Last night, Hallie was particularly fussy. We had set a time that we would go to meet the girl, Alexis, and it just happened to be early tomorrow morning. Of course.
We all went to bed around 7, and Hallie was sleeping peacefully. We covered up the kids with a small doll blanket Tangled Fan had given us, and then Flynn and I used one of the two handkerchiefs Tangled Fan had given us as well...the nights were beginning to cool off.
I was optimistic and excited for a good night's sleep. For about an hour.
When she started wailing, I got up with her, telling Flynn to get plenty of sleep.
I got her up and wandered around for awhile, quieted her down, and then laid her back down. The second she left my arms, she started huffing and her face crumpled.
I scooped her back up and she quieted.
"Sweetie pie...you need to go to sleep, baby." I whispered to her and she grinned. "I dunno why you think you need to be with Momma or Daddy every second, but that's okay too. Will you sleep for me if I take you back to snooze with me and Daddy?"
She started to whimper again. Well, there's the answer to THAT question.
"Okay, okay. We won't go to bed with Daddy." I whispered, humming quietly to her for a few seconds. She stopped, and after awhile, her eyes closed. I tried to lay her back down...but nope.
So I sat with her and held her until I don't know when.
Sometime through the night, I woke up to feel two arms gently scooping me up. I couldn't even open my eyes, I was so tired. I didn't hear Hallie, but I could tell she wasn't in my arms anymore. So by process of elimination, Flynn had likely woken up, realized I was still out here, found me asleep, taken Hallie and lain her down with Allie and Jase...and so now he was taking me back to bed. I started to open my mouth in protest, but instead, I just buried my head in the crook of his neck.
I felt myself being lowered onto my back and then the handkerchief being carefully spread across me. His lips touched my forehead in a careful kiss, and then I heard him flop down beside me, loosing a tired sigh, and I randomly thought about how lucky I was to be married to him. So in one deft movement, I rolled over and pulled him into a kiss. When I pulled away, I managed to peel my eyes open again - but just barely. I could hardly see through the darkness, anyway.
"Did I wake you?" he whispered.
I shrugged, propping myself up on my elbows. His eyes flicked down and he reached to pull the handkerchief back up, and then he spread his arm away from him.
I accepted the silent offer and rolled over to face him, cuddling up as close as I could get. I rested my head and my hand on his chest and rolled my eyes up towards him, giving him a smile.
"Ya ready to go meet Alexis later?" he whispered, apparently not ready to go back to sleep.
Well...I was really nervous, but at the same time, I felt ready. "I guess...anxious, but ready." I finally said, and he put his arm around my shoulders and hugged me tight.
"You should get to sleep, sweetie, and so should I...we'll see what the morning brings and hopefully, Hallie will sleep through the night."
"That's for sure...love you."
I could hear his smile when he answered me. "Love you too."
He plopped a kiss in my hair and I was out like a light.
This morning, I woke up hearing my name being repeated an annoying amount of times.
"Waaaake up, darling...Rapunzel...wake up...Rapunzel....hon....Rapunzel..." and so on and so forth.
"I'm up, I'm up, already..." I grumbled, working at peeling my eyes open.
"Good morning to you, too, my little sunshine." Flynn said sarcastically, and despite myself, I laughed.
"Sorry." I chuckled and lifted my head to look at him. He gave me that grin, and my heart squeezed. "What time's it?"
"Tangled Fan will be back in...probably a half an hour."
"Half an hour?" I moaned and let my head flop back down dramatically onto his chest. "Can't we just stay here..and go back to sleep....while Hallie's actually not screaming?"
He chuckled. "Tempting as it sounds, we need to get moving."
I sighed reluctantly. I felt like a zombie or something...I mean, I'd been getting about six hours of sleep per night, interrupted periodically by Hallie. Flynn could always get up with her, too, but I didn't want him getting migraines. Anyway...I'm rambling. "I suppose you're right."
I started to sit up, but he suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me close to give me a gentle kiss. When he pulled away, I gave him a grin, my heart fluttering.
He matched it and then I looked down, my face slightly warm. "I need to go braid my hair, I suppose...don't want to scare the poor girl."
"You won't," he laughed.
After I'd brushed and braided my hair, I went back to peek under the bench. Everyone else was up, but Flynn wasn't out there. I bent to look in on him.
Was he seriously sleeping?! Looked like it to me.
So of course, how could I pass this opportunity up?
I started to creep in, but Merida stopped me.
"What are ye doin'?" she whispered.
"Watch this." I nodded towards him, and a sneaky grin lit up her face.
She stood back, and I crept towards him. I carefully trailed my finger down his cheek in an attempt to simulate something crawling across it, but when that didn't work, I leaned down to say 'boo'.
