Flynn...Again...and A Talk.

I'm going to link Zarina's post HERE so you can read about the changes Tangled Fan made.  We have the entire table, now; except Logan, Ray, and Fitz live on the table, too.  They're pretty good, though; Logan usually spends his time out and about, but Ray sticks around with us.  Fitz, for some reason, feels the need to help with the kids.  It's so funny - he was so volatile of a doll when he was "Hans", but now, since he's been out of the box (under the name of Fitz...it's so strange how different the JC Penney's dolls changed!) he's been so kind and shy.  It's amazing!  Audrey's really taken to him. 

Anyway, with that said...Flynn finally got what's been about a year in the making. 
All week, since the 31st, to be exact, he's been harassing me.  Calling me horrible things, saying I'm worthless, saying that Eugene's an idiot and that if he had half of a brain, he would've ignored me like the rest of doll population did back then, saying negative things about our kids and our parenting skills...You name it.  I didn't tell Eugene because...I mean, seriously.  He's probably sick and tired of hearing about complaints over a guy I knew a year ago.  I'M tired of hearing from a guy I knew a year ago!  Ugh.  Regardless.   
I went off on him, after I got a message reading only this:
"Too bad you didn't die when you were delivering your baby.  It's a shame nothing happened to your child, as well.  Such a useless doll, since he's blind.  Of course, coming from a doll like you, he couldn't be anywhere near perfect, now, could he?"  
I found this at about ten AM this morning. 
I couldn't go off on him then, because the kids were up and I was semi-busy with Zachary himself, but once they settled down for their four PM naps, you bet I sent him an email. 
I told him everything I'd ever wanted to tell him.  Maybe I ended up a little harsh, but...I'm sick of it.  Between him and Ariel, I've been experiencing that awful feeling of worthlessness again, and I can't bum around with that.  I've got four kiddos, and I can't be distracted from them, especially over something as STUPID as their opinions!  It makes me mad that I fall into their traps.  But regardless, I'll stop ranting about that and give you the message I wrote him.
"Flynn, I don't know what you want, but you will not get it.  If you're trying to break me, it won't happen, I won't let it.  I was wrong to love you, I knew that as soon as I left the old place.  You might think that I can't remember all the things that you did, but I can.  I can remember almost everything again, which is great.
You know, you are nothing to me.  Your opinions....they can't affect me as well as they did before.  Why?  I have a family.  I'm not alone.  I have a husband who helps me every step of the way.  You might think he doesn't hold a candle to you, but the reverse is true:  YOU don't hold a candle to HIM.  I'd prefer it if you stop insulting him. 
If you send me one more thing about my children, I'm going to get in contact with your wife.  I don't know how, but I will.  You might think she already knows you inside and out, but I knew you longer than she did.  Remember, I can tell her all the things you never wanted her to know.  I know she doesn't like me, but you don't want me to open that can of worms, now, do you? 
Oh, and that little bit about Zachary being imperfect, and 'too bad he didn't die because he's blind'?  He's just fine the way he is.  We love him, and we'll never let that get in the way of how we treat or feel about him.  He's our son. 
Sure, call me whatever you want, say I'm a freak, a loser, an ugly piece of plastic, the most abhorrent doll you ever knew, tell me you wished I had died....but don't you dare say one word about my children or my husband.  Thank you.  If you're planning on emailing back, don't.  I'll figure out your wife's email address next." 
When I punched send, I was filled with a tumult of emotions:  mostly anger, irritation, relief, and more anger...I took a deep breath and huffed it back out, trying to calm myself. 
Eugene popped his head in behind the cutout.  "Hey, is something wrong?" 
"Hm?  Oh!  No, no...nothing's wrong.  What's up?"  I asked, trying to change the subject.  I let the tablet lean up against the bed and looked up at him. 
He strode over and sat down beside me.  "I could hear you huffing around, and I was worried that I'd said something.  I wasn't entirely sure WHAT I'd said that could've set you off, but I wanted to make sure nonetheless." 
I gave him a halfhearted smile.  "No...you didn't make me mad, don't worry." 
"Then what's the matter?  I know something is," he told me.  "I've been wanting to talk to you all week, because I know something's been bothering you, but we just haven't had the privacy to lately." 
I sighed.  I wanted to tell him, but I didn't at the same time...have you ever felt that way?  "Um...Flynn's been emailing me again.  A lot...since the 31st of September."  I bit my lip and paused, looking down at my lap before I spilled it. 

I told him every detail about every little thing.  When I was done, he shook his head. "I can't believe him.  Do you want me to email him?" 
"No.  I sent him a...heh...a lengthy email telling him what I've been wanting to tell him for a really long time."  I sighed again. ( I'm starting to think that today, sighing is my choice way of expressing my emotions.  Sigh.)  "Although...if I would have told him EVERYTHING I thought about him..."
He chuckled.  "That's an email I'd like to see." 
"I just hope I didn't come off as mean." 
My hubby shook his head.  "After all he did to you - after all he's still doing to you--and you're still concerned about being mean?  You're...you're something else.  If I were you, I would've broken his heart and crushed his soul." 
"Maybe I should have.  I'm too soft." 
"No, you're just kind.  You know what it feels like to be treated that way, and no matter who it is, you don't want them to feel the same way.  Right?" 
I shrugged.  "I guess....I should stop being like that.  But there are a lot of things I need to stop being like--"
"Like what?" 
I snorted.  "Have you looked at me lately?  I'm a slob.  I'm still clumsy.  I'm too soft, and if I were harder on people, maybe they'd leave me alone.  I leave a lot to be desired in the appearance department.  I'm too insecure, sensitive, and I can't let things roll off my back...everyone's right about me."   My husband looked so upset at that point.  I felt terrible for obviously making him feel that way.   "I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have even said anything...I-"
He shook his head.  "No, babe.  Don't feel that way.  I'm so sorry I didn't talk to you sooner-"
"It's fine," I looked down at my lap, holding my breath for a few seconds before letting it all out in a big rush, waiting for a response.  When he remained silent, I bit my lip, wondering if I'd finally annoyed him too much.  But then he spoke up. 
"Sweet girl...everything you said about yourself is just...it's not important.  First of all, everyone is wrong about you.  Yes, they think you're a klutz.  Yes, they think you're less than impressive in the looks and dress departments.  Yes, they think you're too lax, and therefore, they can say anything and have you feel like crap.  But they're wrong, Rapunzel.  They're so wrong...I wish you could see yourself from my eyes.  You're not too lax.  You're one of the strongest people I know.  Sure, you break down every once in awhile, but you're so strong.  You carry a lot of things around with you; all these nasty comments, plus the daily adventures of being a mother and wife...you're strong.  You only break after you get a huge load of all this rudeness and childish behavior piled on, like now.  I knew something was wrong, but to have you put up with that and not even cry or say anything once?!  And yes you're a little clumsy, but it's okay.  I am too; everyone has their oopsies every once in awhile.  You say you're too sensitive, but you know what?  If you're insensitive, then you're like Ariel.  And gosh, Rapunzel, you're so beautiful.  If I were unmarried and had the choice between you and...and Ariel or...or Belle, or...I don't know, Emma...I'd choose you.  I'd always choose you."  he took a deep breath and cupped my face in his hands for a second.  "And do you really think I care how you dress?  You're fine." 
I bit my lip.  "But Ariel and Flynn both said that I was so ugly and dressed crappily.  I felt bad, of course, because...I mean...I don't know.  I'm sure going from a guy's point of view, Ariel's style is much--"
"Ariel's style is way overbearing...yeesh," he shuddered, trying to get a smile out of me.  It didn't work.  "Do you think I'd choose skirts slit way up the sides and seriously low-slung dresses over how my best gal dresses?  Modesty is beautiful, remember," he winked. 
I shrugged.  "I know..I'm just being--I don't even know.  Weird." 
"No, not weird.  It's pretty normal for individuals to let negativity get to them.  That's why you have me,"
"I'm sorry, though.  I hate having to load all this onto you.  You shouldn't have to give me these pep talks every time someone says something bad to me," I licked my lips and looked back down to my hands, which were clasped on my lap. 
He thought for a second, but the next thing I knew, he was gathering me into his lap, cradling me in his arms.  "That's right.  I wouldn't have to, but it's my choice.  There's nothing I would rather do, nowhere I'd rather be, and nobody I'd rather be with.  You're everything to me, and I'm fine with giving you those pep talks every once in awhile.  Okay?" 
I teared up.  Of course I knew that, but I still felt bad for making him have to listen to all my troubles.  Nodding, I tried to keep my tears from spilling.  "Okay.  I know..."
He bumped his forehead against mine, kissing the tip of my nose.  "I love you.  And please...if Flynn starts emailing you again, let me know right away, okay?" 
I nodded.  "I will.  Love you,"
He gave my shoulders a squeeze, which made my heart squeeze, too.  I didn't deserve a guy like him.  We just sat quietly for a few minutes, and he was the first to speak up again.  "Are you feeling any better about anything?" 
I nodded, pulling away enough to meet his eyes.  "Yeah...thank you.  Thanks for putting up with me,"
He chuckled quietly.  "My pleasure, m'lady." 
That got a grin out of me.  "I haven't heard that one in awhile." 
"Mmmhm...and I got a grin to boot.  Bonus points?" 
I laughed quietly.  "You're awful." 
"I know--" he broke off when we heard a faint whimper:  Jordan. 
I pulled away and stood up.  "Duty calls.  Thank you, again, Eugene."
"Anytime, beautiful.  But-wait.  Can't I even steal a kiss before we tend to the kiddos?" 
I shook my head, but I was more than happy to pull him to his feet and give him a quick, soft kiss before we went to get Jordan up. 

