S – Shockingly Spoiled
"Momma!" Skye squealed as she barreled through the back door, leaving it wide open. She carried a bucket of muddy water against her chest as it sloshed over her and across the floor. She crossed the room and headed down the hall leaving a trail of milky brown muck in her wake. "Momma, Terrip take a my wadder!"
"Zài nàlǐ tíng xiàlái, xiǎo nǚhái. Nǐ zhēn tiáopí. Kàn kàn zhège làntānzi¹" Lian bellowed as she jumped from the table, upsetting her teacup. She grabbed a napkin to catch the amber liquid and swore under her breath.
Skye ignored her grandmother's command and continued on her way sloshing her sloppy concoction across the kitchen floor.
Melinda stepped from the powder room swiping the bucket from the little girl and stopping her in her tracks. She looked to the mess through two rooms. "Skye…what…oh, Skye…" she shook the mud from her hand and looked down at the dirty little face looking up at her.
"Terrip torned offa mine wadder fer to makin mine schoclit cakeses." She pouted.
Trip stumbled through the back door grimacing at the mess as he sidestepped the plops of poop colored mud on the white kitchen floor. He smacked a hand on his forehead and cringed at the look his grandmother threw him. She spoke rapidly in Mandarin making him very happy he did not understand most of what she was saying. Melinda entered the room carrying the bucket and leading a very distraught Skye.
"I'm so sorry, mom. She just got away from me. I'll…I'll clean this up…I…" Trip apologized.
Melinda held up a hand. "It's not your fault Trip. We'll get it." She handed him the bucket and nodded toward the door as Skye crossed her arms over her chest and dropped to the floor. ]
Trip smiled at his little sister's plight. "Sorry, baby girl. This is not a good idea." He pointed to the bucket as he backed out the door and pulled it closed.
"It myon!" She slapped her hand down on a splot of mud sending it in all directions. Melinda let out a fluttery breath and scooped her up from the floor. "You gived Terrip mine payo fer to make a mine cakeses." She grit her little teeth and sneered at her mother.
"Mud cakes stay outside, baobei." Melinda turned and pointed to the mess on the floor. "Look at this big mess it made."
Skye peered at the mud blops and shook her head. "Them is no mestes. Them is mine liddo cakeses." She bounced her little hand and leaned forward to escape her mother's hold. Then threw herself back and kicked her feet when she could not.
Melinda smiled and pulled her close, placing a kiss on her head.
Lian stood and glared at her daughter, watching the scene unfold. "Melinda!" She exhaled. "This child is out of control."
Melinda hugged and rocked Skye back and forth, in an attempt to calm her struggle to get down. "Mom, she's just a baby. She doesn't realize."
"She is four years old, Melinda. She is not a baby and she is out of control. Here you stand coddling her for this!" Lian spread her hand out across the mud that covered the floor. "Do you know what I would have done had you pulled such a stunt?"
Melinda glared at her mother. "I know exactly what you would have done mother and I am not you. Skye has been through a lot for such a little girl. I won't add to that."
Lian let out an exasperated sigh. "I am only trying to help, Melinda. This will not get better. She will only push farther and get much worse."
Melinda matched her mother's sigh. "If you really want to help, mother, please keep an eye on the others while I get this one into the tub." She turned her attention to Skye whispering in her ear as she turned toward the stairs. "How about if you play in some clean water for a little bit?" She crooned as she kissed the squirming toddler's temple.
"She does not need a bath, Melinda. She needs a well placed swat on the backside." Lian called after her.
Melinda ignored her mother's comment, walking slowly up the stairs with Skye still squirming in her arms. She shushed the little girl and sang softly to her in Mandarin, a song she remembered her father singing so many times.
Lian shook her head and grumbled in a combination of English and Mandarin about how spoiled her granddaughter was and how her own daughter should know better and maybe it wasn't Skye who needed to be taught a lesson and how she was going to sit that girl down and have a long discussion and how Phil needed to put a foot down on this little one's behavior and how did either of them manage to run a house full of children with no rules what-so-ever! She sopped up the tea that had spilled on the table and slammed the paper towels into the waste basket then marched across the kitchen to the broom closet to fish out a mop and bucket. Maybe Melinda could let this mess sit while she molly coddled that little hellion but she was not about to sit here in this kitchen and stare at it until it became hardened clay. Although she considered it, since it would make it all that much more difficult for her daughter to get off her pristine white tile. And how dare she expect that wonderfully polite young Trip to do it…she'd scrub it herself before she let that boy take the responsibility. She threw open the door, grabbed the first mop she saw and practically kicked a bucket out and across the floor. The woman swore in five languages as she snatched a bottle of Mr. Clean from the top shelf and slammed it down on the counter.
