Finally, The Perfect Size

20260711

Prompt from Eiiri’s Prompt Foundry, “Pride 2 Disability Boogaloo”.

“Bella?” Ms Winters said from the doorway. “There’s a couple here looking to adopt you.”
“They won’t.” Bella grumbled.
“Oh, sweetie, they-”
Bella hunched her shoulders, refusing to look up from her drawing. “The moment they see me, they’ll change their mind.”
“No, no, they came here specifically to adopt you.” Ms Winters said brightly. “Drove all the way from the other side of the country!”
“Huh?”
Why would they want a child with dwarfism? Much less seek her out?
Oh, no, were they creepy?? Were they going to treat her like, like a pet or a doll or something? Or pretend that she was a permanent baby that would never grow up? Escalating possibilities dashed through her mind, each worse than not being adopted at all - perhaps far worse!
But Ms Winters had grabbed Bella’s elbow and hauled her upright, towing the fretting child down the hall before Bella had managed to put fears into words.
And the moment they walked into the meeting room Bella’s fears evaporated. Ohh.
“This is Bella.” Ms Winters told the couple, who were beaming in delight at the spellbound child. “Bella, say hello to Andrew and Pelumi Heath.”
“H-hi.” Bella whispered. Still drinking in the little adults standing before her. Looking far more confident and put-together than she’d ever dreamed of.
They were wearing proper grown-up clothes which fitted! Even the sleeves were the right length! And… her gaze flicked down. Yes, adult shoes too! How?? She’d never had shoes for her age that fitted! She was stuck in little kiddy ones. To the endless amusement of the other children.
She dragged her attention back to the conversation the adults were having.
“Yes, we know.” Andrew said, his tone politely patient. “I’m achondroplasic too. We’re all set up for it, don’t worry.”
Pelumi added “And all the medical professionals we use are Little-People-Educated. So they’ll be able to help us make sure Bella gets all the care she needs.”
“Well, then we’re happy to start the process.” Ms Winters turned to Bella and brightly suggested “Why don’t we go out to the garden, and you three can get to know each other?”
“Yes!!” Bella said eagerly. Then faltered, clasping her hands anxiously, and whispered to Ms Winters “Oh, but… do they know I’m nine?”
“Yes.” Ms Winters assured her bemusedly. “They’ve already seen your paperwork during the previous stages.”
“Ok.” Bella relaxed again.
“It’s no problem at all!” Pelumi assured her with a warm smile. “If anything, we’re sorry for keeping you waiting so long!”
Bella managed to return the smile while blinking back tears. Happy, wondering tears. Which redoubled when each of the little people offered her a hand to hold. She caught both and led them towards the garden, her heart singing.
The adults continued to talk, about how she’d be moving a long way and so would need to change schools (which she hastily assured them, entirely honestly, was no problem at all, silently hoping the new one would be nicer), and the specialist places they shopped at, and the furniture they’d need to get for her - “We didn’t want to buy anything until we knew what size you were.”
But the room they showed her, while currently empty and plain, was a nice size and had a lovely view out the window to the garden. And they promised she could decorate it how she liked, starting with carpet and wallpaper.
When Bella flipped through the rest of the photo album (which Ms Winters and the rest of the staff had apparently already seen), she kept being startled by how big the doors were. Except they weren’t big, were they? It’s just that all the furniture was little. Perfectly little, in fact!
Imagine just being able to sit in a chair, like everyone else could. Not having to awkwardly clamber up and sit with your legs uncomfortably dangling. Imagine a kitchen side at the right height, no stretching or balancing on a stool required to get yourself a glass of water! Imagine a shower where you could easily reach the controls!
Imagine having not only a family, but a family which understood. Who truly got it.
Beaming at her soon-to-be-parents, Bella happily reflected that no wonder they hadn’t wanted a big little girl!

Prompt was “Family”.