This Week, Flynn, and Ariel.

Soo.....This week's been interesting.  On Wednesday, Tangled Fan decided to turn her room upside down in an attempt to clean it. 
She thought it was an excellent idea to cram alllll of us on one side of the table. 
All of us. 
Ariel's been constantly trying to get a rise out of me - via insulting me or my children or trying to get Logan's attention by paying attention to Eugene.
I'm pretty sure that yesterday, Eugene was about ready to clock someone upside the head.  He was pretty irritated.  And by someone, I mean Ariel, Logan, or Punzie --Logan because he won't control Ariel. 
(Although, what's he going to do, really??  I don't think she CAN be controlled!)   

Today was probably the worst of things.  Zelia and Ray went for a walk, and Logan and Fitz went elsewhere to talk about girls.  It was just Eugene, Zarina, Belle, Punzie, Piper, Emma, Ariel, and I - and the kiddos, of course; and Merida, who didn't really talk much. 
(You can see the wad of blankets on the one edge there,  it's because it's been SUPER COLD the past few nights.  Ugh...)
Belle and I just talked for a good while, and Zarina hung out with Casey as long as Casey wanted. 
Everything was okay until Ariel walked over to me when Zach started whimpering - just because he was sleepy, mind. 
"He's blind, right?"  Ariel asked. 
I looked up warily at her.  "Yes, why?" 
"I was going to say...no wonder if he cries so much, since you're always holding him.  Even he wouldn't want to see your face.  But then again, since he's blind...no surprise, I guess.  Nothing perfect could--"
I jumped up.  If I wouldn't have had Zachary in my arms, I would have probably done something less-than-nice. 
"You know what, Ariel?  Don't even say it.  He's perfect just as he is.  You can insult and harass me all you want, but don't you DARE say a word about my children.  Got it?" 
She threw her head back to expose her long, pale throat.  Laughing, she shook her head.  "The only way to get to you is through your kids!" 
"Why do you have to torment her in the first place, Ariel?"  Eugene stood up, setting Audrey up with Casey and Zarina.  He put a hand on my shoulder.  "You don't have to, you know.  I know I'd really appreciate it if you'd let her and the kids be." 
She shook her head.  "You are all too sensitive." 
"And you're too INsensitive," I mumbled.  I didn't dare say it too loud. 

This went on almost all day.  She knew now that she could get a brilliant rise out of me if she said something about the kids.  I'm just glad she didn't say or do anything to the kids directly.  That's when I think I'd snap.  I won't bother her if she harasses me about how I'm stupid and not pretty, how I dress 'sloppily', how simple I am...but if she as much as touches a hair on one of the kids' heads....that means war. 

But regardless....as if Ariel wasn't enough (Punzie hasn't been as cruel, surprisingly), Flynn has taken to creating new emails and accounts simply to harass me.  Every time I block him, he emails me from a different, new account.  I'm not even going to post a word of what he's said, but here's the rundown of what he's telling me: 
-I'm an idiot
-I'm an idiot for not deleting my blog after the first time he started emailing me
-Eugene should have left me when he got the chance (when he went missing)
-I'm so bland
So on and so forth, the reason I refuse to post his messages directly on here is because of the content.  Who knew a doll could be so...so...vulgar and crude?  Yikes. 
I hate how between the two of them, they're making me start to think about how truly bland I am compared to, say, Ariel - and even Belle.  They're both pretty (despite Ariel's personality), dress well, (although Ariel's dress is fairly inappropriate) and they aren't insecure or easily upset.  I don't wish I could be like Ariel - no, not at all - but I wish I could be less like myself -- proud of who I am, pleased with how I look, and not boring.  And I'm sure the girls would even be happier if I was more interesting.  Not, like, physical appearances-wise, but...interesting.  Able to tell them amazing stories from my past, or unafraid of letting them do things like leave the table, ride horses, etc.  You know?
I haven't told Eugene about this, of course-- he has enough on his plate, and we don't really have the privacy to talk or anything.  I certainly don't want Ariel to overhear about Flynn - who knows what she'd do or say then. 
Yippee. 

Concerns and Zarina

Today, Zarina came over to us.  She'll probably be posting about it later; she told me she would, anyway.  Regardless, she showed up at around noon, fighting to keep from crying. 
"D-do you mind if I stay over here a-awhile?" 
We all looked up to see her standing awkwardly at the divider, choked up and looking hurt. 
I walked over to her and nodded, shifting Zachary to one arm so I could put my hand on her shoulder.  "What's wrong?" 
She shrugged, promptly clamming up and letting her hair slip down over her eyes.  I knew she was hiding something, so I led her over to sit beside me. 
Casey quickly jumped into her lap, grinning at her, and she smiled back at her.  "If something's wrong, Rina, it's okay now."  (Casey's nickname for her is Rina.) 
She cleared her throat and nodded.  I tried not to stare at her; tried not to bug her until she told me what was wrong.  Eugene did not do either of those. 
"Well, if something's the matter, you can tell us.  We won't gossip, if that's what you're worried about."  he said.  He was sitting in the wicker chair with Audrey and Jordan, and then all eyes were on Zarina, unfortunately. 
"I got into it with Ariel and Punzie.  So...earlier, everyone went for a walk except for Punzie, Ariel, Fitz, and Logan. Punzie started teasing me for reading.  Ariel joined in on it, and went as far as to take my book and throw it off of the table.  I jumped up and told them to buzz off, and basically, Ariel pushed me really hard, I tripped, and when I fell, I smacked the one side of my face off of that stupid bench over there.  She started to continue harassing me, but Fitz helped me out...I can't stand it over there!" 
I gasped, horrified.  Before I could say anything, Casey spoke up.
"Sometimes standing up for yourself gets you hurt, but it's good that you did it.  I know.  And Fitz was really nice to help you, Rina.  Why was it bad that you were reading?"
Zarina's eyes clouded with tears, and she hugged Casey.  "I know.  They were teasing me because they think it's weird to read." 
Her face contorted as she tried to understand THAT concept.  "I don't know why.."
"Me neither," she cracked a bit of a smile. 
Well, my young daughter has a better way with words than I do, apparently.  (Well, she wouldn't even have to TRY to be better than me with words!)  I was still trying to gather my thoughts!  When she noticed my struggle, she shrugged and told me I didn't need to come up with some intricate response, as she hadn't expected any. 
"I just want to stay here for a couple of hours...I had to leave that side of the shelf, I couldn't stand it anymore.  They've been so terrible!" 
"I know.  I'm sorry you have to deal with Ariel - she's pretty awful.  If you ever need to come over to talk or to just get away from them, Zarina, please don't hesitate.  You know our metaphorical door is always open, day or night."  I offered lamely.  I almost wanted to offer her to stay here, period.  She'd be better off, that's for sure.  I was worried for her. 