"Crivens! She's done it again!" Fitz exclaimed as he stood frozen just inside the back door. He looked up at his grandmother before stepping around the blob of mud in front of him.
Lian dropped the bucket into the sink and forced on the hot water. She turned toward the boy. "This happened before?" She let out a disgusted sigh.
Fitz nodded as he inched his way toward her. "Last time was much worse, but not quite so," the little boy sniggered, "poopy looking." He stared at the trail of mud that wound into the dining room and down the hall. "Nope, last time she actually took a mud bath." He looked up at Lian and nodded. "Yep, shed all her clothes and sat right down in it. She actually looked as if she'd been chocolate covered then popped right into the house to show Da. There were wee slimy brown footprints from the deck all the way to Da's office. That's where Mom finally caught her." He tossed back his head. "What a mess, took three days to get it all out and mom had to get a professional to do the hardwood and the carpets."
Lian shook her head as she turned off the water so hard it actually let out a squeak. "And just what did your mother do about it?"
Fitz tilted his head and stared at his grandmother for a moment then shrugged his shoulders. "She called the carpet guy and stayed home while he got all the muck out."
"And what about your sister?" Lian asked with a raised eyebrow. "Skye," she clarified.
Fitz shrugged again. "They put her in one of those little blue plastic pools and filled it with a lot of warm water and bubbles. She played in it til she was recognizable. I think they changed the water four times and then Mom gave her a bath anyway." He pursed his lips and shook his head.
"And?" Lian encouraged, looking over he spectacles at the boy.
Fitz raised his brows, then scrunched up his face wondering what more he could say. "Aaaannnddd…then we went out for supper because the kitchen smelled like disinfectant. It was quite nasty." He showed her his best stink-face.
Lian dropped the bucket to the floor causing water to slosh out on both sides. Fitz jumped back and looked at her in surprise. "And she was not reprimanded for this behavior?"
"Skye?" Fitz's eyebrows went high. "She's just a wee girl, Nainai. Mom wouldn't skelp her little bahoochie." He laughed once then continued, "that means…"
Lian glared at the boy. "I know exactly what that means, young man."
Fitz's mouth snapped shut as he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked to the floor. "Sometimes, mom makes Skye sit in her chair if she's being unruly, but she'd never spank her. She's just a baby." He tried to reason with his grandmother.
Lian jammed the mop into the water and added a capful of the cleaner. "And what if it were you or Jemma that created this mess, then what?"
Fitz rolled his eyes. "Jemma?" he laughed. "Jemma'd never get this much muck anywhere. She abhors a mess." He leaned forward and whispered, "she even folds her under…girlie things." He blushed a bit then took a breath. "If it was me…" the boy grit his teeth. "First of all, Nainai, you must understand that I would never do such a thing." He looked at her with a sideways glance. "But if, and that is a big if, I temporarily lost my mind and did run amuck…" he thought for a moment. "Well, mom would not hesitate to blister my bahoochie." He rubbed both hands on his backside and sucked in a trail of air.
"Exactly," Lian frowned as she wrung the mop and slapped it on the floor. "And your sister should earn the same."
"But, Nainai, Skye's but baby," Fitz smiled.
Lian shook her head and pressed all of her aggravation into her mopping. "Did you need something, Fitz? If not you'll need to get out so I can take care of this." She nodded toward the drying muck.
The boy thought for a moment. "I was looking for mom. I wanted to tell her ab…something."
"Upstairs…not punishing your very spoiled little sister," Lian responded, nodding toward the stairs as she scrubbed at the stains on the tile floor.
Fitz watched for a second then shrugged his shoulders and tiptoed around the mud stream and blops to get to the staircase.
xx
Melinda wrestled Skye out of her muddy clothing and slipped her into a tub full of Lavender Baby Bath. The little girl kicked and squealed creating tiny tidal waves in the water. Melinda hummed softly as she dribbled the warm water over Skye's back and shoulders. The child screamed and pulled away as if scalded, slipping sideways in the water. Melinda caught her just before she totally submerged.
