Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 181: Good With Children

Chapter 181: Good With Children

The First Lady looked pretty apologetic and agitated as she explained how Little Claire is throwing a tantrum to meet Talia.

Talia checked the time and it was well past a child’s sleeping time and agreed seeing the worry in the First Lady’s face. Talia was not a mother but she could understand why she was worried this much. She is the First a lady and had arranged this dinner and she would be expected to be present here since it is her job,but she is also a mother whose child is left with someone else.

And any mother would be worried when they know their child is not well and won’t be able to concentrate on their job.

Talia walked with the First Lady to the Residential part of the mansion and even before they could reach the bedroom, they could heart the shrieks of a little girl. Talia felt her blood curling hearing the cried of the girl. She was crying as if someone was hacking her to pieces.

But Talia knew things won’t be as serious as it sounds. She knew for sure, since she used to throw these kind of tantrums when she was a child too. That’s how she get everything she wanted from her poor grandfather. Talia felt a bit ashamed of her past behaviours knowing it wouldn’t mean anything anymore.

The First Lady asked Talia to wait for a moment and stepped forward to open the door. Talia knew why she did that too.

Stuff might be come flying through! You wouldn’t like your guest to be hit in the face.

Ugh! It’s shameful I can understand Little Claire this much!

As expected a flying stuffed unicorn almost hit the First Lady’s face and Talia couldn’t help but admire the expertise of the First Lady in catching the toy, perfectly.

Talia could hear the little girl screaming how she hated everyone and her mother talking in a soothing voice.

"Really?"

After some time a scream came from inside and a little face peeked through the little gap in the door.

"Your Royal Highness!" the child did a perfect curtsey as usual, "Pardon my unpleasant looks." she opened the door forTalia.

Talia walked in and saw a war zone of fallen toys in that elegantly designed bedroom. The room was painted in pastel lilac colour with all the furnitures in white and there were butterflies and little birds painted. Even the bed was designed as a white pumpkin carriage and there was a very pretty glass chandelier above the bed.

Noticing Talia looking at the toys on the floor and carefully walking to the armchair by the window, Claire scurried along and picked up the toys on the floor and replaced it in the big chest beside the doll house.

The First Lady and the nanny who were in the room both placed their hand on their mouth in surprise seeing Claire cleaning up her mess herself.

Talia herself was surprised. She would have Hever done this ever. Usually Cyrus would be the one who cleaned up after her.

"You’re pretty... So pretty... Your dress is pretty too. You’re looking exactly like a Princess... ," Claire couldn’t help but touch Talia’s hair and exclaim.

Talia usually didn’t like others getting touchy with her, but she let the child touch her as she wished. As she did that she slowly talked to the child and explained how she is awake well past her bedtime.

"But I wanted to see you! Mom didn’t let me!" Claire’s little face got twisted with anger. But she looked cute.

Talia led her to the bed and the nanny helped Talia in tucking the child in.

As if she was telling a story, Talia talked about the little deeds of Bear and how much she loved him. The child calmed down completely as she listened to the gentle voice of Talia. She then explained her duties as a Princess to the little girl who still had no interest in sleeping.

She explained patiently how her mother as the First Lady is in a way like a Queen Consort and how important her duties are too.

Being a Queen or a Princess is not all about wearing pretty dresses, expensive jewellery and tiaras to attend parties. Those are only part of the duties. The rest, one has to really work hard.

"Did I disturb your duties?" Little Claire asked and Talia could see the disappointment in her face. Her mother probably explained the same things as she did, as she could infer by the way she quickly grasped what she said.

"Yes, but only a little," Talia wanted to be upfront but didn’t want to hurt the poor child either. "But it is fine... I can say I came to meet this little cutie who wanted to see me..." she smiled and saw the smile in the little girl’s face return. Slowly her eyelids closed as she felt sleepy.

"Sleep now, okay? I’ll have to return to my Kingdom where many people depend on me," Talia didn’t want the child to wake up and throw a tantrum again in the morning.

Children can act unreasonable at times, but when treated as adults and given explanations, they can accept it too. Children are really smart.

"You’re going to leave?" Claire pouted once again and tried to get up.

"Yes, I told you why, didn’t I?" Talia asked patting her back to lie down and Claire covered her face with the duvet for sometime with only her eyes outside. Talia waited patiently with a little smile in her face. She really didn’t feel mad or irritated. She even forgot about Arthur who was waiting for her in the ballroom.

Talia got reminded of Cyrus. Whenever she threw tantrums, it would be him sitting by her side explaining everything. He never blamed her or ordered her what to do, he just explained why she is expected to do what she is asked to do. That really gave her the perspective of the adults and taught her to be responsible for her actions.

She knew Claire is smart too and she can grasp on it too. She’s just too proud to accept that she acted unreasonable.

The First Lady was worried if she is imposing on Talia who is their guest to babysit their daughter and tried to speak to Talia but Talia nodded to her that she is fine staying here. And as Talia expected, after five minutes, Claire slowly she pulled the duvet down revealing her face.

"Fine, I’ll sleep," she said in a low voice.

"You are such an adorable girl!" Talia spoke softly. "You understood what I meant, right?"

Seeing the little girl nod softly, Talia continued. "I’ll leave my private number with your mother. I’ll send pictures of Bear growing up, okay? And... In the future, if you need to talk to me about anything, you can call me, alright? But you should promise me that you’d only call me with your mother’s permission." Talia spoke softly and watched the little girl’s eyes go wide out of excitement.

