Rosa slid off her motorcycle helmet as she entered her house immediately getting greeted by Arlo. As the dog barked in ecstasy she registered the noises in the background. Gina had decided to blast Single Ladies again. Rosa shook her head in amusement before petting the dog and making her way towards her wife.
Upon entering the living room, Rosa took a minute to admire the perfection that was her wife as she swayed to the tune with her eyes glued to her phone. She then enveloped Gina in a hug, burying her face in her neck and inhaling her scent.
“I thought I already put a ring on it.” She commented.
Gina chuckled and kissed her in response.
Before they could continue, they felt small feet rushing up to them.
“MAMA!”
Iggy demanded Rosa’s attention upon entering. Rosa hugged her briefly and ruffled her hair before placing herself on the couch. Iggy bounced up on the couch near her with Gina on the other side.
“So, what have you been up to, peanut?” Rosa questioned.
The eight year old animatedly told her about the happenings of her school. Her long ramblings were a trait that Gina proudly associated with herself.
“And we gotta dress up as what we’d like to be in future on Monday” Iggy concluded.
“Well that’s manageable, I’ll make you a badge similar to mine and you can wear that leather jacket you like so much. We also have a walkie-talkie for kids.” Rosa commented. Iggy had declared her wish to be a detective back when she was five and had been consistent ever since. Naturally Rosa was ecstatic over her daughter following in her own footsteps. Gina had been reluctant and downright scared after Rosa’s coma scare two years prior.
“No, I don’t wanna be a detective anymore.” Iggy declared.
Rosa tried not to be dejected for her daughter’s sake. Of course children had the tendency to switch over their preferences; she tried not to look into this change too much. Gina noticed her wife’s smile saddening just a bit so she cuddled Rosa’s for comfort.
“Well, what do you wanna be now?” Gina questioned as Rosa reached for the water glass.
“A firewoman!” Iggy exclaimed. Rosa snorted out the water she was in the middle of drinking and Gina giggled.
“A what now?” Rosa questioned again, too shook to comprehend that her daughter wanted to be a firewoman. Her daughter and that awful department. Hell no.
“A firewoman, Mama” Iggy reiterated as if it was the most obvious thing in the universe.
Rosa looked towards Gina for help but she just wouldn’t stop laughing.
She cleared her throat and gave her wife a firm stare to quiet her down to commence an important discussion with her daughter.
“Baby, why do you wanna be a firewoman? Why not, a teacher or-r a singer, or a princess, you love those, don’t you?”
“Yeah, but you can’t be a princess Mama.” Her daughter supplied rolling her eyes.
“Then we’ll figure something more realistic, there are thousands of options-“
“No, a firewoman. I wanna be a firewoman.” Iggy declared as she bounced off to her room.
“Well that’s it then, we gotta change the kid.” Gina slapped her arm laughingly as she began her dinner prep.
“Why are you not concerned?” Rosa questioned following her in the kitchen.
“Concerned for what? She didn’t say she wants to be a robber”
“I would have preferred a robber!”
“Oh stop exaggerating, it’s not like she is giving the fire place exam or whatever. It’s an eight year old. She’ll change her mind based off the recent movie she sees.”
Rosa’s eyes widened with realization.
“That’s it. Movie. We have to make her see a cop movie.”
Before Gina could protest, Rosa was already shouting for Iggy, “Iggy come, we are having a movie night tonight.”
An intense watch of Die-hard seemed futile as Iggy was still hell-bent on the entire firewoman gig.
The next day Rosa took a delighted Iggy to work wishing that the atmosphere could get Iggy to change her mind about her preferences. As the girl was getting pampered around with Terry’s yogurt, Rosa decided to test out her luck.
“Monster this precinct holds a lot of stories. This was the start of many relationships, including me and your mom’s. And all the adventures. You won’t get that anywhere, much less at a fireplace.”
Iggy nodded seriously for a minute as in absorbing all the newfound knowledge.
“So?” Rosa questioned hopefully
“Still a firewoman.”
Two days later Rosa abruptly entered the house in a rush with her new tactic.
“Monster! Come downstairs, we’re going to see pictures of dead people!”
As she was arranging the files, Gina swiftly plucked the entire folder out of her hands.
“No!” She asserted simply.
“What, no? This is the best way we can get her out of that stupid idea!”
“What is it with you and firewomen? Why can’t you just accept your daughter wants to be something other than what you want her to be?”
Rosa grew quiet, knowing she had been bested in the argument.
“C’mon now, what do we say?” Gina encouraged
“That we’ll let her be whatever she wants to be!” Rosa recited begrudgingly.
Gina smirked and kissed her before depositing the file into the dustbin.
On Monday, Rosa stood near the line of parents waiting to collect their children post school. She had helped Iggy into her firewoman costume the same morning. All the shame had been forgotten as she saw her daughter’s face adorned with the most adorable smile.
“Mama!” Iggy came running towards her.
Rosa crouched down to her level and asked, “How was it champ?”
“It was good but now I don’t think I like fireman that much. The dancer was much cooler!”
Rosa chuckled. Both at the absurdity of her daughter and her own absurdity of thinking an eight year old would lament their career preference.
She laughed as she moved to the driver’s seat. A sigh of relief escaped her.
Iggy could be whatever she wants to be. But God Rosa was relieved it was not a firewoman right now. And she hopes it stays that way.