Well, she left at around five, once the kids had settled for a nap, and things were calm until around one in the morning.  I couldn't sleep at ALL...worrying about Zarina and Jordan, who officially has a smidgen of a cold.  It's also been really chilly by the window these past few nights, which can't help anything. 
So I was up at around one, making my rounds to make sure that the kids were all warm and comfy.  Pascal was buried deep under Audrey and Casey's blankets, as usual.  Zachary was bundled up, sleeping soundly, and Jordan, though a little stuffy, was also bundled up and sleeping well. 
When I had nothing to do and nobody to check up on, I paced the floor a little bit before heading to the windowsill to stand and look outside for awhile, trying to clear my head. 
That's about when Eugene noticed I was gone, and he made it onto the windowsill in record time. 
"There you are," he whispered.  "What's up?" 
I sighed.  "Just thinking - go back to sleep.  Someone's got to be in their right mind tomorrow," I joked. 
He instead came over and pulled me into his arms.  "Huh-uh.  It's chilly over here, c'mon.  Don't want you getting sick, either," he added when I started to shake my head. 
Disgusted, I went back with him and burrowed under the blankets, hoping that that would be the last of his questioning. 
Psshh, this is Eugene.  My husband will interrogate you until he knows exactly what's bothering you, even if it takes all day or night (or both) to drag it out of you. 
"What's my girl thinking about?" 
"Mmmh...a lot," I shrugged, and he kissed the top of my head. 
"Like what?" 
Sighing, I flopped over onto my belly so I could look at his face.  "I'm worried for Jordan.  I don't want her getting sicker, and I don't want anyone else to get sick, especially not Zach.  I'm worried for Zarina, too....I was thinking about talking to you about letting her stay here, but I-I don't know.  I don't know why I'm so worried, but I just feel like something's up." 
He nodded.  "I'll get Tangled Fan to give Jordan some meds tomorrow morning before she leaves the room.  And I know what you mean about Zarina, but I think she'll be okay.  She'll probably be fine once she settles in completely - she's much more shy than you were, so it'll probably take awhile for her to settle in.  Once she does, I'm sure she'll be okay.  She'll know who to avoid and where to go,"
"Are you sure?"  I asked.
He thought for a moment.  "No, but I'm going with my gut.  Don't worry, I'm sure she'll be okay.  And I'm sure the kiddos will be alright and we won't have an epidemic," he teased. 
I sighed, faceplanting into the bed.  "Okay.  Soo I just spent several hours worrying and obsessing over two matters that you explained out in, oh, five minutes?" 
He chuckled.  "They were valid concerns - and I didn't explain them out or anything, really...I just gave you my opinion." 
I nodded, my head still buried into the bed.  "Thank you." 
"Huh?" 
I realized that he probably couldn't understand that, seeing as I kind of had my face mashed into the bed, so I rolled onto my side, slightly embarrassed.  "Thank you." 
He chuckled, reaching to give me a quick kiss on the tip of my nose before pulling me close and promptly falling back asleep. 

Ariel

Hey, guys - so as Eugene mentioned (his post is right here, if you haven't read it), I haven't posted all week because I've been wanting to hang out with him and the kids, and Tangled Fan also has been hogging her tablet.   Using it for research for school, I guess....it's irritating, nonetheless!  But without further ado..

Today, everyone came over to finally hear Eugene's tale.  By everyone, I mean Zarina, Logan, Fitz, Ariel, Punzie, Belle, as well as Zelia and Ray.  Obviously, Zelia and Ray had already heard his story, buuuut they came over anyway.
When the tale was over with around three, the girls were tuckered out.  They'd been up early, so I got them carried over and tucked into bed while Eugene finished up his story, and then checked on Jordan and Zach, who had fallen asleep a little bit earlier.  I get the feeling that Jordan may or may not be coming down with something....oh boy.  :\ 
Anyway, by the time I was done, everyone had filtered back over to their side of the table, all except for Ariel and Logan.  I gave them a curious expression, and Ariel asked Logan to wait up for her.
What was she up to?
She strode over to Eugene, plastering that smile across her face. 
Oh, great. 
"How could you possibly have made it back safely?  How did you keep motivated?"  she asked. 
Eugene shot a glance towards me, but I stood frozen, watching how he would handle the situation.  Would he blow her off, or would he be cordial?  I wasn't sure which I would prefer he do.  When Ariel followed his glance to me, but then looked over her shoulder at Logan, I saw what was going on. 
She was killing two birds with one stone. 
She knew she couldn't have Eugene, but she still wanted to get to me, and she was also doing this to get Logan's attention.  Playing hard to get and using Eugene, just like how Flynn had used me.  I sucked in a deep breath, wondering if anyone else realized that.
"My kids," Eugene answered her.  "They kept me motivated, as well as my girl, of course." 
"Rapunzel?"  she wrinkled her nose, and actually stepped closer to him.  I glanced at her somewhat provocative dress and my face flamed hot with anger.  I wanted to yell at her, but I couldn't wake the kids.  Instead, I decided to see how Eugene would handle this himself. 
Why I was doubting him, I didn't really know.  Maybe because I wasn't sure if this past month had changed him...I don't know. 
He nodded.  "Yep...Rapunzel," 
"I can't imagine how coming home to her could be much of a motivation.  I mean....come on.  She's so...bland."  I looked towards Logan, who was officially staring at the two of them.  She'd gotten what she wanted: his full attention, and she'd gotten me mad.  To boot, she'd gotten Eugene's full attention, too.  It hurt.  It'd been a long time since I had dealt with these kinds of insults, and I guess I've gotten rusty at dealing.  I bit the inside of my cheek and made for the cutout, wanting to go behind it. 
"Well, I guess--I guess I'll, um, go check on Jordan, I think she might be up...okay, Eugene?" I announced.  I planned to listen to Eugene's response from the other side of the cutout.  Nobody knew that I was headed for the wrong side of the cutout to check on the kids, and Eugene didn't even notice me.  He was just staring at her with an unreadable expression. 
As I noticed this, I didn't pay attention to my feet, annnd I tripped.  My face blazing, I stumbled for the cutout as Ariel gave a charming giggle. 
"Plus, she's clumsy, it seems....oh, dear.  Aren't you going to answer me?"

I slipped behind the cutout and dove for the bed, burying my face in the blankets before I could scream in frustration.  She was completely right, but why was I letting her get to me?  Or was it because of Eugene's lack of a response? 
I listened for him to answer, but I could simply hear hushed tones.  What did that mean?  I gulped, tears slipping down my cheeks when I started wondering if he was truly satisfied with having me as his wife.  I mean....why would he be, especially if a pretty young thing like Ariel shows up?  I heard rapid footsteps, and I hoped it was Ariel and Logan leaving.  I took a shuddering breath as soon as I thought of Logan.  Seeing her try to use Eugene in the same manner that Flynn used me had opened up a lot of memories I didn't want to remember, and wished I would've forgotten forever after my accident.  Unfortunately, they had come back, as well as a lot of other memories. 
And I still wasn't even sure why I didn't trust Eugene.  You'd think that if he came back to us after his month-long disappearance, he'd take that as an opportunity to never come back if he was that way.  But...I just really lack trust, I guess. 