The shock silenced the crying for the first time. Skye rubbed her bubbly hands over her muddy face creating alternating streaks of dirty and almost clean. Melinda squeaked a small blue whale then dropped it into the bubbles where it sunk slowly to tub water level and disappeared in the suds. Skye wobbled her feet and smiled at the toy. An orange and white fish followed, then a purple octopus and a yellow starfish. Melinda squeaked each before diving them into the foamy water. Skye sniffled as she watched them disappear. She drew a shaky breath and swished her little hands below the bubbles to find the toy sea creatures. Melinda did the same, finding the starfish and squeezing it below the surface.
Tiny bubbles drifted to the surface left suds-free by Melinda's hand. She smiled and slowly drew the little squishy toy from the water, wriggling it at Skye before she squeezed it sending a light stream of water on to the little girl's belly. Skye giggled through her shaky breathing and reached for the little starfish.
"There's my baobei." Melinda smiled as she began massaging the soft soapy water into Skye's muddy feet with a soft washcloth.
Skye relaxed into the warm water and lavender scented bath. She found her 'sea creatures' and lined them up on the lip of the tub against the wall as she babbled to them and alternately splashed them into the water then flew them back to the edge of the tub.
Melinda smiled as she reached for the baby shampoo.
"Mmmmmooooommmm!" Fitz called as he stomped into the room and stopped a few inches behind Melinda.
Skye knelt with her back to them, her bubble streaked bottom just inches above the water line. "Look mine fitches, Fizt. Them is dining like a the lympic guyses." She picked up the whale, held it high over her head and let it drop into the water.
Fitz threw one hand over his eyes and shook his head. Skye never seemed to care that anyone saw her naked, but freaked out if one of the big kids saw her underwear.
Melinda smiled at the antics of both her children. She set down the shampoo bottle and squeezed out the washcloth then folded it over the water spigot. "What do you need, Fitz?" She smiled at her son who stood eye to eye with her as she knelt at the side of the tub. She reached to Skye and lifted her just enough to have her sit in the tub. "Sit down, baobei, you are going to slip again." Fitz giggled a little and dropped the hand from his eyes, but Skye was back up on her knees before her bottom hit the porcelain.
"I non't reacha mine aminals if I sittin inna buzzles, momma." She explained without looking at her mother. Melinda shook her head and turned to Fitz who now stood with his eyes squeezed shut.
She reached out and tickled his tummy. "That's enough, silly. You've seen Skye in her birthday suit plenty of times." She leaned forward, touching her forehead against his. "We all have…she wears it often enough."
Fitz let out a little laugh as he opened his eyes and stared into his mother's only inches away. They both turned left then right and crossed their eyes at each other.
"What do you want, little man?" Melinda asked again, poking Fitz's belly with each word.
He laughed and pushed her hand away. "I just needed to tell you that Trip took the hose off the spigot and hung it up high on the holder Da put on the garage."
"Okay," Melinda responded, narrowing her eyes. "You came all the way up here for that?"
Fitz drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Well, actually no. I really wanted to ask if I can go with Trip to the basketball court at St. Bart's. I'll be real careful and I'll do as he tells me. I promise."
"I don't know, Fitz." Melinda hedged. "That's a long walk."
Fitz beamed. "That's the beauty of it, mom. I can ride my bike with Trip and Alec." He threw out his arms to emphasize the point.
Melinda was shaking her head. Fitz was not the most coordinated of their children and he'd already had several spills on that damn bike, none very serious, but why take chances. "That is much too far for you to go on a bicycle, Fitz."
"I can do it, mom. I've been practicing and Trip says it's okay if you say I can. Come on, mom the team needs my help with their game." Fitz pleaded his case.
"How about if you let me finish with Skye and I'll take you to the court?" Melinda suggested.
"Like a wee bairn? I'm not a baby, mom. I can do this. You have to let me." Now the little boy was begging.
Melinda put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Fitz. I just don't think it a good idea and I don't want you hurt."
The boy shook off his mother's touch. "I won't get hurt. It's only one point two, eight, nine kilometers. That isn't far." Fitz stomped a foot.
