Pick Up

Clapham, London

I pick up Madeleine from school to take her to the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital for an asthma check up. 

She gets in the car, heavy sigh, looks out the window.
Me: "How was your day?"
Madeleine: "Dunno."
Me: "Anything interesting happen?"
Madeleine: "Dunno."
Me: "I remember when you were little and I carried you around in the Baby Bjorn close to my chest. I couldn't wait until you could walk so I could hold your hand, your big green eyes looking up at me."
Madeleine:
Me: "And then, when you were a toddler, I couldn't wait until I could tell you stories about Spider Man."
Madeleine:
Me: "And school so we could talk about stuff you'd learned during the day. . "
Madeleine:
Me: "And now your a teenager and we couldn't be more proud of you. And next it will be university then your first job and flat and heartbreak and love. Maybe children. And you know what?"
Madeleine: "What?"
Me: "I will always be cheering for you. It's just the way it is."
Madeleine: "Yeah" (with a smile close to a smirk but I know it's genuine)