Her Best Friend

“This is the bathroom; call me if you need it in the night. This is my bedroom, this is where I sleep, and this is the living room, but also your bedroom Lula, and where you can with all your cool toys.” Olivia explained in a pathetically bright tone, she wasn’t fooling anyone, not even naïve Lula.

“Lula?” Olivia said, grabbing the small girl’s attention.
“This is the kitchen, where I’ll make your yummy food, but never come in alone okay?” Olivia warned, afraid Lula might hurt herself. With the morbid thought, she realized she would have to get a baby-gate very soon. Lula still stared with no interest.
“Alrighty then, let’s get your things unpacked.” Olivia said, glancing at the boxes that her neighbours, Bobby, and Jill a happily married couple with two grown up children and adored Olivia for her sweet personality, helped her with getting upstairs.

“First, the crib…” Olivia said, and glanced at the crib in dread. It was a nightmare to undo, and get in the car, now she had to put the blasted thing up again. Olivia knelt down, and tried to put some limbs together but it was no use, she was always hopeless at DIY, she didn’t even like changing light bulbs with the evident fear she’d electrocute herself. She tried again and after a full fifteen minutes, she glanced at Lula, who had been standing in the kitchen doorway, blankly at her.
“Any ideas?” Olivia stupidly asked, and Lula sighed, and sat down, crossing her legs and sitting comfortably. Olivia mouthed an: “Okay” and tucked her curls behind her ears.
She stared at the wooden beast, wondering how something so simple could be so complicated. “Let’s just unpack your other stuff first…” Olivia decided, and Lula got up and went to the first box, containing her toys.
It didn’t take long, as apparently ‘unpacking’ to Lula just meant throw everything on the floor. Already, Olivia was tired tidying up after her. Olivia unpacked her clothes, putting them in her own draw, in Olivia’s room and hanging some clothes up in Olivia’s wardrobe, when Olivia got her monthly allowance, and final pay check she would have to go shopping for Lula.
Before Anna and Jacob’s accident, Olivia worked as a student-teacher for Drama in her college; she aspired to one day work on the West End. It was very little pay, helping the freshmen but it was still a job she loved, but when the news of her best friend’s death, she knew she couldn’t cope, so without notice, quit. But she was offered to come back whenever she wanted, which gave Olivia some hope.
After a long two hours of tidying and unpacking, Olivia stored the boxes away in her ‘cupboard attic’ which was just really a storage room; it was the size of pin. Metaphorically speaking of course.
Olivia kept looking at the crib, wondering how the hell she was going to get the damn thing to stand up right. Deciding once again it could wait, she announced they were going food shopping. Lula, silently did as she was told, putting her shoes on once again, slipping her coat on with help from Olivia, and grabbing her beloved teddy, Grayham. She adored this teddy, and it was vivid reminder of her parents. She couldn’t remember getting it, but she did remember to have with her always as her Daddy had told her specifically that Grayham would always keep her safe from bad people.
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“What fruit do you like Lula?” Olivia asked, Lula took out her thumb and swing her legs as she saw in the trolley seat, Grayham in the other.
“Nana” Lula said, little did she know what ‘Nana’ meant nothing to Olivia.
“A what?” Olivia asked, laughing slightly. Lula rolled her eyes and it reminded Olivia of her mother, who always rolled her eyes like that as if to say: You silly girl, it’s obvious!
Lula pointed at the shelf behind them, and Olivia finally realised what she meant, a banana. Olivia smiled slightly, which reflected back at her from Lula, it wasn’t a big smile, but still counted.
“Okay, Bananas it is…what about vegetables? Sprouts?” she teased, as Lula pulled a face at the horrid word, sprouts. Olivia gently spoke to Lula throughout the whole trip, and they soon became reacquainted properly.
“I’ve miss you, beautiful girl.” Olivia said, sighing sadly as she pressed her lips against Lula’s head as they waited in the queue.
