Hatch
prompt: Henley wants chickens like Hope did
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// Hope’s reading on the living room couch when she sees Henley, with a carton of eggs in her hands, leave the kitchen and sneak back into the hallway towards her bedroom. Taking off her reading glasses and setting her book aside, Hope quietly follows her daughter.
// Hope leans across the door frame with her arms crossed, Henley, sweetie, what are you up to?
// Henley whips around, her hands behind her back. Though she knows she could never fool her mother, she responds cheekily, Nothing… The way her little voice squeaks assures Hope that she’sdefinitely up to something.
// I saw you get some eggs from the kitchen. Hope’s eyes narrow. Henley challenges her to a stare down, but not being able to keep her secret any longer, Henley sighs heavily. She brings her index finger to her mouth while beckoning Hope to kneel beside her at the foot of her bed.
// When Henley lifts the sheets to reveal what’s under her bed, Hope really doesn’t know what to say. Under the little girl’s bed were three piles of branches and leaves, each with an egg on top; three makeshift nests. The only thought that forms in Hope’s mind is, We have one strange child.She looks to Henley for an explanation.
// Henley whispers back, I’m waiting for them to hatch…I’m going to have my own pet chickens- just like you do, Mommy. She lets her bed sheet fall back into place and innocently looks at Hope, waiting for her to say something.
// It takes everything in Hope not to burst into laughter. She bites her lip, and after realizing how cute this all was, how Henley was just trying to copy her, she decides she can’t crush her little girl’s dreams. She ends up smiling, Well, there’s always room for my chickens in our family. Henley just lights up and clasps her hands together. Hope begins to wrack her brain- maybe one day she could just switch out the kitchen eggs for three little chicks. Yes, that’s what she’ll do.
// Hope stands up to research farms in the area, but finds Kelley standing in the doorway having just gotten home. When Kelley speculates, Henley beats Hope to it and runs up to her mother,Momma! Guess what?! I’m going to have my own pet chickens. Just like Mommy! See?!
// Henley reveals the underside of her bed once again. Hope nervously watches as Kelley’s eyes drift back and forth between the piles of branches to the empty egg carton on the floor. Before Hope can stop her, she questions, Henley, are those eggs from the kitchen? This isn’t how things work…those eggs are basically dead chickens. There’s really no way Kelley could’ve stated that less eloquently. Hope’s jaw drops, her hand coming up to her chest in disbelief. Henley bursts into tears.
// That night, Henley crawls into bed with Hope, cuddling close and burying herself deep into her mother’s arms; the two devastated and heartbroken. When Kelley walks into the bedroom and sees the two spread out over the entire bed, heartbroken expressions on their face as they sleep, Kelley rolls her eyes. She finds herself sleeping on the couch for the night.