Chapter 177 : Don't let me down

 I had been worried about the day Emmet and Esmee had planned for me but once I got over the first few bumps and began to realise the day was about having fun and doing normal things and not about moaning at me because all the clothes in the adult department didn‘t fit I got in to the swing of things quickly. Rekindling my joy in one of the hobbies I used to love most, even more so when A-Bell was alive; shopping.”

 "What about this.” Esmee asked regressing to a teenager as she pulled a black short sleeve top with a silver pattern on the front off of the rack of child’s clothes and held it in the air in front of her chest for me to look at, “You would look stunning in this.” The top looked stupidly small pressed up against her chest and for a split second before Sophie shot it down I wondered whether it really was a bad thing that I was thin enough to need children’s clothes and not just that but children’s clothes that were designed for pre puberty.

“That is sooo cute!” I squealed much like a child myself before becoming embarrassed and putting a lid on top of my bubbling enthusiasm pressing Sophie’s voice down and ignoring it; no one was going to steal my day now I had be granted to enjoy it,  not even her.

 “Good!” Esmee smiled admiring the top one more time before throwing it in the shopping basket she held that was already half full of various bits and pieces that I liked including some jeans that where actually the right length for me which was rare as I was in a sizes designed for a 12 year old.

 “You are going to look super stunning just like your new room will be after we get all your new things up on the walls, it will be a cute fest with all those pictures of baby animals, in fact I may find some excuse to spend a lot of time in your room during shifts. Esmee smiled.

 “My room is a bit plain,” I admitted “and I haven’t managed to get any new clothes for a long time mine    must have been looking a little bit shabby so I am glad I got some new things.”

 “Well naturally you look completely gorgeous in all of it!” Esmee said almost bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet as she looked through the pile of clothes in her basket “and I think you have enough new stuff to last you for some time, So are you ready to leave Mi?  if we are going to go and play in the park for a bit with Mia and get back to the unit on time we are going to have to get a move on.” Esmee said, checking her watch where her alarm usually was. I liked that fact that it was missing from Esmee it made her seem more human when the little black wrist alarm wasn’t just sitting there asking to be pushed all of the time; it made it seem like maybe she just trusted me a little bit: which was more than what I trusted myself.

 “I forgot about the swings,” I admitted, “ I guess I was just having such fun shopping, but I can’t wait to take Mia to the park, I don’t think this day could get any better; I have never had such a great birthday.” I beamed looking at both Emmet and Esmee trying to stop the tears of happiness from swimming out of my eyes. Emmet and Esmee had given me a birthday that I had only ever dreamt about when I was living at home with my mother and what ever “toy” she had living with her at the time and they were nothing to me, apart from two very caring nurses in a hospital. They had not needed to make the day special they could have let me spent it in the corner of the day room, my mind drifting somewhere else but they had stood up. They had cared.

 “Well I am about to make it better,” Emmet smiled coming close to me and softly squeezing my fore arm. “Esmee Mia and I are going to head on up to the park after you have paid for all of your things and give you twenty minutes to do what you like on your own; you will meet us there right?”

 “Really? I asked shocked looking over at Esmee for confirmation of what he was saying; it seemed impossible that he was granting me twenty minutes of freedom again. “You’re joking right?” I asked not daring to believe that he wasn’t messing with me. I was scared and excited all at the same time. There was a chance that I was going to be able to walk up the high street as someone a little bit different. Not whole or better or happy even but on a day when I hadn’t been destroyed in some way. I had had a few bumps but I could walk as Mi on a good day, slightly taller, more as a person and less as a ghost.

 “No but there are some rules and this is the serious bit.” Emmet said his face going firm and I tried to arrange mine to do the same thing; it seemed rude grinning like the cat off of Alice in wonderland as he laid down the ground rules.

 “You have exactly twenty minutes from when I say with the possible buffer of about five minutes if you call us and tell us you will be late and where you are on this,” Emmet said firmly before going into his pocket and taking out a very old brick like mobile phone “Our numbers are in there. If you do not come back on time the police will be called and your description will be given where they will find you and take you back to the unit, where you will spend your time locked in the ECA until Doctor Jordan decides you can leave again.  But it will be likely that you spend a fair old time in there and you will never get unescorted leave again, do you understand?” Emmet asked firmly his liquid green eyes going solid. “I trust you Mi and I know you can do this, I wouldn’t ask it of you if you couldn’t, don’t let me down OK.”