Word Count: 318
She told him he could pick any toy he wanted. He dropped his hand from hers and ran like a monkey from one side of the aisle to another. She could hardly keep up.
He was only three. Her only child. His father gone since the conception. He was a good boy but made of pure sugar. Energy she couldn’t always control. That was sometimes a problem.
Her new boyfriend didn’t want any kids. She herself wasn’t sure. This was the first guy who got to that serious future-family-stage of their talks. He’d had it taken care of already, though she asked him if someday he might not change his mind. He laughed. Said she was all that he wanted. Her, and yes of course, the boy. But she watched how he avoided childish pleadings to play. Grew silent when the three were together. She hoped it would change but she felt the man slipping away.
The little fast-moving blonde head was a blur as he bounced like a ball through the aisles. She grinned at his screams of delight. This! This one! he screeched, holding a Batman bear. They went through the register and as soon as outside, she drew the bear from the shopping bag, pulled off the tags, and handed it into his arms. He cuddled it, kissed it, tucked it under one arm as they walked through the mall.
Soon his attention was drawn to a bright colored display of flashing lights and winding whirring exciting sounds. A train track set up in a window just to catch little boys. He pulled her along and she followed. His eyes were wide with awe, delight lit his face. The two stood silently watching the trains whizzing around. She squeezed his hand, dropped it and lightly brushed the blonde head with a kiss from her fingertips.Then she silently turned and walked quickly away.