"That's almost a mile, Fitz and too far for you. I'm sorry, but the answer is no." Melinda reiterated.
"That's not fair!" Fitz moaned, slamming his arms over his chest and stomping the same foot.
Skye dropped the toy she was holding, plopped down in the water and watched her brother with wide eyes.
"Maybe not, but the answer is still no. You are too young to be going off that far on a bike." Melinda shook her head.
"You're treating me like a wee toddler! I'll not have it." Fitz growled kicking over the shampoo bottle Melinda had set on the floor next to the tub. "I should have just gone and not bothered coming up here to be told I'm a bloody bairn." The little boy yelled as he turned and headed for the door.
Melinda caught his arm and turned him back. "And you're very lucky you didn't make such a poor choice, little man. So let's just take a breath and calm down."
Fitz yanked his arm free. "I don't want to calm down. I want to go with the guys and not be treated like a feckin' baby."
"Uh oh," Skye whispered, her mouth hanging open as she sat stone still in the bubbles.
Fitz froze as well, realizing seconds too late what had slipped his lips. "I…I…"
Melinda's eyebrow was raised…never a good sign. She pointed to the door. "To your room, Fitz now." He remained rooted to the spot, glaring at his mother drawing small, quick breaths. She glared back and drew a deep breath of her own. "Now, Fitz or I will spank your bare butt right here."
Fitz glared for a few seconds then stormed out of the room and down the hall, ending his stand with the slam of his bedroom door. He was already in for it. Slamming the door was just for spite.
Melinda closed her eyes and dropped her chin to her chest.
"You mad to Fizt, momma?" Skye's little voice broke through her calming technique.
Melinda looked at her baby standing in the tub with bubbles sliding down her wet body. "Sit down, Skye." She reached out quickly and lowered the little girl back into the water. "Momma needs to get the mud out of your hair. She looked at the murky water and reached to pull the plug.
"NO!" Skye screeched, grabbing her arm. "I not done wit mine aminals. Them wants a swimore."
"We need clean water for the fishies, Skye." Melinda explained as she flipped open the stopper. Skye wailed and bounced up and down in the draining water stopping only when Melinda turned on the spigot and flipped the plug closed.
Fifteen minutes later Melinda fought the battle of getting her baby out of the tub. She'd scrubbed Skye's hair twice with the, once again, lavender baby shampoo then emptied the water from the tub and even used a gentle spray with the hand held shower to rinse away the bubbles and most of the grime left behind. Skye kicked and screamed once again and Melinda wondered just how much lavender scent it would take to calm her little spit fire. She wrapped the little girl in a large towel, grabbed the large bottle of baby lotion from the counter and headed for Skye's bedroom.
Skye battled her mother's ministrations as she toweled her dry and rubbed the moisture from her bobbed hair. Melinda sang softly as she massaged the, yes, lavender baby lotion into the little girl's arms and legs, her tummy and shoulders and pretty much every inch of her almost exhausted little body. She slipped a pair of pink panties and a crisp white camisole on the little girl and gathered her into her arms, sat in the large white rocking chair and slowly urged her baby to sleep with soft lullabies.
After tucking Skye into her bed, she collected the towel and lotion and headed back to clean the bathroom then deal with Fitz.
xx
Walking into Fitz's room after he'd had a meltdown was usually an exercise in caution. The little boy still wrestled with anger issues, but now limited his tantrums to tossing his own room. This normally included tipped over chairs and treasured science projects strewn across the floor which was a lot better than the days when he overturned his mattress, pulled out and emptied drawers and once pulled the drapes from both windows. Melinda was not surprised by the overturned wastebasket or the tennis shoe on the dresser. She scanned the room for the other shoe but it was not immediately visible.
Fitz was curled into a tight ball facing the wall. Melinda knew he was not asleep. She picked her way across the floor and sat on the tangled blanket at the edge of the bed then stood quickly. The missing sneaker had been found. She pulled it from the tangle, set it on the floor and sat back down.
Melinda shook her head and let out a soft breath. Maybe that lavender stuff did work. She wasn't half as angry as she thought she'd be. Putting a hand on Fitz's leg she jostled him gently. The boy turned and stretched out his body. He blinked a few times and she could tell he'd been crying. He scrubbed his fists against his eyes and blinked again.
