Chapter 8
Arden
Arden had never seen a more adorable sight.
Teddy was giggling on the bed, bouncing up and down, in Bluey pajamas, no less. She looked happy and that made Arden’s heart ache.
“I gotta wash up, baby girl, but how about I set up something for you to watch. Hmmmm… what might your favorite tv show be? Sesame Street?”
“No!” Teddy’s gurgle of laughter made her grin.
“Could it be… Fraggle Rock?”
“No! Though,” Teddy did add, “I do love Fraggle Rock.”
“I can’t possibly think what your favorite show could be then!”
“Bluey! It’s Bluey!!”
“But you’re not wearing Bluey pajamas—those are Muffin pajamas, and I can’t remember a show called Muffin!”
Teddy sighed dramatically. “Silly Daddy. Muffin is in Bluey. She’s not the main character though.”
“She’s not? Then why is she in on your t-shirt?” Arden leaned in to inspect Teddy’s t-shirt, and started tickling her when her baby girl started laughing again.
“No Daddy, no! Stop… tickling… meeeeeeeeee!”
She stopped and stood back up. “I guess you’ll just have to prove me wrong then. Now, what episode might Muffin be—”
“Faceytime! Season three, episode twenty-four.” Teddy drew herself up. “That’s the bestest Muffin episode. Cos she’s so naughty and runs away with the tablet and Uncle Stripe has to chase her and it’s the funniest ever.”
“Well how about I let you watch that episode whilst I wash up?”
“Yes please, Daddy!” Teddy let Arden plump pillows and set them along the wall for back support, and then curled up against them, sucking her thumb. “I’m waiting!”
Oh, so her baby girl was impatient. That was good to know. Arden chuckled whilst she set up the episode on her phone, and cast it to the tv. “You be good whilst I get ready.”
“Yes, Daddy,” mumbled Teddy around her thumb.
When she got into the bathroom, she took a deep breath.
She was invested. She was way invested in a woman she’d known for less than twelve hours.
Arden stepped under into the shower and let the hot water cleanse her.
There was a reason she didn’t get too invested, that she didn’t play for longer than a day.
Arden didn’t stay still. Hadn’t stayed still—hadn’t wanted to—since she’d been kicked out of home at fifteen.
They hadn’t hit her, hadn’t sworn at her, hadn’t done any of the things that some of the queer people she met had gone through. Her parents had just withdrawn everything. Their love, their protection, their home.
Staying in one place hadn’t really been an option in rural Montana; she’d made her way between cities, doing odd jobs for cash, working on bikes and cars the way she’d once done in her father’s garage.
Eventually she’d ended up in Hot Springs one summer, when the West Coast chapters of Dykes on Bikes had been passing through.
One of them had taken pity on the lonely queer girl, hovering around their events, and sponsored Arden through an electrician’s apprenticeship.
So these days she gave back; travelling all over the state to support queer businesses and families that needed electronics work done.
She was unfortunately a safer hire than many of men in her profession, so work was good.
She got jobs through word of mouth, and travelling on the open road brought her so much joy.
A peal of laughter rang through from the bedroom and she smiled.
Despite her love for the open road, she hadn’t felt this happy in a long time. And all it had taken was one lost Little on the side of the road.
She changed into boxers and a vest top before returning to the bedroom.
“Daddy!” said Teddy, her whole face lighting up as Arden walked in. “Look!”
The ‘Faceytime’ episode had clearly finished, and now Bluey and Bingo were trying to get their dad in the car to take them for ice cream.
Arden slid onto the bed next to Teddy, and Teddy immediately shuffled over so that she could cuddle Arden.
“I had an ice cream earlier,” she said.
“You did, baby girl,” said Arden.
“It was nommy. I like ice cream, Daddy.”
“I like you,” said Arden, before she could stop herself.
Teddy quirked her head, pulling her thumb out of her mouth. Somehow, the other woman’s gaze felt intense. Piercing. As if she could see all the way inside to Arden’s broken beating heart.
And then she went up onto her knees, and kissed Arden.