The Zhang's Little Girl

“Children see magic before they look for it,”

- Christopher Moore

After that hurried trip to the hospital Aspen Thomas had returned to the Zhang family home with the gaping wound on her cheek carefully concealed by the unharmed and unseen skin on her thigh. As Aspen looked at her cheek all she could think of was the strange familiarity of the nurse who had stroked her forehead as they placed her under the aesthetic. The startling colour of her hair and her doe, brown eyes. The red headed nurse seemed to be pushed to the forefront of Aspen's mind whenever she closed her eyes or glanced at her reflection.

It had been a month since that night and now Aspen's pale scalp was completely healed with only a few scars giving evidence of her ordeal. Her scalp was now also covered in only a couple of inches of blonde hair. The 17 year old's green eyes had not yet gained their former twinkle but they did seem slightly happier and less fearful of the world outside the Zhangs' front porch.

It was a Sunday and the atmosphere Zhang family's home seemed a more chaotic than usual as everyone hurried to get ready for church. As Louis was told for the hundredth time to put on a clean shirt. Evangeline was having a nappy change for the third time she had woken up, and Lealia was being loudly reprimanded for her short, and quite suggestive, skirt.

Throughout the chaos, Aspen had sat on the couch, her hands clasped firmly in her lap and her eyes wide. That day she wore a borrowed pair of jeans and a shirt that were both too small for her, a pair of one of Anaelle's well-loved sandals. Aspen also wore a green beanie which Anaelle had rummaged deep in her drawer for when she had been hesitantly asked by Aspen for something to cover her short So hair, which still managed to make Aspen to feel very self-conscious.

Suddenly very flustered Anaelle rushed to Aspen cradling a softly crying Evangeline in her arms.

"Can you hold her for me, ma Cherie?"

Without waiting for a reply the 18 month old girl was shoved into Aspen's inexperienced arms. Abruptly the soft crying ceased and instead of tears the little girl's eyes were filled with innocent curiosity. The little girl wore her brown ringlets in tiny fountains on either side of her head with a little ribbon tied around each one and she wore a yellow sundress covered in little flowers and butterflies. Aspen had never held a small child, so she was puzzled and slightly wary as Evie raised one chubby hand and rested gently on Aspen's unscarred cheek. At the child's tender touch a memory filled Aspen's mind.

She was only 6 years old. Her hair only reached her shoulders and her green did not show any signs of fear or the loss of innocence. Aspen and her mother had sat side by side, both of them completely entranced in the book Lily was reading aloud. Aspen remembered laughing hysterically at the ridiculous voice her mother had used for Prince Charming. She remembered the feeling of her mother's touch as she grasped her daughter's arm, pretending to be fearful of what could happen to the unlucky princess. The Aspen remembered her father. Mr Thomas had sat in that armchair across from them, love written all of the huge grin on his face as he watched his two favorites girls laugh.

Suddenly Aspen was ripped from her memory as the green beanie she wore was pulled over her eyes and little Evie had begun to gurgle loudly with laughter. With her memory and Evie's cheeky giggles, a little bit of confidence flooded into Aspen.

"Aren't you a cheeky one?" she said, tickling the little girl lightly which pulling the woolly beanie away from her eyes.

Evangeline squirmed in Aspen's lap, while still overcome with high pitched giggles. Soon the little girl's back was pressed against Aspen's chest and her tiny head was resting in the crook of her shoulder. After a few moments Evangeline no longer was squirming or giggling, instead her breathing had become deeper and her chocolate browns eyes had become hidden as her eyes closed in sleep.

Just before the family was to leave for the nine o'clock service, Anaelle walked to where Aspen still sat on the couch, a softly snoring Evangeline resting in her arms.

"Seriously?" Anaelle demanded, sighing in frustration "She couldn't have fallen asleep during the service instead?!"

Gently Anaelle took the sleeping child from Aspen. As soon as Evie was gone, Aspen missed the comfort of her tiny body and the feeling of her tiny ringlets tickling her chin. It surprised Aspen that she could find so much comfort in the Zhangs' little girl.