Iyla pov
When I opened my eyes, everything was blurry. But then, I saw her! It was the pretty lady from the park! The one who tied my shoes and said the mean kids were wrong. She was here, and she was holding me!
My heart jumped, and I said, "Mommy?" It just came out! I didn't even mean to!
And then, she smiled, and her voice was all soft and kind. "Yes, it's Mommy," she said.
I can't believe it! It was real. I had found my mommy!
She was so pretty! Even prettier than in my dreams. I looked her up and down, and it was so good to see her.
"I found sho mommy!" I said, giving her a big smile.
She smiled back, but it looked a little sad. "Yes, you found me. Now I need you to let the doctors check to see that you're okay."
We weren't at home yet.
I looked around, and it was so scary it made me cry. "No. Docshers its scarwy,"
Mommy hugged me and kissed my forehead. "It's okay, baby. Mommy will be with you the whole time. They just need to check your head wound to make sure you're okay."
Then a lady in white came over to the bed and asked me,
"What's your name?"
"Iyla," I whispered.
"How old are you?"
"I'm five."
"And who is this?" she pointed at Mommy.
"That's my mommy," I said, smiling hard.
The lady in white smiled at me, then looked at Mommy.
"Miss Alistair, your daughter is responding well. Her fever has gone down."
I just sat there in Mommy's lap.
"She is fine, but keep her awake for an hour at least. And after checking her condition you should be able to check her out tomorrow afternoon or night."
Mommy said to the lady in white, "Thank you, doctor. Can we please have some dinner sent up here please?"
The lady in white and the other lady in blue left the room.
I looked up at Mommy. I wanted to know why she left me.
"Mommy, did sho weave me because of my stwange birth mark?" I asked quietly.
"No, baby," her voice was so soft and tender. "Mommy didn't leave you because of your beautiful birthmark. Why would I ever leave you, my sweet baby girl? Mommy had lost you, and couldn't find you." Her face looked so sad.
"Sho you don't think I'm a frweak because of these?" I asked, showing Mommy my birth mark. Mommy's face looked so sad, like she was about to cry. Mommy tried to grab the blanket.
But then, I saw her arms. She had the same stars on them! Just like me! They were bigger and looked all shiny! I had to touch. "It was so awesome. Wow, Mommy has the same birthmark like me! It's so pwetty!" I said.
I reached out and traced the stars and lines on her arm. They were all bumpy and cool, and warm.
She giggled.
"What are all these?" I asked.
I was sitting on Mommy's lap, snuggled in tight. I felt all this love, and I didn't want to be away from her.
The tingies in my arm hurt a little, and they looked kinda scary.
"Mommy, tank it out pwlease?"
"It's going to make you feel better, baby. Don't touch them, okay?" Mommy said. But it still hurt.
A lady in blue came in the room with a tray and gave it to Mommy. It smelled so good, my tummy made a little noise.
Mommy laughed, "Are you hungry, baby?" I nodded.
"Let me cool it down for you, okay?" Mommy said.
"Otay mommy." I sat there watching her blow on the spoon, tasting it. Then feeding it to me.
It was really yummy, and it made my tummy feel better.
Then, the doctor started talking to Mommy. I didn't listen. I just wanted to stay with my mommy forever.
I just traced the stars on Mommy's arm.
Mommy said I had to stay awake after eating.
The lady in blue took the tray away.
Then Mommy stopped the lady in blue and asked, "Can we have crayons and paper, please?"
"No problem, ma'am. I'll get that for you right away," the lady in blue said to Mommy.
"Thank you," Mommy said.
"Iyla, baby, what do you want to draw?" Mommy asked me.
"Umm, stars and Mommy," I said, smiling.
Mommy smiled at me. "Mommy, what are you showing to draw?"
"Umm, the stars and you," she said, smiling and kissing my head.
The lady in blue came back and gave us crayons and paper.
"Thank you so much," Mommy said.
I copied her, saying, "Tank you." The lady in blue smiled at us.
"You're welcome," she said, leaving the room.
I didn't know how to draw a star. I was about to cry when Mommy said, "Sweetheart, do you need help drawing a star?"
"Yes, Mommy, pwease help me."
She grabbed my hand and helped me draw a star.
"Wow, it looked so pretty!" I said, looking at my star drawing. "It's so pretty, I like it so much," she said.
We made a lot of fun drawings.
It felt like I wasn't the only person in the world anymore. Now that I was with my mommy.
I felt so sleepy. I wanted to close my eyes, but Mommy said I had to stay awake a little while longer. It was okay.
"Mommy, uppy pwease?" I asked, holding my hands up.
She smiled and picked me up. She laid me on her chest, and it felt so good. I snuggled in close. Her smell of flowers and the wind made me remember she had the same smell in my dreams.
"It's okay, you can go to sleep now, baby," Mommy said, rubbing my back.
Her scent and touch were just like in my dreams. I smiled, and my eyes started to get heavy. I was so safe, so loved. Mommy. My Mommy.