At five this morning, Jordan had started up crying again, so I'd gotten up to hold her on the wicker chair for awhile. After a little bit, Audrey came over, lugging her blanket and Pascal.
"What's the matter, sweetie?" I asked her quietly when she came over and stood in front of the chair, staring at me.
"I don't feel good," she said, her voice gravelly.
"Uh oh...well, c'mere. You can cuddle with your sister and I," I told her, shifting Jordan to my other arm so I could scoop Audrey up, setting her down on my lap. I put Pascal on her shoulder, and then wrapped her up in the blanket - pretty good work with just one arm!
When Eugene woke up at seven, I was sitting on the chair with Jordan, Audrey, and Pascal.
He came over to the chair, giving the three of us - or maybe the four of us, if he was smiling at Pascal too - a grin.
Which quickly vanished.
"Guess who else is sick," I told him, glancing at Audrey, who was cuddled up to my side. Jordan whimpered. "Annd guess who else isn't better yet."
He sighed, reaching out to offer to scoop Audrey up. "Do you want to go for a walk with Dad? We'll go get Tangled Fan, and she'll get you and Jordan some meds that'll make you feel better."
She hesitated, but then nodded, and Eugene scooped her up into his arms.
"We'll be back in a few," he told me, bending down carefully to kiss me. I stopped him with a 'not around the kids' and he instead kissed my cheek, giving me a wink as he and Audrey left.
When Jordan, Pascal, and I were alone on the shelf, I turned my full attention to my less-fussy, but still-sick baby.
"So..how're we feeling today, hmm?" I asked, shifting her around in my arms. As soon as I said that, she started whimpering, her face crumpling up as she got ready to have a good cry. "Okay, okay...we're still not feeling good...okay, baby girl..I'm sorry. We'll get you feeling better soon," I told her, trying to keep her from going into full-out wail mode.
Pascal crawled up onto my shoulder, making himself quite at home, and then I tried singing to Jordan to get her distracted and quieted down.
In about half an hour, Tangled Fan came back with Eugene and Audrey.
"So...two sick kiddos?"
"Yeah," I told her, and she reached to take Jordan from my arms.
Helping Eugene and Audrey by setting them up on our shelf before she checked Jordan over, she talked as she did her thing.
"They've likely either gotten ear infections or some sort of bug. I'm pretty sure that this medicine will help, and they should be better by tomorrow. If not, let me know, and I'll give them another dose. 'Kay?"
"Okay," Eugene and I said simultaneously, and she smiled.
She gave both the girls a bit of medicine, saying that it would likely make them drowsy, but that it was normal; and then she left.
"Well..if it makes them drowsy, it might be a good thing...at least for Jordan's sake. This girl NEEDS sleep," I said, giving her-Jordan- a kiss on the forehead.
"That's for sure!" Eugene said.
And then, with a thump and a sound THWACK, Zelia was on the shelf. The hard way.
"Oh my gosh!" I exclaimed, hurrying over to help her up with my free hand. "Thanks," she panted. "I didn't mean to make such a loud entrance. Not used to leaving shelves."
I laughed. "You okay?"
"Yeah. I came to see you and the little ones?"
"Eh. No problem." Zelia leaned in to look at Jordan, and came back up with a look of wonder. "She's absolutely adorable...even if she's sick!"
I gave her a surprised smile. I'd never seen her this way before. But then again, Zelia seemed to be full of surprises anymore. Seeing as she's becoming a totally different person..! And I can see the sisterly resemblance now - the falling when trying to come to our shelf pretty much did it.
Zelia gave her an honest-to-goodness smile. "Hi, Audrey! I suppose I'm your aunt, since I'm your mom's sister. Nice to meet you, princess."
That did it for Audrey. She gave her a shy smile, silently reaching towards her. Eugene stood and allowed my sister to take Audrey from him, although he gave me a slightly alarmed/surprised expression as soon as Zelia wasn't looking.
I sat down on the floor with Jordan, gesturing for Eugene to stop standing guard and to go sit on the chair. He did, and then I watched as Pascal jumped off of my shoulder and made his way for Zelia and Audrey.
Oh, great...
He climbed into Audrey's lap, and she promptly started showing Zelia the chameleon. Oh, if only she knew...
Zelia flashed me a horrified look, to which I just shrugged, and she just sat there, listening to Audrey bubble on and on about Pascal. I was surprised about how Audrey managed to be upbeat, even though she was sick.
Zelia stayed with us for the day, making it clear that she was happy to visit with us, because of the overly dramatic, lovey-dovey foursome (if you know who all I'm talking about...) above us....happy to visit us, even when Jordan was crying loudly.
When it was time for her to head up to her shelf - it was actually starting to get dark-, she pulled me aside.