As I was pondering these things, Eugene himself appeared, leaning one shoulder up against the edge of the cutout. 
"Hey, what's--" I shot upright in bed, involuntarily doing a weird gasp-sob, and stared at him. 
"Oh!  Um, n-nothing.  I just...I-" I felt how damp my cheeks were, and wanted to wipe them, but I didn't want to draw attention to my crying if he hadn't noticed. 
His expression changed, and his eyebrows furrowed as he stepped to the edge of the bed.  "What's wrong, honey?"
Did I really have to explain that?!  I shook my head.  "Nothing." 
"Mmm, but the way you just answered tells me there's a lot wrong," he pointed out, sitting down beside me and holding a hand out.  I didn't take it; I just buried my face in my hands. 
"It's stupid.  I'm mad over Ariel, and her little show back there, and I know I shouldn't think the way I was thinking, and I shouldn't let her get to me, but....and then you just acted like you couldn't even see or hear me, and..." I gulped.  "Eugene, answer me truthfully.  I hate to do this or even think of this, but are you happy with me? And do you even know what she was doing back there?!" 
The second I was done talking - I'm surprised he let me get the whole way through my speech without breaking me off, which surprised and concerned me -- he fairly pried my hands away from my face, replacing them with his own.  "Sweetheart..." his voice cracked, and I looked up to meet his eyes.  I set my jaw, trying not to be affected by his obvious distress.  "Oh, sweetheart....I'm so sorry.  Of course I'm happy.  You mean the world to me, and y-you're...you're everything I ever wanted.  I'm sorry.  I did notice you, b-but I was so intent on trying not to scream at her that I couldn't even turn my head.  I was afraid that if I opened my mouth, I wouldn't be able to stop yelling.  I couldn't bear how she was talking to you...you have every right to be mad at me, though.  Every single right. But what was she doing, other than the obvious?" 
"She was using you to get Logan's attention.  Just like how Flynn used me," my own voice cracked, which I couldn't stand.  He shut his eyes, nodding, and his hands left my face, reaching for me as if he wanted to hug me.  He must've known that I wouldn't let him, not quite yet, so he let his hands drop. 
"I'm so sorry," he said quietly.  "I didn't even realize that..."
I nodded. "The only reason I did was  because...you know." 
Eugene nodded silently.  "I know.  Honey, I can't tell you how bad I feel that I didn't notice, and didn't say anything to you, and that I made you wonder if I'm happy with you.  You're my best girl, Rapunzel - always was and always will be.  Nothing will change that or come between us, you hear me?  Nothing." 
I took a deep, shuddering breath.  "I-I was stupid to even think that...sor-"
"Don't you say it.  It's fine, and I can understand.  I've been gone for almost a month, and then that happens.  A lot can happen and change in a month, so it's understandable."  I looked down at my lap and nodded again.  I was still an idiot.  "Hey."  he reached to cup my chin in his hand, pulling my face up to meet his eyes. 
"What?"  I asked.
"I know that look.  Gosh, I was hoping I'd never see that look again.  Don't pay any heed to what she says, okay?  C'mere,"
I swallowed, but I reached to slip my arms around his middle, burying my face in his shoulder and sighing.  He slid his arms around me and planted a few kisses in my hair before speaking up again.  "If she ever shows her face again, I'll be surprised, to be honest." 
I pulled away.  "Huh?  Why?" 
"I told her off.  Like...I really, REALLY told her off."  he cleared his throat. 
"What'd you say?" 
"I told her that she didn't know anything, she needed to buzz off, and if she ever comes anywhere near you or the kids again, I'd tell Tangled Fan to put her back in her box, and I was sure that most everyone else, especially Zarina, would agree and back us.  She hoofed it out of here pretty quickly.  Maybe I was a bit too nasty, but I don't really care.  She didn't need to be doing any of what she was doing." 
I took a deep, fairly surprised breath.  "Well...you do have a point, though.  I don't want her anywhere near the kids." When I heard a quiet cry, I paused.  "Speaking of which...it sounds like Jordan's awake." 
Eugene nodded, reaching to give me a quick peck on the cheek before letting me go get Jordan. 

And baby makes....six!

--Eugene
At two this morning, my very pregnant wife woke me up.
"Eu..Eugeeene!  Get up!" she wailed, and from that, I could assume that I had been hard to wake up.
"I'm up, I'm up...what?" I mumbled in my half-awake state.  When I saw her pained face, tears streaking down her cheeks, I flew upright.
"T-the baby's coming and you need to take the girls to Zelia because I don't want to wa...wake them up--oooh!" she gasped, clutching her stomach and curling around it, panting.
"You can't be!  You have three weeks to go, three weeks!" I exclaimed.  Three weeks left in a term is the human equivalent of three months left in a term.
"Well, it's coming, and I don't think I can change that!" she gasped, giving me a pleading look.  My eyes widened as I realized that it was really, truly happening, I propelled myself out of bed and scrambled to get the girls over to Zelia --albeit quietly...I didn't wake any of the girls, luckily.

When I got back, Pascal was on the bed, staring at Rapunzel with concern. I picked him up off of the bed and let him settle on my shoulder, leaning some of my weight on the bed as I looked at my girl.  She was flat on her back, her breath coming out in hot, fast puffs, and her face was contorted and twisted all up in pain.  I hated seeing her like this! 
"I'm scared," she whispered, rolling her eyes up to me. 
I was, too...I was flat out terrified!  I didn't want to lose my girl again, and I didn't want anything to happen to our child, either.  My heart started pounding as I realized that a  lot of things could go wrong, and that the baby would most likely than not have problems or maybe not even live.  But I couldn't tell her that, now could I?! 
"Don't worry.  Everything will be okay, I promise," I said, leaning to kiss her forehead. 
Wrooong move.
She shoved me away with surprising strength.  "Don't touch me!  And how dare you promise something like that?!  I'm not stupid, and I don't believe in filling someone with f-false...promises!"  she paused, letting a loud cry out as she clutched her midsection.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," I backed up, and she squeezed her eyes shut for a few minutes, trying to catch her breath.  When she opened them, she frantically looked towards me. 
"Don't leave!  I-I need you here!"
"I'm not going anywhere, I just backed up because you told me-"
"I know, but I don't know what I'm sa--ohhh, wow...what I'm saying..." she panted.  "When does this even end?!" 
"I don't know, honey...I'm sorry.  You can do it, though...if I could do this for you, trust me...I would," I told her, stepping forward and wincing when she suddenly gasped, her entire back arching as she wailed.  Her shaky hand grabbed for mine and held it in a complete and utter death grip -- I quite honestly didn't know she could hold my hand that tightly, and I'm surprised she didn't crumple my plastic!

At seven o'clock, the baby boy was born, after a very, very long five hours.  She'd had quite a bit of trouble, but she was okay.  The baby was born....choking and barely breathing; his skin rapidly turning from a reddish color to purple. 
I don't know how that girl managed to fly upright as quickly as she had, seconds after giving birth to said child, but she immediately broke down sobbing. 
"Bring....bring him to me," she managed breathlessly, and I did, not sure what to do.  I didn't want him to die.  I didn't want my wife to watch her newborn son die, and I sure didn't want to watch him die, either.  But I did as she asked, and she quickly took him from me, turning him so his back was to her, and she quickly started patting and rubbing his back vigorously, begging him to start breathing in between choked prayers.  Tears streaked down her face when nothing happened.  I held my own breath, praying myself that he would, somehow, make it.
And then he made a small, bleating cry.
She gasped, stopping her vigorous attempts to make him breathe and turning him around to face her. 
"He's alive.  He's okay, Eugene..." she sighed, and a completely joyous smile lit her face when he cried louder.  "I've never been so happy to hear a baby cry in my life!" 
"Me neither," I loosed the breath I'd been holding before I eased myself down on the bed beside her.  "You did a great job, baby.  And on top of that, you saved him.  I was too slow to know what to do," I admitted truthfully. 
She nodded, lifting his little blond head up to kiss it. 
I was  beyond happy to have a son.  While he would never grow any bigger, it was still nice to have a boy amongst all my girls -- although I wouldn't trade any of them for the world.  And I would've taken another daughter just as quickly as a boy, don't get me wrong!  I slipped one arm around my girl's tired shoulders, leaning to look down at his little face.

