“Nothing.” She replied quickly as she nodded.
“Well, why did you have a cushion on your tummy?” She had never been one to beat around the bush. This kid was always open and honest, and for some reason she was hiding something from me. “You know, when you were in my tummy I looked like I had a pillow right here too.” I patted my now flat belly.
“How did I get in your tummy?” She turned to me and started winding strands of my hair around her little fingers.
I took a deep breath. I hadn’t planned on having this conversation for a while yet. Philippa was six years-old; she did not need to be thinking of where babies came from.
I wracked my brain trying to think of where she’d gotten that train of thought from. I hadn’t even discussed this with Richard. This was probably one of those discussions that should be had with her dad around.
“Mummy?”
“Yes baby?”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“Oh,” clearly avoidance wasn’t going to work. “Well, daddy gave mummy a little seed to put in my tummy and keep in there until it had grown into a little baby. You.” I tapped the tip of her nose.
“How did you put the seed in your tummy?”
“Good question.” Shit. “Well, I swallowed it.”
“But daddy says that whatever you swallow comes out as poop or pee.”
“It’s a, ummm, special seed that only daddies can give mummies, and it only comes out when the baby is ready.”
“Is that how Jenna’s baby got in her tummy?”
“Excuse me?” My heart dropped to my stomach, making me feel sick. “What did you say?”
“You said that daddies give mummies special seeds to grow babies.”
“Yes, they do.” I could hear my heart thrumming in my ears, feel it thumping in my head.
“So, does that mean that my daddy gave Jenna a special seed to grow the baby in her tummy?”
“I…I…”
Her eyes rounded as she sighed.
“I don’t know Pippa. Did daddy tell you that Jenna has a baby in her tummy?”
“No. I heard them talking when I was at their house.”
I swallowed down my urge to curse Richard to hell and yonder. My mouth had actually dried up. I hadn’t given any thought to whether he and Jenna would have a child or children. Honestly? I just assumed that it wasn’t something they wanted.
“Well, how about I talk to your dad later and ask?”
She sucked in her lower lip as she picked at a bobble of lint on her nightie. “I don’t want him to be angry with me.”
“Don’t be silly, sweetheart, why would your dad be upset with you? You’ve done nothing wrong.”
“Will he still be my daddy if Jenna has a baby?” She let out a soft sad sigh.
In that one moment my heart broke. I’d been blindsided by the news that I was still debating whether or not was true, and now my heart was bleeding for my little girl.
“Pippa, he will always be your daddy. No matter what and even if you have a little brother or sister. Just like if mummy ever had another baby, I would still love you just as much as I do now and more.”
“You promise?”