Just as my lips were forming the word, I quickly found out he was NOT sleeping.
He yelled 'boo' and grabbed my arms at the same time. I screamed and yanked away in surprise, smacking my head off of the bench.
Laughing, he sat up. I heard Merida cackling in the background, and I glanced around to look at her. She was bent over, and her face was about as red as her hair, from laughing. I absently rubbed at my throbbing head, then glanced over at my husband. He tried to press his lips together and stop laughing, but he took one look at me and started to shake all over, until he finally gave into the laughter.
I rolled my eyes and went over to him. He must've thought he could kiss me after doing that, but I had a little surprise up my sleeve. When he reached up to pull me into a kiss, I leaned in towards him as if to accept the kiss..but then I gave him a shove on the chest, pushing him back down.
"Hey, no fair!" he said, laughing, and I finally started to giggle. By now, Merida had tears streaking her cheeks.
I was nice and stuck around to help him up. When he was up and we were out from under the bench, he kissed my forehead. "You alright?"
"Never better." I chuckled. "It only hurt for a couple minutes."
He snorted, trying to suppress more laughter.
After that, Tangled Fan came in and after we said bye to Jase and Hallie, we were off. Before we left, though, she presented us with a nice little blanket for the babies...great! Anyway, that was a lil off topic.. :D Anyway.
When we got to where we were going, she plopped us down near Alexis, and then stood back and waited.
I glanced at Flynn, swallowing hard. Alexis glanced at us with a scared expression on her face.
"She's shy," Tangled Fan told us.
I nodded silently and then walked slowly towards her, not sure of what to do or say.
"Hey, Alexis..." I finally managed, crouching down by her.
This was so different from when we met Jase. Jase had practically thrown herself at us, babbling a hundred miles per hour.
"Hi." she glanced at me, eyebrows furrowed.
"Did Tangled Fan tell you we were going to come see you?"
She nodded. "I-I'm glad to meet you."
I gave her a smile and scooped her up, standing. "Do you want to tell us something about yourself?"
"I'm six. I need a new home, I've been tossed around a lot. The last couple that had me were really mean. And I want a little sister."
"That's good...we have two little girls already - one's right around your age, so you can play together," I told her, and a spark of interest finally glimmered in her eyes.
Until Flynn made a move to scoop her up out of my arms. She gasped and clung frantically to my neck, and started breathing heavily.
"It's alright...he's really nice. Why are you so scared of him, sweetie?" I asked her.
She stared warily at Flynn until he backed off a few steps. "The last couple that had me was really mean and the guy was especially."
I thought furiously. Had she been with Ray and HB before? "Ray and HB?" I asked her.
She nodded.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. You don't ever have to worry about him being mean to you."
She squirmed to be put down, and I walked over to Flynn.
He pulled me close to his side and whispered in my ear. "Well...are we gonna foster her?"
I reached up onto my tiptoes and whispered back. "I dunno..she's just so scared. But I'm sure if we show her we're not like Ray and HB - yeah. They had her for awhile too. Anyway, I'm sure she'll come around."
"Okay. Then let's do it," he said, giving me a quick peck on the cheek before turning me to face Tangled Fan.
She clung to me like nobody's business. I had to work her arms from around my neck before I could set her down on top of the dresser.
I introduced her to everyone, and she promptly went over to Jase.
"Jase?" she asked, peering at her.
Jase's face brightened, and she grabbed her into a hug. "Lexi!"
"You know Alexis, Jase?" I asked, smiling at their big grins.
"Yeah! We were both.." Jase's smile vanished. "We were both with HB and Ray at the same time."
"Ooh," I nodded understandingly.
Jase parted from Alexis and bounced over to Flynn, who had just sat down. She plopped herself down on his lap and gave him a cute little grin that even made ME smile!
"C'mon, Lexi! Daddy's awesome. He won't hurt you."
"That's okay...I'll stay with her," she said, backing up against my legs. I scooped up Hallie and put a hand behind Alexis' head.
"It's alright, honey. He won't hurt you, you know that, right?"
She shrugged, and I just left it at that. I couldn't really blame her for being so flighty, though, if she'd been with Ray and HB.
"How was miss Hallie today?" I turned towards Merida and sat down, pulling Alexis onto my lap as well.
"She was pretty good...she cried a little bit but when she heard my gosh-awful raspy singing voice, she decided she'd quiet down just so she wouldn't have to hear me anymore!" she laughed.
"Oh, I'm sure it's not that bad." I chuckled.
So she decided to give us a quick little serenade.
I was wrong.
"O-oh," I said, wide-eyed.
"Wow." Flynn said, and I glanced over. He wore the same expression as I probably did.
"Told ya!" She laughed and scooped up Allie.
We spent the day getting acquainted with Alexis, and the day flew by.
