Those Cozy Talks

 Bom thought of a thousand things she could be doing but here was Keanu in her lap. He seemed a bit sad these days, but she didn't know why. After all, he had a new friend to play with who lived across the hall. 

"What happened?" She smoothed down the hair on the back of his neck. He was in a pout. His long lashes batted. She just knew someday all the girls would swoon over him. He was a rather playful kid.

"I don't know." He put on a grin but she knew it wasn't true.

"You can tell me," She looked him in the eye. Not ever had she talked down to him. They'd been friends since the beginning. And of course, he always called her "Ma."

"What?" She looked at him brightly as if she clearly knew her name and would not ask it to be changed. Although, it left her feeling like the old woman of the village that people asked for her kitchen witchery. 

"Um, Mommie doesn't like me anymore." He pouted. Naturally, this was about Ivy. She would always be Mommie.

"Oh, well, she's..um..you know, gonna have a baby." Bom nodded.

"I know. I just wish you were the one having the baby," Keanu told her.

"I see." She smiled, but she told him she had enough to take care of with him and River and Daddy.

"She doesn't like me." He said about Ivy.

"Oh, she does. Yes, your Mommie loves you very much."

"But, Ma!" He practically wailed. "She's not like you. She doesn't know how to make brownie waffles." He said the food didn't taste good at Mommie's place. He loved whatever Bom made. Ivy didn't let him cook like Bom did. "She won't let me wash dishes."

Bom practically laughed. Wondering how he would see things when he got older. Still, she knew this was a hardtime for Ivy and even Keanu. She kissed his forehead. She told him she loved him very much. She told him Mommie loved him too.