Darling Dresses

[William Rutledge]

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"Jane, stay close!"

It shouldn't have been a surprise that the two year old did not listen, but Will was still expecting his daughter to actually stop by his side. When she ran off giggling instead the professor was forced to dash after her, scooping her up in his arms and holding her inelegantly on his hip. With the squirming, pouting toddler secure in his arms, the fifty-seven year old professor looked through the racks of small pink dresses and tried to determine which ones were the right size. Then he was going to need to figure out which ones Jane was not going to ruin within five minutes of being stuffed into it.

Jane shouted loudly and angrily, glaring at her father. Will sighed, stroking her hair gently with his free hand. "We're going to get you some new pretty dresses, Jane. Don't you want new dresses?" She grew so quickly that he was having trouble keeping her clothed, and she really wasn't very good at putting up with getting new clothes. In fact she screeched again, smacking her father with a little hand. Will sighed again.

  

[Francesca Beechworth]

Chess was never very pleased to be shopping, for the most part because her financial straits did not allow for much room. However, the nasty rality was that she needed a new dress, lest she want to wear her nurse's uniform day in and day out, regardless of the occasion. Which was something she did not wish to do, though she did wear it often enough it mattered very little. She was searching through the fabrics, opting to make her own dress, to save money, even if it was only a minuscule bit.

Chess had selected her fabrics and had arranged for them to be delivered by owl later in the week, sighing at the lost feeling of the small amount of extra money in her purse. She was on her way out when she heard the screeching of a small child, and she smiled, feeling that familar tug of her heart toward a child and a need to comfort.

It was something she'd always felt, and she glanced at the man holding the child, holding back an amused chuckle as the darling little girl proceeded to smack who Chess assumed to be her father. Though Chess's heart ached a little at the idea of a father being that devoted to his daughter, she couldn't help herself but walk over to the couple. Children tugged at her heartstrings inevitably.

"Do you need some assistance?" she asked, tilting her head a little. "You look like you have an armful." Chess smiled slightly, looking at the enchanting little girl. Children. They were the only humans she could understand and really cherish, as they had no malice or cruel intent. Innocent and pure. And she silently, always silently, craved for her own.

  

[William Rutledge]

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Will looked up at the familiar voice, smiling at his coworker. "Oh, Francesca," he said with a soft smile. "I would attempt to introduce my daughter, but Jane does not seem to wish to cooperate today."

Not that Jane wanting to cooperate was really a regular occurrence. The two year old seemed bent on escaping as often as possible and playing with anyone that she could catch. She was certainly a very friendly child, and Will was a little frightened of the idea of trying to reign that vivacious personality in as she got older. He desperately needed a mother for the girl. He had no idea how to even start getting his child to behave, much less teach her to be a young lady who would be able to secure a good marriage.

"Thank you for the offer, she really just does not want to behave long enough to get new dresses, and she has out grown most of hers already." He tried to keep his face smooth, but a little bit of desperation crept into his eyes. She just wanted to run and play, and it was always so hard for him to tell her that she couldn't.