We eventually got him dressed in Jordan's night-clothes, which were rarely used (they were long-sleeved and were footed, so that in the summer is  a huge nope.  She always has a fit if we put her in it for nighttime).  It's partly made of pink gingham, but it was all we had, so it would have to work....and soon after, his eyes opened.
Instead of being clear and colored, his eyes were cloudy and ice-blue. 
"D-do you think he's...blind?"  she whispered. 
I'd never seen anything like it.  "I don't know," I wondered if he would track movement yet or not....probably not. "Let's not worry about it until we know for sure, though.  What boy names do you like?" 

At nine, Tangled Fan came into her room for something, and I was able to get her attention. She quickly whisked him off before even asking if it was a boy or a girl, the first words out of Rapunzel's words were asking if he was blind, and she ignored anything else. 

He came back with a pink ribbon...glued to his head; and also pronounced blind and weak but otherwise healthy; he would need some sort of powdered mixture added to some water every two hours for the first week of his life, and then four times a day for the next two. 
Rapunzel focused on the ribbon. 
"Pink?  Why would you put pink on a boy?!" she hissed between her teeth, more than just annoyed. 
"Boy?"  Tangled Fan crumpled her nose in confusion. 
"Yes! It's a boy!"  she yelled.  I put a hand on her shoulder, trying to silently warn her to settle down. 
"It's....oh wow, I'm so sorry.  You see, I have this system where I put ribbons on every baby's head: pink for babies that have parents, and yellow - like Jordan's -- for orphans.  It's so I don't accidentally give someone's kid away."
"Well, can't you make a blue ribbon for boys?  How many others have you--"
"You're the first to have a baby boy!  Boys are extremely rare," she explained.  "That's why I didn't even ask." 
"Well, can't you take it off?" 
"It's super-glued on there.  You're not getting that off without taking his entire head off.  I'm sorry," she said. 
Rapunzel groaned.  "It's fine, I guess...but it's..."
"What about his blindness?"  I broke her off, wondering about the more important issue at hand.  "And will he be okay, and get stronger?" 
"Yes, and yes.  I'll get you guys what you need to give to him, and as far as his blindness, you'll just have to be more vigilant with him; make sure he doesn't roll off of places and get hurt, because he'll be prone to doing that, of course.  And he might be more easily scared, too, so just keep that in mind."   Rapunzel nodded, her eyes filling with tears, and Tangled Fan continued.  "And as for your extra belly, I did some research.  I'll come back tomorrow to take you to a hot water soak, and then you'll have to sit in a cold water soak for half an hour.  That'll bring you down to your normal size, all in one shot." 
"Tomorrow?  Can't we wait -- at least until he's not on that...that formula mix stuff anymore?" 
"No.  The sooner you get rid of that belly, the easier and better it will be," she said.  "Now, I'm going to go gather stuff up to make that mixture, and then I'll make a blanket for him - neutral colors, I promise." 
And with that, Tangled Fan handed the baby back to us and left.
I glanced down at the pink ribbon now glued on his head, and sighed.  It did bother me a little, too, but what could we do about it now?
Rapunzel, however, burst into tears.  "I'm a horrible mother!" 
"Wait, what?"  I looked up from the baby to see her face.  Shifting him around in my arms, I furrowed my brows and stared at her. "Why?" 
"I'm such an idiot, that's why!  I was so f-focused on that stupid ribbon that I forgot to ask about his health!" she cried, burying her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking.
I reached to put a hand on one of her shoulders.  "Hey.  That's why there's two of us -- so one can ask the questions that the other forgets!" 
"B-but I-"she lifted her head and met my gaze with her watery, red-rimmed green eyes. 
"No  buts.  And by the way, you're the one who got him breathing normally, so you're obviously not an idiot," I reminded her, removing my hand from her shoulder so I could swipe at her tears.
She gulped, giving a shudder-y sigh and nodding before dropping her gaze to the baby. 
"What should w-we name him?  We discussed a lot of different names..." she trailed off, trying to think. 
"Phil, Cody, Jason...uh...Clark, James, Zachary...Chris, Ryan, Jeremy, and Grant."  I filled in. 
We went back and forth a little between Zachary and Jeremy, but finally decided that Zachary fit best.
"So....Zachary it is," she smiled finally, moving so she could plop a quick kiss on his forehead. 
Right after that, Tangled Fan came back and gave us all the stuff we'd need in order to feed him, showed us how to feed him, and gave us a timer thing to help us keep track of when we'd need to feed him again.  When she left, I turned to Rapunzel, who was watching him sleep. 
"You need to get some rest, sweetie.  Why don't you curl up in with him, and I'll go talk to Zelia and the girls and tell them how everything went?"  I suggested. 
"No...I'm fine.  I want to see my girls," she said...yawning.  Her eyelids fluttered. 
" 'I'm fine', says the girl who can hardly stay awake long enough to answer me," I teased.  "C'mon.  You'll get to see the girls later." 
"But-" she started to protest, so I put a finger over her lips. 
"Nope.  You need to get some rest - Tangled Fan even told you to!  Just remember that we'll be up through all hours of the night, feeding him."  I reminded her. 
She sighed.  "Fine.  But what if something happens to him while I'm asleep?  What if I roll over and--"
"He'll be okay - you don't move around much in your sleep unless something's really bothering you.  Just don't think about that pink ribbon, and you'll not move a centimeter.  Just keep him close and away from the edge of the bed, and he'll be okay," I told her, teasing her about that ribbon. 
Rolling her eyes (although the corner of her lips betrayed her by twitching up into a small smile), she nodded.  "Okay, if you're sure." 
"I'm positive," I told her, taking Zachary from her until she got settled down into the bed on her side.  I set the baby down beside her, spread the covers over her (as she grumbled and said she could take care of herself) and then I told her I'd see the two of them later.


As soon as I went over to the other side of the table, I was nearly attacked by two rambunctious, anxious girls....and about half a dozen worried dolls.
"How did everything go?" 
"When can I see Mommy?" 
"When can I see the baby?" 
"Do I have a  new baby sister?  Oh, I hope so!"
"How's Rapunzel and the new baby?" 
"Everything went okay, right?" 
"Did you pass out like the lily-livered doll you are?" 
I laughed.  Of course that last one came from Zelia. 
"Okay...first off: no, I did not pass out.  You girls can see Rapunzel in a few hours; I finally convinced her to go to sleep while the baby slept.  I'm sorry to those who wanted another girl or a sister; it's a boy.  His name is Zachary, and he is blind and currently weak, but he's getting fed to get strengthened up, and he'll be okay.  Rapunzel's okay, too," I said as a general announcement.  Everyone went silent when they heard the 'blind and weak' part, and a somber mood replaced the excited one from moments before. 
Belle was the first to speak up.  "Well, everything went okay, and they're both healthy otherwise, right?  That is a blessing in itself.  Giving birth is not simple, from what I understand, and a lot can go wrong." 
"Especially with preemies," I added, nodding. 
Zelia nodded, glancing over at Ray, who came and put an arm around her shoulders.  "When can I see them?"  she asked. 
"In a few hours I'll come back over, and we'll figure that out," I told her.  "Where's Jordan, and were the girls good so far?" 
Casey and Audrey, who were cuddled up against my chest, nodded that they'd been good, and Zelia agreed with them. 
"Jordan's taking a nap underneath that big bench.  She woke up around four and was pretty upset, but she fell asleep again at about eleven, so that's why she's sleeping," she added. 
"Okay.  Thank you for watching them, again...especially at two in the morning," I chuckled. 
"Eh, that's what aunts are for, right?"  she laughed.  "They were asleep anyway." 
"So is that why Rapunzel was so pale yesterday?"  Zarina asked shyly, almost so quietly that I didn't hear her. 
"Yeah, most likely," I told her. 
"I thought she looked a bit off," Ariel piped up.  I nodded curtly...I didn't want her to start flirting with me. 
"And she would absolutely not tell any of us that she didn't feel well.  She just said she needed to get back to the table," Ray finished.
"She's...something else," I shook my head.

