"I wike tha one." Harriet says as she smooshes her face against the store window.
"The one with the green bow?" Mae kneels down beside her with a smile. "Shall we go in and get it?"
"Pease!" Harriet smiles as she quickly nods. "Daddy will wuff it." She squeals.
Mae smiles wide and they find the dress in Harriets size, heading to pay; she lifts the tot up so she can hand the money over herself. "Awesome job, kiddo, you're good at spending dad's money huh." She teases.
Harried holds the bag, most of it dragging along the floor beside her. "Easy peasy." She giggles as her free hand holds Mae's.
"Not even 3 and already a smarty pants." She giggles. "Now what should we hunt down for dinner? Anything you want." Mae smiles as they head to the car.
"Nuggets. Peas. An jello." Harriet lists.
Mae smiles and lifts her into the carseat. "Jello? You had that for lunch. And dessert. And I'm pretty sure your dad snuck you some for an early snack to keep you quiet."
She giggles. "Nuh uh."
Mae tickles her chin and closes the door, jumping up front. She has become the safest driver because of Harriet; no more speeding, weaving, overtaking when impatient. "Shall we go for a nap when we get home?"
"Nope." Harriet shakes her head as she bounces her legs. "Not tide." She keeps shaking her head.
"Uh huh." Mae smiles and shakes her head.
The kid tries her hardest to stay awake; she really does. She makes it all the way round the grocery store but, as predicted, Harriet is pretty much asleep when Mae parks in the garage, carefully getting her out. She pulls her phone out and tucks it between her cheek and shoulder. "Hey." She whispers as she kicks the door closed, heading to the elevator.
"Hi. What's with the whispering?" Jackson asks, amused.
"H conked out in the car on the way home and I gotta carry her up, I don't wanna wake her." She says quietly. "How's it going?"
Jackson takes a deep breath and sighs deeply. "I don't think we're going to resolve it today. Judge says we have 48 hours to agree to some form of custody changes before he takes control."
Mae softly tuts and nudges the door open, moving Harriet to the couch. "What is she kicking up a stink about now?" She asks as she closes the apartment door then sits on the armchair.
"She's not agreeing to 70/30. She wants 90/10 for herself, I get her every other Christmas and it has to be near her. I'm being fairer, I'm saying I keep her with me but every summer and any events or birthdays can be arranged." He sighs again. "If she gets her way, I see my kid a few days a year."
Mae frowns deeply. "I'm sorry. I wish there was more that I can do."
"You're doing enough, I assure you. Taking care of Harriet, still going to work, making sure we are all fed - you're a star." He hums.
"I'm a constellation, sweetheart." She giggles, smiling wide as he laughs. "I'll let you get back but remember we both love you and you've got a Harriet special for dinner."
"A Harriet special? Oh god." He laughs.
Mae unpacks the groceries and tidies up some, getting the apartment in some kind of order for when Jackson gets back; the last thing he needs is the place to be a state. She's almost finished when the doorbell rings and she rushes to get it, checking over her shoulder to see if Harriet is still asleep.
"Hi..."
Mae's eyebrows shoot up. "Tyson... hi." She says slowly.
He holds a cardboard box. "I know we only spoke a few weeks ago and we never really sorted much... but I came across some of your old things and I thought you may want them." He smiles.
"MY old things? Didn't dad throw it all out?" She wonders as she motions for him to come in. "Oh, be super quiet because Harriet is asleep and she's even crankier than me when she wakes."
"Sure sure. That's your step kid, right?" He says quietly as he comes in, setting the box on the kitchen island as he looks around.
"She is, yeah. You came to seattle just for this?" She wonders.
"I had a business trip planned anyway, I'm technically still on office hours but I don't entirely care, they wouldn't dare fire me." He smirks to himself. "I figured I'd be spontaneous so neither of us could chicken out."
Mae blushes. "I mean, it's highly likely that would've happened." She finally agrees with a small giggle. "Can I get you a drink?"
-
Mae giggles as she looks at the photo of her 3rd birthday, cake all over her face and Ty getting sprayed with a water gun just behind. "You should've kept the long hair." She teases as she shows him.
He looks over and laughs quietly. "I loved my long hair phase. Until dad shaved it off as a punishment and I never grew attached again."
"How is Satan? Not that I care." Mae shrugs as casually as she can.
Ty shrugs. "I tend to ignore the emails, calls and texts." He admits. "It's just easier, yknow? No rude remarks, no shitty 'jokes'." He makes quotation marks with his fingers.
Mae hears Harriet grumble and stretch, an all too familiar sound to her now, and goes over. "Hey sleepy bones, you're up."
She sits up and rubs her eyes, her curls a mess. "Daddy home?"
"Not yet honey but soon." Mae smiles and smooths the curls. "Wanna come meet my friend?"
Harriet looks around and grows shy at the sight of Ty at the kitchen island. She climbs into Mae who picks her up, holding her close. "Harriet, this is my brother Ty."
"Hi cutie." Ty waves once with a smile.
Harriet peaks. "Hi." She mumbles.
Mae sits at the island with her. "You wanna see some pictures of me when I was little?"
Harriet shrugs but looks as Mae spreads some up. She's curious about things in the pictures more so than who's in them. 'That no a fone' and 'where your ipad?' being just a few questions asked. She eventually sits beside Ty who entertains her with his drawing skills and ability to make funny voices.
Jackson is tense when he first enters the apartment but it slowly leaves his muscles as he hears the laughter from the kitchen. He raises a brow as he enters to see Harriet sat on the counter, a strange man sat beside her as she brushes her hair and Mae taking a tray of Nuggets out of the oven.
She smiles wide when she notices him leant in the doorway. "Hi!"
"Hi beautiful." He smiles and comes over kissing her cheek. "Who's that?" He nods to Ty in a quiet voice.
"Ty, this is Jackson. Jackson, this is one of my brothers, Ty." She motions between the two.
Ty nods, a few hair bands bouncing as he does. "Hey."
"Hi. This is..."
"Surprising." Mae and Ty at the same time.
All 3 laugh.
Jackson leans on the counter. "I see Harriet has a new favourite person."
"He doesn't move or squeal like us." Mae muses as she leans on him for a moment. "Okay, Miss Harriet Avery, you need to go wash your hands."
"One... second..." Harriet mumbles just as her dad would, forcing another hair the into Tys hair. "Tada!"
Mae and Jackson clap. "Oh wow, beautiful, you did amazing!" They both chant.
Harriet giggles and jumps down onto Ty, then down onto the floor on her own. She runs to the bathroom to wash her hands as Ty checks his reflection in his phone. "Wow...."
Mae laughs. "You've officially been approved by Harriet." She smiles. "Wanna join us for Nuggets, peas and Jello?"
"I should be off but thank you." Ty smiles as he gently pries each accessory from his hair. He ruffles it with his fingers and stands. He hesitates as whether to hug her or not. "It was good seeing you."
Mae smiles gently, leading him to the door as Jackson goes to join Harriet to give them a moment privacy. "You should... maybe... come by more often." She shrugs it off as a causal sentiment.
He smiles. "I'd like that. See ya."
Mae watches him get to the elevator before she runs up behind him, hugging him. "See ya." She mumbles, rushing back inside and closing the door.