Chasing Cars

Chapter 8

"Otay papa!" She grabs Meredith's hand. "Come on Mama! We gotta go!"

Meredith chuckles. "Okay, we're going."

Richard looks over at Meredith and mouths "Be careful."

———

Meredith helps Maddie into the car and buckles her into her car seat.

During the car ride Maddie starts singing a song she knows. "Twinkle twinkle little star how I wonder what you are..." She makes Nanas dance. "Nanas! We gonna go to the store! We can get nanas for you! Mama! We gotta get nanas for nanas!"

Meredith is slowly starting to get more tired but ignores it. "We can do that."

Maddie gasps as The Best Day (Taylor's Version) by Taylor Swift comes on the radio. "Mama! Our song!" Meredith would play this song for Maddie when she was just a baby and continued playing it as she got older.

Maddie starts singing along. When her Mom doesn't start singing like she usually would, Maddie stops singing.  "Mama! You gotta sing!"

Meredith is starting to get a headache and doesn't have very much energy. "Baby girl, I'm getting a little headache."

"Oh." Maddie says softly. "That's otay Mama! Me and Nanas will sing!" Maddie sings and makes nanas dance.

There is a video I found
From back when I was three
You set up a paint set in the kitchen
And you're talking to me
It's the age of princesses and pirate ships
And the seven dwarfs
And Daddy's smart
And you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world

Maddie gasps. "Mama! Mama, I three!"

Meredith laughs. "You are three! You're my little three year old."

They get to the store and Meredith helps Maddie out of the car.

"Mama, you push me?" Maddie asks, pointing to the cart.

"Sure baby." She lifts her up and puts her in the seat of the cart. Maddie swings her legs back and forth.

"Mama I want that!" Maddie says, pointing to some raspberries.

Meredith giggles. "You've never had raspberries before, silly. Do you want to get some and we can try them at home?"

"Uh huh!" Maddie smiles. "It's a pwetty color."

Meredith laughs. "You're too cute, you know that?"

Maddie giggles. "That's what Daddy says too!"

They go down a few aisles and Meredith is starting to overdo herself. Her headache is getting worse and she just feels so exhausted.

"Maddie, we need to hurry up okay sweetie?" Meredith whispers.

"You otay Mommy?" Maddie asks, frowning. "Papa says I got to watch you."

"I'm okay." She whispers. "Just need to sit for a moment." Meredith whispers, feeling a little dizzy. She slowly lowers herself to the floor and sits there.

"Mama?" Maddie asks, looking down at her mom sitting on the ground.

"I'm okay baby." Meredith whispers, not wanting to scare her daughter. The overwhelming fatigue became so much all of a sudden.

"Miss, are you okay?" Another shopper asks, looking concerned.

"My mommy's sick. She gets special pills and needs to go to the hopital." Maddie answers the lady.

"She needs to go to the hospital? I can call for an ambulance." The woman asks and pulls out her phone.

"No, I'm fine." Meredith says standing up, the dizziness slowly disappearing.

"Are you sure? You don't look so good." The woman says. "Maybe you should be checked out by the EMTs?"

"No, I'm fine." Meredith says again.

"My mommy's otay." Maddie says. "She's a doctor. She gots to go to the hopital to take yucky medicine. Even gwosser than my gwape medicine I take when I'm sick."

"I'm really fine." Meredith says.

"Okay, if you're sure." The lady says and walks away.

"Okay Mads, let's hurry up and go get the last item and then we'll go pay and then go home." Meredith says weakly.

"Mama, are you gonna take a nap when we get home?" Maddie asks.

"I think so baby."

"Can me and nanas take a nap with you?" Maddie asks.

"Of course baby girl."

They finish shopping and pay for their items and then they go home. Maddie falls asleep in the car on the way home.

"We're home Maddie." Meredith says softly, brushing the hair out of Maddie's face.

"Sweepy, Mama." Maddie whispers, her eyes half closed.

"I know, we're gonna go take a nap."

Maddie doesn't say anything just lifts her arms up for her mom to pick her up.

Meredith picks up Maddie and carries her inside the house. She asks Richard to bring in the groceries since she is holding Maddie. Maddie has fallen back asleep with her arms around Meredith's neck.

Meredith brings the small girl upstairs and puts her in her bed and climbs in next to her. She gives Maddie a kiss on her forehead. Maddie's eyes open halfway.

"Mama nap?" Maddie whispers.

"I'm gonna take a nap." Meredith answers.

Maddie cuddles up next to Meredith. "Love naps with you mama." She whispers.

"I love naps with you too, baby girl. Close your eyes baby." Meredith whispers.

"Otay. Sweepy." Maddie closes her eyes and falls back asleep.

Meredith watches her daughter sleep for a moment before she closes her own eyes and falls asleep as well.

Hope you enjoyed! Thanks to my co-writer _Ktje_