Lily Baby.

“Lily, stop fidgeting! I can’t do your buttons up properly!” Donna Way sighed as she tried to dress her daughter.

“Sorry,” mumbled Lily through a mouthful of cheetos, “I stop.”

Donna nodded and went back to her task, the same task she had been doing every single day for the past sixteen years. She still couldn’t believe she had to do this for her sixteen year old daughter, but then again, she never did get used to the fact that her beautiful, intelligent, perfect daughter, was in an accident which nearly killed her; leaving her with those permanent scars - a forever reminder of the fact that she would never quite be normal again.
Thankfully, the scars weren’t visible, but whenever she had to dress her daughter, it took everything she had not to cry again- just like that day 7 years ago. Ugly scars. One, at the back of her head covered by sheets of silky black hair, and another, stretching across her back. Whenever Donna saw them, the memories just came flooding back to her.
No one wants to remember the worst day of their life. No one wants a reminder, and that’s what Lily was, a reminder of the fact that Donna wasn’t there to protect her precious little girl. There was absolutely nothing Donna could do for her daughter. The damage was done.

“You’re getting crumbs all over me, Lily,” she laughed, looking up at Lily who just giggled and carried on wriggling about.

After some time trying to clothe Lily, Donna finally got her downstairs and into her black school shoes. Gerard and Mikey waved at the two from the breakfast table, “Have a nice day at school Lily!” called Mikey, who received a huge smile from Lily.

“Yeah, see you, Lily,” Gerard said absentmindedly.

“Bye, me go.” Lily cried as her mother hustled her out the front door and down the road to the Lucky Tree Education Centre, or as many local kids so lovingly called it ‘the Retards Asylum,’ much to the distaste of Donna.

“Okay, baby, we’re here,” she said, walking her daughter to her classroom where they were met with a smiley woman who smelt like lilacs and looked a bit like a giant marshmallow.

“Hey, Lily, how are you?” she asked, kindly causing Lily to begin an excited ramble about her day involving a short story about a brown cat.

“Good Morning Michelle,” said Donna, smiling at the woman who had taken great care with her daughter since the accident.

Michelle smiled slightly before telling Lily to take her seats and gesturing to Donna to follow her. They went into the office and Mrs Lewis sat down.

“Is there something the matter, Michelle,” Donna asked, “I don’t think I’ve been in this office since-”

“Lucky Tree is closing Donna,” she said it so quickly that Donna wasn’t sure if she had imagined it or not.

“W-what?” she spluttered, “No!”

“I’m so sorry, but apparently Lucky Tree has been in trouble for quite some time now, it will be closing at the end of next week, I’m sorry Donna…”

“But, you don’t understand- Lucky Tree is the only place for Lily,” Donna cried.

“We can arrange for Lily to be moved to the local school, where your sons go, which is where I have been offered to work,” Michelle sighed, “I’d much prefer to stay here- I mean, I only found out last night- I’m so sorry…”

“Lily can’t go there! Can she?”

“Of course, don’t worry, I have been offered the position of head of learning development- therefore making the transition easier,” Michelle said, with genuine sadness in her eyes, “There’s no other way…”

“How will you tell the kids?” Donna murmured.

“I don’t even know, I don’t think they’ll understand…” Michelle sighed.

“No, I don’t suppose so…”

There was a sound of smashing outside and Michelle and Donna jumped out of their silence before running out to find the potted plant in the corner completely smashed with two girls laughing hysterically beside it.

“LILY ANNE WAY! WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU?”