In the blink of an eye, we were getting the babies ready for bed.
When the babies were sleeping soundly and covered all up, we turned towards the 'big girls'. Jase gave both of us enthusiastic hugs and kisses goodnight, and exchanging I love yous, but Alexis hung back. Finally, I pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek, telling her good night. She just stayed like a board - stiff.
Flynn went to give her a hug, and she grabbed onto my neck and buried her face into my shoulder.
So he just told her. "Good night, Alexis...love you."
She glanced up towards him, wide-eyed. Had she ever heard someone tell her they loved her? Surely...
I set her down, and Jase took her by the hand and fairly dragged her over to their new designated 'bed'.
I checked one last time that Hallie was asleep, and then we headed to bed ourselves.
"Was this a good idea?" I whispered when we got to bed, turning my head to look at him.
"She just needs time. She's just scared, shy, and no wonder, if Ray had her. I'll get her to warm up to me, I'm sure."
"You're right. And that's true as well...you're good at getting people to warm up to you!" I gave him a smile and rolled over onto my belly so I wouldn't get a crick in my neck. I propped myself up on my elbows and looked down at his face, slightly mesmerized by his deep brown eyes.
"She just needs time..it is a lot different from when we started fostering Jase, though. Anyway...we should probably get some rest."
I nodded, and he finally met my eyes before reaching to slowly pull my chin down towards him. Our lips just started to meet for a sweet, goodnight kiss...when...you guessed it. Hallie decided she wasn't sleepy anymore!
We both froze, and I looked sideways as I listened. When she didn't quiet down after a few seconds, I pulled away with an apologetic glance towards him.
"Night, honey. I'll be back whenever I can be back." I sighed and left to see what was up with Hallie. As was the new normal.
I scooped her up and wandered around a bit. Hallie quieted down pretty quickly, but I held her to make sure she fell asleep and stayed asleep. I checked to make sure Jase and Alexis were still sleeping soundly, and they were. Then I just hummed until she seemed like she was going to sleep for awhile.
I laid her carefully down under their new blanket and kept a hand on her arm until I knew she was still asleep. Then, I quietly crept back to bed, for however long that would be!
I curled up on my side, away from Flynn, and was just allowing my eyes to go shut when he turned and whispered in my ear. "She asleep?"
I rolled onto my stomach and propped myself up. "Yup...for now. The 'big girls' are asleep, too."
"That's good..." he said, and I could feel him studying my face in the darkness.
I hoped I hadn't woken him up. "I didn't wake-"
"No, you didn't. C'mere." He held a hand up, and I quirked a brow.
What on earth? I took it, though, and he set it back down beside him. That was all fine and everything, but that was going to be uncomfortable as-
Then, he pulled me into a kiss that was somehow gentle and passionate at the same time. How did he even do that? My heart pounded, and I shut my eyes, enjoying every last second of it before I returned it. When I pulled away, I once more propped myself up to look at him. He let go of my hand and reached to brush the hair from my face. I could see his sweet grin through the darkness, and my heart squeezed. I wanted to kiss him again, but I didn't want to seem weird. I'd already kissed him once just a few seconds ago, anyway. So I just bit my lip and gave him a smile back.
"Good night, my sweet, dear girl. Get recharged - I know the past week or so has been pretty rough and sleepless for you, so I'll get up with Hallie tonight."
How could I not just melt at THAT - an endearment AND a wonderfully awesome offer... that I knew I'd have to turn down anyway because of his migraines??
"Thanks, hon, but I can get up with her. No big-" I broke off to yawn, covering my mouth. "No big deal."
"Tangled Fan said I was supposedly cured of migraines. Why not put it to the test? Then you don't have to obsess about me getting eight hours of sleep, and I can be a Daddy to Hallie and if either of the other girls gets up through the night. And you don't have to run yourself down. It's a win-win..win!"
I laughed through my nose, sitting up to look at him as I pulled the handkerchief up to cover my legs. "I'd prefer not to put it to the test, though. I don't want to risk you-"
He broke me off by sitting up abruptly and pulling me into another kiss.
When he pulled away, I shook my head. "I don't want to risk you getting-"
"Do I have to do it again?" he gave me a mischievous grin.
"Oh, shush up." I told him. "I'm...being serious here." I had to conceal a laugh, though.
"Then why do you have that goofy grin on your face, if you're being Miss Serious?" he leaned close to whisper that in my ear, and I snorted, catching my laugh just in time.
"Oh, why do I even bother..." I groaned, flopping and doing a faceplant.
He laughed through his nose, and I felt him rub his hand on my back for a few seconds before he must've laid down as well.
"Night, hon. Love you so much."
If he answered, I didn't notice, because I was out like a light.
No comments:
Post a Comment