“I missed you too Aunty Liv.” Lula replied softly, only mispronouncing ‘missed’, as it came out slightly lisped.
“We’re going to be just fine, just you see.” Olivia reassured the young girl but really it was to reassure herself.
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“Okay, so this bit goes-no, there…no…hold on-“ Olivia mumbled to herself as she was attempting to create the crib again. She was by no means succeeding.
“Damn it!” Olivia hissed as she caught the clip on her thumb, suddenly the crimson colour poured out of the tiny, insignificant cut.
“Mummy said that’s a bad word.” Lula’s sweet, angelic voice made Olivia jump as Olivia saw where she standing, just in the hallway, looking in at the living room, which was covered in a mess. Olivia felt that her efforts that morning were pointless.
“She’s right, it is…don’t repeat it Lula.” Olivia said, cursing herself mentally for her slipup.
“Have you used the toilet, washed hands?” Olivia asked, as moments earlier Lula announced she needed the toilet, before bed. Well, the bed was non-existent at the moment.
Lula nodded and hugged Grayham tighter towards her body, and stared at Olivia, who suddenly felt odd.
“Okay, well the crib isn’t getting up….so let’s have a sleepover!” Olivia said, and Lula smiled shyly, liking the idea immensely.
“You can sleep in my bed tonight babe, one night won’t hurt, and then tomorrow I’ll fix the crib!” Olivia said happily, deciding that was her best plan ever. Lula nodded, just slightly exciting at the fact. She remembered the cuddles her Mummy gave her in Mummy and Daddy’s bed.
“Okay, you all washed and stuff?” Olivia asked unsure, she felt silly as she had babysat millions of times before, but she guessed that it was because she was on her own this time, and Anna was never coming to home so Olivia could return to her own flat.
Lula nodded again. “Good girl, shall we get to bed then, I could do with an early night.” Olivia teased but Lula didn’t understand, and simply nodded as an answer.
“Story.” She blurted out suddenly, and Olivia froze.
“Story? You want a story?” Olivia asked nervously, she felt incredibly stupid for being nervous. Lula nodded, and Olivia sighed.
“Okay, well let’s get you a story, which one?” Olivia said, going towards Lula’s toys. Lula, instead went to the other side of the room, and started shuffling around, and finally appeared again with a book called: “The Holiday” it was a simple book with lots of colourful pictures, and Lula loved the story to pieces, in fact Anna use to read it to her most nights.
“That’s the one?” Olivia checked, and Lula nodded in reply.
“Okay then, let’s go get comfy.” Olivia said, leading the way to her bedroom, switching off the kitchen light. It was only half past seven, but Olivia really was exhausted. She made sure everything was locked up, and then changed in her own pyjamas, some simply cotton, chequered trousers and a plain white t-shirt. Olivia brushed her own teeth and told Lula to do hers again, helping her along the way. Finally, when they were both ready for bed, Olivia jumped into her side, and Lula naturally crawled into the other. With an immediate reflex, Lula curled up to Olivia’s side, laying her head on Olivia’s stomach, just like she used to do with Mummy.

Olivia, slightly stunned, watched Lula breathe. It was actually fascinating. “So, shall we begin beautiful?” Olivia asked softly, stroking Lula’s gorgeous brown curls. Lula nodded, sucking her thumb and keeping Grayham close.
“Once upon a time the Bumble family went on holiday they wanted to go to the beach. The Bumbles loved the beach-”Olivia began, her voice soft and soothing and it was only at page 16 that Lula fell asleep on her. Olivia, though still continued to read to herself, curious for the story for future reference. When she was done, it was eight pm and she glanced at her alarm. It was going to be a long night, so she simply laid there, comfortably stroking Lula’s hair, wondering how she was going to compete against Anna, being Tallulah’s mothering figure. The answer was: That she won’t.
“Oh Anna…” Olivia sighed breathlessly.
“What have you done?” she murmured, glancing at Tallulah, already feeling like a failure.