A couple of hours later, I went back to check on Rapunzel and Zachary.  I found her awake, with Pascal on the bed by her and Zachary was on her chest, his head on her shoulder.  She kept a protective hand over his back. 
"Hey, you...I thought I told you to sleep," I mock-reprimanded her, bending to kiss the tip of her nose. 
She wrinkled her nose in a way that only she could (Gosh, I love that girl...) and grinned. 
"I did, but then I fed him, and I went to go brush my hair, and he got so upset because he was all alone, I guess, and so I had to lay back down and hold him.  He just got so  frantic...I guess it was because he couldn't hear me anywhere, or see me, of course..." she said, but her grin broadened when he nuzzled his small head into the crook of her neck. "How are the girls?" 
"Anxious to see you, as are Zelia, Belle, Ray, and Zarina," I told her, sitting on the edge of the bed by her. 
"Well....bring them over!  It's only two o'clock, but  I miss my girls!"  she exclaimed quietly.  She sat up slowly, letting Zachary remain on her shoulder, and tried to stretch her back and hold him at the same time.  Pascal watched, probably wondering what on earth she was attempting to do. 
"How're you feeling?" 
"I'm fine...I mean, I'm achy, but that's to be expected!  I just want to see the rest of our brood," she giggled. 
I went back to get Zelia and the kiddos, and the two older girls took off for our side of the table at lightning speed.  When I came back to our side, Rapunzel had slipped out to sit on the couch, and the girls quickly bounced up beside her, staring at their new brother and quietly bombarding her with questions.  Zelia sat down and took Zachary from her, and I just hung back and observed.  A year ago, if you would've told me that in a month and two days I would meet my future wife and end up with four kids and...Zelia...for a sister-in-law, I would've laughed my head off.  But man, am I thankful, and I wouldn't trade this for the world!
I'm sure Rapunzel will post tomorrow, and if not, I will.  

An Apology and A Room Tour

 Today, Belle came over at around noon, asking if I wanted to help show Zarina  and Ariel around.  Despite my huge, ungainly self, I decided I would go anyway.  I wasn't too pleased to be around Ariel, but I was willing to give her a second chance.
I told her I would be down on the floor to meet them in five minutes, and she nodded excitedly, hurrying off.
Eugene was sitting with Audrey, talking to her about something still unknown to me.
"Hey...I'm gonna go with Belle and Ray to show Zarina and Ariel around the room.  I'll be back, okay?  Love you two,"
Eugene stared as if I'd lost my mind.  "You're staying right here, dearest."
"Why?  I'm feeling okay, and it's not like I'm going to be completely alone." I reassured him.
"I still..." he sighed.  "You already promised Belle, right?"
"Mmhmm."
Huffing, he nodded.  "I really don't have a good feeling about it, but if you think you can, go ahead.  If you're not feeling well, you come right back, okay?"
I nodded, bending to kiss his cheek as well as Audrey's.  "Thank you.  I'll see you all later!" I turned to hug Casey and wave at Jordan, who was busy playing with Pascal, and then rushed to go to the floor.
Well...rushed being a relative term.  With my huge, swollen abdomen, I can't go very fast!  I actually wouldn't dare; I'd more than likely trip and fall. 

The walk was long and slow, much longer and slower than I ever remembered walks being.  Ariel didn't talk to me, so I didn't talk to her; she was far ahead with Ray (who looked none too amused about it).  I walked with Belle, until I noticed Zarina was lagging behind, looking very small and left out.  Feeling a pang of guilt, I promptly dropped back, letting Belle go ahead to talk to Ariel.
"Hey," I said quietly.  "Lonely?"
She started, almost as though she hadn't seen me through her thick curtain of hair, but quickly shook her head and mumbled that she was just thinking.
Sooo, I just backed off and let her have her space.

After a few hours, we headed back, but we took a quick break to rest about halfway across the room, which was greatly appreciated.

 I noticed Zarina by herself, sitting on the trunk at the foot of Tangled Fan's bed, which we had just left...so I doubled back around and heaved  myself back up there, sitting down with a heavy sigh, rubbing my stomach as I felt the baby moving.  A slow, nagging pain had spread across my midsection, and I was mildly concerned, but not enough to head back quickly.  Plus, I wanted to talk with Zarina.
"Well, I think I need to sit for a bit.  How are you, Zarina?"
"I'm fine.  You should probably go on ahead, though.  You look really pale," she told me.
I shrugged, biting my lip.  "So... You're really shy, aren't you?  Punzie giving you a hard time?"
She nodded, letting her hair stay fallen over half of her face.  The other eye peered curiously at me.  "Why do you care?"
"Because...about a year ago, I guess...I was in your shoes.  I know how it felt, and I know how nice it felt to have a friend," I offered.
"Who was it?  Belle?"
"Eugene...my now husband," I smiled.  "Belle came along later."
"I see." she looked down to her lap, and an awkward silence filled the air around us for a little while.  I noticed that everyone else was heading back already, so I spoke up first.
"You should tuck your hair back and not hide behind it.  You're gorgeous!" I complimented her.
"Really?  Th-thanks," she acknowledged it, but still didn't push her hair from her face.  "I guess we should catch up with the others.  And...thank you for hanging back with me."
"You're welcome.  I'm right across the table if you ever want a buddy, and I'm sure my girls would love you."  I told her, watching her drop gracefully down to the floor.
My hand, however, slipped and I missed the step down, falling hard on the floor.  I landed on my feet, but it still made me drop to my knees.  Plus, the sudden and strong wave of pain that had caused my hand to slip came back for a second wave, and I panted breathlessly.  What WAS this??  I bit my lip, pressing a hand into my side until I felt the baby move.  Whew.  The baby was okay, but I still didn't know what THAT was about!  Zarina helped me to my feet, but I couldn't shake this annoying pain.
"You really need to go home, you're so pale in the face," Zarina bit HER lip, too, but I shook her concern off, promising her that I was okay.

I made it almost the whole way back to the table before Ariel stopped me.
"You okay?"
"Yes, I just need to get home," I panted, leaning against the saw horse Tangled Fan had a horse saddle on .  The pain was nearly unbearable right now, most of it centered around my lower back and hips.  I must have hurt myself jumping.
"You don't look okay,"
"I'm fine," I said shortly.  She wasn't the doll of choice to talk to right now, and I just wanted to go back home.
"Look....I'm sorry about yesterday.  For some reason, I thought that your husband was just trying to play hard to catch and pretend to be uninterested, using the common 'I'm married' excuse, and I went too far.  I am sorry, I truly am, and I hope you don't view me as a horrible doll."
"It's okay; I forgive you.  I just really need to go home," I swallowed against a sudden wave of nausea.  I thought I had been done with the stinking nausea after my third week!
But then Ray rushed to me, quickly followed by Belle.  They surrounded me, asking if I was okay.  Zarina was behind them, fiddling nervously with her hair as she stared at me.
They ended up helping me to the table, but to keep the girls from worrying, they all said they were just taking a shortcut through our side to get to their side.  Which was quite illogical, but they didn't know that.

Eugene read through it, though, but he kept quiet until the girls were settled down for their afternoon nap, an hour late at five PM.  By then, I could barely stand being on my feet a single moment longer.
He sat down on the couch, but I collapsed on it, flat on my back.
"Cmere," he said, offering to let me use his lap as a pillow.  I gratefully accepted it, and mostly because of the hand he kept using to stroke my hair.  "What's wrong?"

"You were right....I jumped off of the trunk and missed the step, and now my back and hips ache like nobody's business." I elected to ignore the nausea and pain beforehand, still unsure about that.
"Are you sure that's all?  You still have three weeks to go, you don't want anything to happen."
"I'm sure...I just need to rest, I think.  Wow..." I groaned, rubbing at my back.


I barely made it the rest of the day.

But I was wrong about just hurting my hips and back: I found that out at approximately two in the morning when I woke Eugene, sobbing and frantically begging him to get the girls over to Zelia because I was having the baby and didn't want to scare them or wake them, since it was all I could do to not give in and scream because of the immense pain I was in.