"Rapunzel, you are so blessed. Two little girls that are absolutely beautiful, and a husband that loves you more than anything else in the world. I'm not saying I hate or envy you for having that - no, if anyone deserves it, you do. Just..thank you for accepting me as your sister, even after all I'd done to you."
I was tearing up by the end of her quick little speech. I'd grown quite fond of my sister, now that her true personality was showing. "Oh, Zelia...I..of course I'd accept you. Why wouldn't I?! Once a person gets past your tough exterior, you're pretty kind and sweet, but you also won't take rude or nasty...ANYTHING. And you're more than welcome to come visit us any time. I know Anna's been pretty..."
"Snobby lately?"
"Yeah." I choked, thinking about what I'd just said about her being 'pretty kind and sweet'.
"Thanks, sis...and thanks for the offer. I'm sure I'll be using it...and if you ever need anyone to come watch the kids or to help you out with them, I'm your gal."
I gave her a warm hug, but then Eugene spoke up.
"Actually...would you be able to watch the kids for the day on the 10th? We're planning on having our Valentine's day - slash - 2 month anniversary...outing...then..." As he realized he'd blurted out the specifics (Valentine's day and the anniversary), his face grew positively beet red, and he trailed off.
Of course, Zelia couldn't resist. "Ooooooh....sounds romantic...!"
His discomfort grew by the second - based off of the awkward look on his face, and his shifting from foot to foot while staring at the ground. I slugged Zelia jokingly on the arm before I buried my face in my hands, trying to decide whether to giggle or groan from the awkwardness of this situation.
"What's ro-man-iatic?" Audrey stammered out, and I peeked between my fingers to see her staring up at me inquisitively.
Okay.
Groan from the awkwardness.
Seriously. Why...?! We were just going to go for a walk, maybe sit on the windowsill awhile, and probably read or watch a coupla movies together - as was our custom. Why was this so embarrassing!?
"N-nothing, sweetie." I scooped her up and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "But, Zelia....really. You know us - nothing extravagant or anything...just walking and reading and stuff-"
"I know, I'm teasing," Zelia laughed, "but yeah - I can watch them on the tenth."
"And...Eugene, if the girls are still sick, we're not doing anything on the tenth, okay?"
"Well, yeah..of course," he told me, still stumbling over his words horribly. Poor guy xD
"Okay, well - I guess I'll see you guys later. Bye, Audrey," Zelia said before scrambling around to get back to her shelf.
The rest of the evening, the girls were very pleasant. Jordan wasn't crying nearly as much, thankfully. Hopefully, they'll be feeling better soon, and we'll be able to get some sleep - all four of us.
When it was time to go to sleep, the girls were more than ready. They were both tired, and a wee bit drowsy from the medicine, so going to sleep wasn't a problem, it seemed. We made sure they were tucked in well so they wouldn't get cold or anything, and then headed to bed ourselves.
Eugene flopped down on his back, and I sat down to spread the blanket. Glancing over at him, I giggled quietly, wadding up the blanket and throwing at his face instead of spreading it out.
"You goof....making our plans for the tenth seem overly romantic or something," I told him, and he grumbled, rummaging around until he pulled the blanket off of his face.
He tossed it back at me, grinning, and I caught it before spreading it out.
"I told you I'm not good with people or words - especially when it comes to that sister of yours."
"I know. She intimidates you." I flashed him a toothy grin.
"I wouldn't say that...She doesn't necessarily-" He chuckled, giving me a sly look.
I leaned over him. "Ohh, yes she does." I teased, dropping a corner of the blanket over his face.
Next I knew, he'd pushed the blanket away from his face, put a hand on the back of my head, and had pulled me into a passionate kiss.
When the kiss ended, I gave him a surprised look. "Well, ah...wh-what's that for, exactly? I'm..I was teasing you."
He gave me that special grin of his. "I'm just glad to see you in a better mood than you've been."
"Hmm." I said, and he eased his hand off of the back of my head, reaching instead to tickle me. "You--ughh!" I exclaimed, squirming away and laughing quietly, giving him a shove.
He chuckled. "Oh...c'mere."
"No! You'll do something to me," I exclaimed, trying [and failing] to give him a reproachful glare. What I got in return was just a loving/teasing gaze. Right before he snagged my arm, pulling me close.
I furiously attempted to hide my grin. "You're terrible."
"I know, but you wouldn't have me any other way, would you? Love you."
"You're right...I love you, too. I can't wait for the tenth," I whispered, burrowing under the blanket. "And I hope the girls are better - like, hopefully tomorrow?!"
He laughed through his nose. "Same here. Hopefully, they'll sleep the night."
This husband of mine couldn't have said it any better.
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