She didn’t mind that girl calling her in the future. But she was sure her mother would be the first one to know anything happening with her and so she told her to get her mother’s permission first.

Who other than the mother will care about a child more? And what mother would like her child to be associated and getting advice from a murderer?

" Good girl! " Talia patted her head swallowing her self-pity and watched the girl go to sleep and slowly got up from the bed, not disturbing her.

Everyone left the room on their tiptoes and the light was switched off making sure the little girl had a good nights sleep.

"Thank you, Princess Talia! You’re really good with kids! I couldn’t help but worry for Claire ever since dinner and within minutes you calmed her down!" the First Lady rubbed her cheeks and the smile in her face showed how relieved she really was.

"Can we get a cup of tea, please? And maybe you should have a cup of wine. Thank you for taking care of Claire for this long, " The First Lady spoke to the nanny and the nanny left with a smile.

Talia really was impressed by the way Mrs. Carter treated her staff. She really is a classy lady.

" I think my husband can handle our absence for ten more minutes, "the First Lady smiled," You can stay for a cup of tea, right? You don’t mind? " As if she realised it only now, she asked Talia and Talia could only smile and nod.

She really looked pretty with her blond hair in a bun and her elegant gown. She should be in her mid forties. She heard she was really young;barely twenty when she married Mr. Carter and back then he was already reaching forty and was filthy rich. People still lambast her as a trophy wife and blame her that she married him for his money. But watching her closely, Talia couldn’t help but admire her. And she could see the mutual respect between the couple.

No wonder Uncle Tony fell for her!

"I’ve never told this to anyone, but Claire’s been diagnosed to be in the autism spectrum. Her symptoms are very mild and the doctors say it might be mild Asperger’s syndrome and that medications are not necessary... Her temper tantrums and her focus on one thing... It’s all part of her autism."

" She is a sweet and smart child. I know she’d rise above this hurdle and become a fine woman in the future, " Talia spoke from the heart.

Talia was surprised why Mrs. Carter was opening up to her but was a bit pleased to be trusted with such a private information too. She could understand why she didn’t make her child’s ailment public. Not all people are kind and someone in politics like them will be lambasted by everyone. Some people won’t even leave children out of politics.

That made her think. If renowned people are afraid to talk about mental issues, how will the stigma around mental health be removed?

Even she is not open about her depression. She doesn’t have plans to either. Should she talk about it?

"My husband said the other day that he’d be pleased if Claire grows up to be half as good as you!" Mrs. Carter laughed sweetly.

"Oh, please.... I’m not that great, Mrs.Carter. You flatter me!" Talia smiled polity and got the tea handed by the nanny and leaned back.

" Aspergers? I don’t know much about it... It should be hard for you," Talia said taking a sip.

"Hmm... I have help... Ruby is amazing," she smiled at the nanny and she nodded and retreated. "It is hard at times, but she’s my daughter and I love her. It makes everything easy to handle... Having means to handle it... I’m grateful for that... It makes me wonder at times, what those without means would do without help... Like single mothers and working mothers. They would find it difficult. I wish everyone gets help," she said leaning back taking the cup in her hands and crossing her legs.

What an impressive woman!

Talia was amazed. Somehow the woman in front of her reminded her of her mother. Her mother used to be really compassionate. She was very sympathetic and empathetic and would always think of ways to help those who need help.

" I was suspected to have Aspergers when I was young. But then as I grew up, the symptoms I had went away too. Turns out, I was just an entitled child who knew throwing tantrums will get her what she needed," Talia chuckled.

She was told to see a psychiatrist due to her clingy relationship with Cyrus after her mother’s death. Of course she didn’t like to talk to the doctors and threw a special tantrum for that. Her grandfather gave up after that.

But it was Cyrus, who handled her clinginess perfectly and made her independent slowly. And after she met Fred, she herself felt the way she depended on Cyrus for everything change drastically.

"Ah, the disease of the super rich - entitlement!" Mrs. Carter seemed much relaxed after she knew her daughter is fine and laughed heartily.

Both of them talked for sometime about the charities and other issues. Talia couldn’t see any judgement from Mrs. Carter’s gaze on her. Talia gave her private number to Mrs. Carter.

" I’m a little jealous that my daughter listens to you more than me, Princess Talia," Mrs. Carter smiled.

"She’d grow out of it, Mrs. Carter. When she knows that we both advice the same, she’d stop caring for me much. It’s the way of life. No one can break the bond between a mother and daughter," Talia said with a serious face making Mrs. Carter laugh.

"You remind me of my Caroline so much!" she said after staring at Talia for a while. She held out her hand to touch Talia’s face but then didn’t and fisted her hand to her side. Talia didn’t know what to answer. She knew Caroline Carter was the daughter she lost in an accident.

"She used to beat herself up so much too. She tried to live faultless. That silly girl... She was kind, humble and respected everyone equally, " Mrs. Carter walked closer and hugged Talia. "You’re an amazing person. Never stop believing that. No one that good with children and dogs can be a bad person. Dogs and children can see the souls of people. They won’t get close to people with dark souls... I heard your mother was called ’Princess of Hearts’ by the people. You are your mother’s daughter. Never forget that," she rubbed Talia’s back.

Talia froze hearing what she said and she felt tears dropping from her eyes one by one.

" Yes, Mrs. Carter, " she said and her tone was nasal.

I’ll make myself believe that.