Newcomers and an Emotional Rollercoaster of a Day

I had my last  major hot water soak today. 
My stomach has DOUBLED in size once more.
I am officially so ungainly that I can hardly bend over to pick up Jordan. 
The good part is that there's only about three more weeks until we get to meet this little kiddo....I'm SO excited.  Basically any fear I had of anything going wrong has dissipated, and now I'm just impatient to meet him or her.  We haven't even talked about names yet....maybe we should sometime soon..! 
Anyway, I was trying to get accustomed to my HUGE midsection when Tangled Fan breezed through the room, setting a couple of boxes on her bed before running back out of her room.  I heard the vacuum click on, so she wouldn't be back for a little while. 
By now, I knew what THIS meant:  More dolls. 
Eugene noticed, too, and immediately turned to me.  "Absolutely not." 
I bounced Jordan in my arms a few times, making her giggle.  "Why not?" 
He snorted, shaking his head and chuckling.  "You're two-thirds of the way through your term.  You probably shouldn't be walking the entire way across the room all that much!" 
"Ohh, I'll be fine.  Now, how'd you feel if you were thrown somewhere new and left in your box for hours?" 
His face contorted as he considered this. 
"I actually WAS.  I wasn't able to get out of the plastic things they put around my wrists, and do you really think that Punzie and that bunch would come help?" 
My eyes widened.  "Oh, geez, Eugene....well...do you want THEM to have the same experience?" 
He stared at me, and I could tell he was thinking...and thinking....and thinking that one over. 
Finally, he huffed.  "Why do I have such problems saying no to you?" 
"Because I'm your wife and you love me?"  I asked teasingly, and he laughed through his nose. 
"Yeah...well, you can go get Zelia to watch the girls, because I'm going with you, and if you get the slightest bit pale or sick, I'm carrying you back."
I tsked my tongue.  "Do you really think that me walking across the room will make me have the baby too soon?" 
"A lot of walking sometimes induces labor for people..."
"But we're not people!"  I said, standing on tiptoe and reaching to give him a quick kiss on the cheek before I went to get Zelia, still carrying Jordan. 
After we got Zelia to watch Casey, Audrey, and Jordan, Eugene and I left for Tangled Fan's bed, accompanied by Belle and Ray.  Ray didn't necessarily want to go along, but my paranoid husband asked him to, in case he'd need help carrying me back or something.  It was slightly embarrassing, but...oh well. 

When we FINALLY got to Tangled Fan's bed, (that climb up was harsh...) we found a 2014 Ariel doll and a -- you guessed it -- 2014 Rapunzel.  We all worked to get them out of their boxes, and after a good bit of work, they finally wormed out of their plastic prisons. 
The Rapunzel, who said her nickname could be Zarina, was very shy, and kept her hair down in her eyes, watching everyone warily; while Ariel was bubbly, happy, and generally a positive doll.  I hoped that I could befriend both of them  - someday.  Someday when I didn't have mood swings. 
But anyway, we left the bed, slipping from the bed to the trunk, then finally to a box by the trunk and then on the ground --that immediately brought us about halfway across the room. 
Only there was a liiitle problem. 

The mermaid pointed to her flippers, giggling nervously. 
"I can't walk.  I can't even shuffle, because this tail is so tight." 
Oh boy.  If we would've left her in her box, we could have dragged her over to the table.  Since we OBVIOUSLY couldn't slip her back in the box, I looked around helplessly. 
Ariel looked over towards Eugene with a coquettish smile, and my poor husband made quick work of slipping further behind me.  When she looked towards Ray, he looked away, face blazing red as he mumbled "No way," just loud enough that Eugene heard him.
I flashed him a LOOK, but he conveniently didn't catch THAT, either. 
"Please don't leave me alone here," she said.  She knew everyone was unsettled both by her lack of clothing AND the fact that someone would have to carry her. 
"We won't," I said, attempting to bend so I could put a hand on her cool, bare shoulder.  I shot another glance towards Ray, but he walked off.   Eugene sucked in a deep breath. 
"C'mon...it's only halfway across the room," he said -- half to himself.  I gave him a surprised glance.  What if he hurt his hip joints, carrying her THAT far?  Not to mention her...lack of clothes.  That didn't make me feel exactly comfortable, but maybe it's just me being too protective of my husband. 
She slipped her arms around his neck a little too comfortably, and he picked her up with ease.  She smiled from ear to ear, and we started walking back.  I hung back, trying to keep out of Ariel's eyesight.  I'm pretty sure I was seething -- she knew he was married, didn't she?  Did she think she would win him over?  A sharp thought occurred to me:  She probably could, and with ease.  I haven't exactly been the most laid-back over the past six weeks, between worrying and mood swings -- and she was a lot prettier to boot. 
I glanced down at my tummy and put a hand over it as I felt the baby jostle around.  Of course, he wouldn't be able to break off our marriage...but I didn't want to see it fall apart, either.  I couldn't stand the thought of him being miserable in our marriage, and vice versa...let alone what it'd do to the girls and our unborn child!  I felt an awful pang just thinking about what it would do to the kids. 
I heard a satiny laugh, and looked up to see Ariel had her head thrown back, laughing at some joke Eugene had just made.  I did notice that he was a lot more comfortable with her already than what he normally was with other newcomers...
I sighed a bit too loudly, and Belle slowed to walk beside me. 
"What is the matter?  Is the baby active?"  she glanced down at the hand I still had across my belly. 
"Yeah," I nodded, trying to keep my jealousy from showing. 
Oh, yeah right. 
"There's something else though...is it Ariel?"  she whispered.
I nodded. "It's stupid, I know, but...I can't help but feel a little upset over how cozy she is with my husband.  It's terrible of me, I know...but Eugene seems pretty okay with it, and he's NEVER this way."
Belle shook her head.  "You have nothing to fear -- Eugene would never do anything to hurt you,"
I shrugged.  "Can't blame him if he would -- I've been a real jerk lately." 
"Well, you cannot help it!  He should understand that," she said a little too loudly, and Ray swung around to look.  Ray did...not Eugene.  I swallowed hard. 
I cleared my throat, but Ray dropped back to listen in.  "Thank you, Belle...you're a good friend.  I'm sure he's just..." I trailed off, unsure of what to say. 
"What?"  Ray asked. 
"Eugene.  Doesn't he seem a little...comfortable...with Ariel?  And vice versa?"  I asked, my face getting extremely red. 
He started to blow me off in a manner that only Ray could, but then he hesitated.  "Well...I don't know.  Zelia's told me that he was a lot more shy before he met you." 
I nodded.  "But...it's different.  Maybe I'm just overreacting." 
"Maybe," he agreed, which didn't make me feel any better.  I wanted a strong 'yes, you're overreacting' or a 'no, you're not overreacting', not a 'maybe you are and maybe you aren't'! 
Belle shook her head and repeated herself.  "He would never do anything to hurt you!" 
"I apologize.  I should have taken her, but..your sister...I was worried that she'd see from the table." he cleared his throat. 
I nodded quietly, and Belle noticed my uneasiness about the topic, so she gave me a quick side-hug before giving me some space, nodding at Ray to do the same. 

