chapter two: wish.

 Nameless; four years old-
      
      She looked up at her mother, unimpressed with her breakfast. "Shwedded Wheaties?! No!" She almost shoved the bowl off the table, but knew she'd be in worse trouble from her father when he got home.
      
      "Sweetie, you have to..! Daddy eats them.." Janet pushed Nameless' Shredded Wheats back towards her. "That's how you'll get big and strong like Mummy and Daddy.." She smiled condescendingly at her.
      
      "But what if I don't wanna be big and stwong?! I don't wanna eat d'ose Shwedded Wheaties!" Nameless crossed her arms over her chest, and leaned back in the chair whilst scowling at her mother.
      
      Janet sighed. "Fine. Don't eat them. Wait till lunch; you can have them then, all nice and soggy.." She went to pull the bowl away, but Nameless picked up her spoon and ate a bite. She chuckled. "See? They're not so bad.. And here; if you promise not to tell Daddy, I'll put a little bit of sugar on them for you."
      
      Nameless' eyes lit up. "I pwomise!"
      
      Janet stood up while laughing, putting half a teaspoon of the sweetener on the cereal. "There you go."
      
      Nameless ate the Shredded Wheat with out any further complaints. When she got down from the table to put her bowl in the sink, she smiled at her mother. "Thank you, mummy."
      
      "You're welcome.. Go play now, ok?"
      
      "Kay!" She ran off to her bedroom, where all her pretty Barbie dolls and Handsome Ken dolls were. She sat down on the floor, and took out her favourite Barbie. When she picked her up, she frowned at her. "Mummy!" She called, standing up again. Her mother was at he door before she stood up fully.
      
      "What?" She asked, a curious look on her face. She never called her when she was about to play.
      
      "Who gave me this Barbie?" She asked, demanding an answer with her tone.
      
      "Hey-- Talk nice, or I'll take them away."
      
      "Sawry-- Who gave me this Barbie, Mummy?" She asked in a quieter, but still slightly demanding voice.
      
      'That's the best I'm going to get..' Janet thought. "Your friend, Kayla, from pre-school, remember?"
      
      Nameless thought over that for a second. "Why does Kaywa  have a name? A people name, not just Nameless, like me?"
      
      Janets' breath got caught in her throat. She knew that once she started asking now, she'd continue asking until she told her. Janet went down so she was standing on her knees, then sat on her feet behind her. "Because.. Mummy and Daddy couldn't find a name pretty enough for their little girl.. Her cuteness was too cute to be covered by an name; no matter how cute the name was.."
      
      She looked at her mother. "Is that true..?" She said softly, putting the Barbie on the floor.
      
      "Of course it is.. Mummy wouldn't lie to you.."
      
      She considered that sentence for a second. "Does that mean I'm pwittier than my Barbies?"
      
      "Every Barbie in the world."
      
      "Even one that looks like you?"
      
      Janet paused, the line 'kids say the darndest things' running through her head. "Yes."
      
      Nameless laughed. "Can I tell Daddy that?"
      
      "Yes; you can tell him everything."
      
      "Except the sugar on the cereal!" She jabbed one hand in the air, making her point more effective.
      
      Janet laughed again. "Yes, except the sugar on the cereal.. Can you play and let Mummy clean now?"
      
      Nameless nodded, already content with her Barbies again.
      
      Janet closed the door halfway, thinking about the day Nameless was born she sighed, not worrying about it now. She'd talk to Drew about it when he got home; saying this was the first, and won't be the only time she'll ask.
      
      ~~~
      
      At around four o'clock, the front door opened, Drew coming through. He put his suitcase on the floor, and came around into the kitchen. "Girls?" He called to his wife and daughter.
      
      "We're in here!" Janet called from the direction of the bathroom.
      
      He went over there, and saw them putting on nail polish. "Ahh.. Girl time?"
      
      Janet nodded. "Wanna join?" As she brandished the brush at him, laughing.
      
      He chuckled back. "Maybe next time; I've got a big meeting with my boss tomorrow."
      
      "Oh, right, the deal breaker." She frowned as she turned back to Nameless' nails.
      
      "Daddy, Daddy! Guess what?" She said excitedly from the floor.
      
      Drew had already turned away from the door, but turned back to look at his daughter; how he loved her so, but he couldn't stand her name. He wanted it changed.. To what his mothers name was. His thoughts elsewhere, he replied, "Yes?"
      
      "Mummy told me that I look prettier than her today."
      
      "Did she? Why?"
      
      " 'Cause I asked why my name was Nameless, and she said because I am so beautaful that you didn't know what to name me, right?"
      
      "Yes.. Yes, that is right.." He looked down at Janet, already knowing what this meant.
      
      "Honey?" Janet said to Nameless.
      
      "Yes, Mummy?"
      
      "Can I finish your nails after dinner? Mummy's got to talk to Daddy for a bit.."
      
      "Kay.." She stood up, holding her hands in the air. "S'cuse meeeeeeee!" She yelled.
      
      "Nameless.." Drew said in a fatherly tone. "Inside voice."
      
      "Sawry.. S'cuse me.." She looked at him again. "Pwease."
      
      "That's my girl.." He pat her on the head as she went past. He looked up at Janet.
      
      "I didn't know what else to tell her.." She said in an apologetic tone.
      
      "I know.. Just.. Stick to that story then, till she doesn't believe it anymore.."
      
      She nodded, and fell into his arms for a hug.