
She claps.
I reach down and pick up my phone.
The screen shows my message page.

“akjfksdhgkjsfwqwigf564564321”
To: Dad.
“ddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd”
To: Anna.
“00909)))))))))))++++++++ssssssssssssssqqdwwwwq.”
To: Dominique.

“I thought you were playing Peppa Pig?” I frown at her.
She grins at me.
“How did you even get into my messages? You’re freaky Lux.” I gush. Look at her.
Shakes her head.
Giggles.

I lock my phone and shove it in my pocket.
Silence follows.
“Wooie.”

I swap my look from out the window to Lux.
She’s looking at me. Eyes wide.
“Lux, he’s not here right now. It’s Shubee.”
Lux screams. Not painful nor sad.
A babies’ scream.
She claps her hands.

Smack.
Smack.
“WOOIE.” She yells.
My heart bowls deeper into my chest.
My mother walks past. Looks at Lux.
“Hey baby! You learnt a new word!”
As if she’s hoping for Lux to expand further, she looks her in the eye.

“Mommy. Can you say mommy?”
Lux shakes her head.
“Shubee.”
I can’t help smiling.
“Mo-mmie! Muh-mmh-ie! You can do it!”
Lux shakes her head.
“Wooie!”
“Shubee.”
Then, garble.
A whole bunch of baby gibberish.

At the end, she flops back into her chair. Satisfied. Said what’s on her mind.
My mother stands up. Rolls her eyes.
“This is your fault Shelby.”
Continues down the aisle.

I look at Lux.
“Thanks for that.”
She claps her hands.

Notes

I'm sorry guys that I haven't updated in a while, i'm on holiday in thailand :D i'll be back in aussie on saturday, so i'll be updating regularly again then :)