When we got back to the bins, Eugene deposited Ariel -- who gave him a longing expression before squirming around on her bottom to catch the attention of Belle and I -- and then he and Ray walked away to give us some privacy. I lost track of Zarina at that point. 
I reached to climb into the bin to retrieve a dress for the redhead, but Belle put a hand on my arm, shaking her head.  "I'll get it!  You go sit."  I let her climb into the bin, but I didn't go sit.  I just wanted to get this over with quickly.  I didn't know what I would do if Ariel spoke to me! 
Of course, she did.
"I'm so grateful for you for taking the time to help me out with clothes," she said...but I couldn't help but notice the glance she cast towards my HUSBAND, instead of directing it towards me and Belle.  When her happy gaze returned to me, it promptly dropped to my belly.  "A-are you...expectant?  I thought us Ariel dolls were the only ones who could..."
"Yes, I am...it's a rare blessing," I said, giving a tight smile.  And the father is the man you're basically flirting with...."Oh!  Congratulations, but isn't it...dangerous?  I heard that the only non-Ariel Disney doll to have a baby ended up...meeting an untimely demise, as did the baby," she cleared her throat.
Belle, hurry UP! 
"Yes, that's true," I said shortly.  Was she HOPING that the baby and I would 'meet an untimely demise'?  There wasn't an ounce of concern in those eyes.  
I quickly averted my attention to my stomach once more, trying to hide the red that was creeping up along my neck.  Could Belle go any slower??  Grab a dress, throw it at the redhead, and let's get going!!  If I don't get away from this girl, I'm going to wring her neck...and if I leave before everyone else, I'll show that I'm being childish and bratty!  Ugh.
FINALLY, Belle tossed a dress out, and Ariel caught  it with surprising speed.  "Thanks!  It's gorgeous!" 
Without another word, she started trying to shimmy out of her fabric tail, and I barely had time to turn my back before she lost anything else.  Within moments, she loosed a giggle. 
"It feels WONDERFUL to be on my feet!  My legs were getting cramped."  The joyful expression on her face immediately made me feel sorry for being so resentful towards her.  She just needed a friend, and I was being weird and moody. She did a little jig before turning back to Belle and I, still staring down at her dress gleefully.  It was almost exactly like the one I was wearing -- the plaid one -- but she wore it much, much better.  "Where will I be staying?" 
"You'll come with me, sweetheart --Ray and I, that is," Belle told her.  
"Doesn't Eugene stay there, too?"  she looked hopeful. 
"No, we live on the other side of the table with our kids," I piped up.  I felt stupid for saying we were just on the other side of the table, but whatever. 
She nodded, her smile waning more than a little bit.  "Okay.  Well, I'm a little tired, so let's head up and meet everyone else, shall we?" 
Belle nodded, waving to motion Ray over.  He and Eugene were in a deep conversation, apparently, because they both snapped to attention and hurried over, looking slightly surprised. Zarina caught on, too, and appeared out of nowhere. 
"Isn't this dress LOVELY?"  Ariel immediately asked my husband...right in front of me.
He cleared his throat, nodding at her.  "Yes, Belle chose a nice dress for you," he said.  I glanced down at myself.  Of course, my form was very.....plump now, compared to her skinny self.  I bit back a sigh.

When we got back, Zelia stayed with us for the rest of the day and then helped to get the girls settled in for bed, which I greatly appreciated.  I was bone-tired, and I hardly said a word to Eugene for the rest of the afternoon and evening.  I was just afraid that I'd let some snarky comment loose.  Well, when we headed to bed, Eugene tried to kiss me.  I let him, but I didn't mean to show my displeasure.  I didn't exactly feel like kissing him right now, no matter what his intentions with being friendly with Ariel were.
"Hey...what's wrong?"  he gave me a concerned look, cupping my cheek in his hands.  "Is the baby moving around a lot?"
"Yeah, that's it," I said crankily.  How oblivious WAS he?? 
He gave me a pensive stare, but shrugged my comment off and crawled into bed.  Instead of settling with his arm around my shoulders, I curled up on my side, facing away from him.  I also willed the ever-active baby to quiet down.  (Hmm, like that would happen -- it's been moving almost CONSTANTLY!) 
A moment later, he loosed a frustrated sigh.  "What's REALLY wrong? I know something is..."
I shook my head, and then he sat up. 
"Come on....what's wrong?  Please, honey...I'm worried.  Are you feeling okay?" 
I huffed with frustration, sitting up to look him in the eye.  "I'm just a little irritated with how Ariel acted around you.  And...you seemed pretty comfortable with her, too.  I've never seen you so...so friendly around a newcomer." 
He gave me a confused look, which quickly turned into surprise...and then horror.  "Oh, you don't think I have a...a...THING for her, do you?" 
I shrugged.  "I know I haven't been exactly the easiest to get along with lately, and my wardrobe leaves a lot to be desired, for obvious reasons, and I'm not a skinny little thing either...so..."
Eugene reached for my face, but instead let his hands drop, realizing he needed to explain himself first.  
"I was just trying to make her feel comfortable.  Everyone was being a little awkward, for obvious reasons, so I figured that since I was the one carrying her, I should try to break the ice a little bit, so I tried to joke around a little.  Once I realized that she was trying to hit on me, it got really awkward really fast.  I explained once more, and told her that I was happily married to the girl of my dreams, and when she asked who it was, I said it was you, and she just...blew that off.  At that point, I kind of wanted to tell her off, but I knew I shouldn't.  I'm sorry...if I knew it was upsetting you that much, I would've dropped her and left her sit there -- I had half a mind to, anyway."  he dropped his head, but tilted his eyes up sheepishly at me. 
I sighed.  "I probably over-reacted, as usual-"
"Nahh...I can understand why you were upset.  But did you seriously think I'd prefer her -- a lively, thin, young thing who can't understand the art of subtle hints, when I have you?"
"I don't know.  I've been lazy, grumpy, and fat lately, so-"
"All of which is because you're expectant and due in three weeks," he said, "and you're carrying our child.  By the way, she doesn't hold a candle to you, my dear." 
"She's so animated and...and happy-go-lucky, though, I mean...I'm timid and easily upset." 
"I never did like the over-lively type.  Plus, what do you think I'd do?  Abandon you, because we wouldn't be able to divorce -- taking a more logical approach." 
I shrugged.  "Probably just my...moodiness...talking." 
He laughed, putting a gentle hand over the one I'd rested over my stomach.  "Don't you ever wonder if I still love you, sweetie.  You're not getting rid of me THAT easily."
I met his eyes with a smile.  "I'm glad...I was worried there for a little bit." 
My husband gave me a mushy little grin.  "I'm glad to have that sorted out, then...mind if I kiss you, or...?"
I gave him a teasing grin, leaning towards him as much as my belly would allow me to, teasing him by pulling away a bit when he reached to meet my lips.  "Oh, I don't know...maybe you can kiss me, and maybe you can't."
He laughed through his nose before putting a hand behind my head and giving me a warm, slow kiss that reassured me that he meant what he'd said.  When our lips parted, he leaned his forehead up against mine a moment.  I could feel his warm breath on my face, and it was somehow a comfort to me. 
"If you ever....EVER...get upset with me over something again, don't hold it in, okay?  Talk with me.  I'm sorry...I should have made the point that I was married to you more clear, but I didn't know what would cross the line between adamant and rude." 
"And like I said...it's fine!"
"I know, but...I shouldn't have even carried her over there.  And I'm just really worried that you'll get too upset, and end up having the baby prematurely." 
I nodded.  "Well, someone needed to help her.  It's nice of you that you stepped up to the plate...at least I know now that you weren't flirting with her." 
"More like dying of horror," he said. 
I giggled, swatting his chest playfully.  "Oh...why did I ever even question you...you goof!" 
He smiled, flopping backwards onto the bed, asking me to lie down beside him.  I did, shutting my eyes for a moment, before I remembered something else. 
"What were you and Ray so deep in conversation about?"  I didn't move to look at him -- I was too comfortable where I was at.
"You and Zelia...sounds like he might be our brother in law sometime soon," he said...in an oh-so-nonchalant way. 
I gasped. If I would've been able to, I would've flown upright within the second, twisted around and given him a surprised look -- but I just settled for squeaking,  "He's going to propose?!" 
"Maybe...he was talking about it, but he also said he was terrified she'd say no, and he doesn't want to mar their friendship.  He says that she's the first one to befriend him and not be scared of him, despite his temper.  And she's helped him get through his outbursts, so he doesn't have them nearly as often."  
"Aww!"  I squealed.  "That's SO sweet!" I realized I needed to be quieter, and the baby gave a few kicks.  I settled a hand down on my stomach and smiled.  Okay, more like beamed.   
He chuckled.  "Don't tell her anything, though, okay?" 
"Oh, I won't," I shook my head, "but that's just...whoa.  I never thought I'd see the day where my grumpy old sis would get MARRIED!"
 "Yup...now, hard as it will be, you need to rest up.  You don't even know for certain if he WILL ask her!" 
"But the baby's awake, so I'm awake, and my sister might be getting engaged soon!"  I said, paraphrasing a quote from Frozen.
He laughed quietly.  "Ohh...you're terrible." 
"Well...you're the one who gave me the news."  I threw back. 
He chuckled through his nose. "Touche."