"You're going to spank me, right?" He mumbled to his shoulder.
Melinda exhaled and shook her head. "You certainly deserve it, wǒ měilì de nánhái.² You know how I feel about that language, Fitz."
The little boy nodded and quickly wiped away a tear. "I didn't mean to say it, momma. I was just angry and it slipped." His voice cracked, but he managed to stop the tears.
"And we've talked about that. Haven't we?" Melinda nodded.
Fitz sat up, slid his legs over the edge of the bed and leaned into his mother. "I'm really sorry." He whispered. "I really would rather if you didn't." He said even softer as he rubbed his hand against the back of hers.
"And I really don't want to, but I can't have you just spouting off whenever you're angry, Fitz. You know that." Melinda answered just as softly.
"I know that, you don't have to remind me." He smiled up at her.
Melinda pursed her lips and smiled. "I think what happened earlier means you do need a reminder." She raised her brows and nodded slowly. "And in front of Skye? Fitz, what if she starts imitating you? What if she uses those words at school or when we're out?" The little boy shrugged and cuddled closer to his mother.
"I truly don't believe anyone would understand what she was saying." He sighed.
Wrapping one arm around the boy and giving him a tight squeeze, Melinda drew a quick breath. "That isn't funny, Fitz and you know it." He slumped against her and sighed in defeat. They sat that way for a few minutes, each contemplating what was to come.
Fitz stood and faced his mother. He took a deep breath. She did the same as she took his hands in hers. "You're going to put the room back together." Fitz bit his lip and nodded. "Then you will stay here until supper."
"You mean take a nap, right?" Fitz sought clarification. Melinda nodded and the boy felt a glimmer of relief. "So you aren't going to tan my backside?" He raised his brows and smiled.
Tilting her head to one side, Melinda let out a soft breath. "You know the punishment for that language, Fitz…"
"But, I won't…" he stopped her, pulling on her hands and leaning back with a whine.
She pulled him forward. "But, you did." She reminded him.
"But, I didn't want to…" he argued, changing direction.
Melinda smiled at his antics. "You were angry. I don't think you knew what you wanted."
"Are you angry?" Fitz jumped at the suggestion. "Maybe you're not really sure what you want to do. I'll be fine with you taking some time to think about it a bit more."
"I'm sure you would." Melinda smiled as she leaned forward and touched her forehead to his. "Now, what kind of mom would I be if I set rules and consequences and then just threw them to the wind because my cheeky little lad tried to use his cuteness on me?"
"Kind and forgiving?" Fitz hoped. "Understanding and loving?"
Melinda closed her eyes and sat back. "Leopold James Coulson-Fitz, I love you to the moon and back and I will always forgive you. I totally understand you were angry and let what you were thinking slip right out into this predicament." She tapped her index finger lightly on his chest. And I am also the kind of mother that does not make threats. I simply tell you what will happen when you disregard a rule and then, unfortunately for both of us, have to follow through with that."
Fitz let out a long breath. He was fighting a losing battle and he knew it. There was no wearing his mother down. The consequence for using less than appropriate language was a close up view of his bedroom carpet and a very well warmed backside. He was only delaying the inevitable and mom played along. He wriggled through her lap and rested his head on her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him and gently patted his bottom.
They stayed that way for a moment then Melinda gently pushed him to stand and dropped her hands to her lap. "Okay, let's be done with this."
Fitz drew a deep breath as she gently tugged him forward.
xx
Melinda walked into the kitchen after spending ten minutes consoling her very contrite little boy. He cried himself out and drifted to sleep secure in her arms. She'd kissed his brow and laid him in his bed. He'd sleep a few hours and put his room back in order before the family sat down to supper at six. She also snuck a quick peek to check on Skye.
Now, she stood in the center of her clean kitchen and turned back realizing the mud trail through the hall and dining room was gone. Her first inclination was that Trip had given in to his guilt and cleaned up the mess his baby sister had left. She smiled and shook her head then turned as the basement door opened and her mother stomped out into the kitchen.
"I've put the towels into the washing machine. The mop did very little in some places." She simply stated as she moved to the stove and turned on the burner under the tea kettle.
"Mother," Melinda huffed. "You did not have to clean that mess. I would have taken care of it as soon as I was finished…"
"Coddling your little hellion?" Lian shook her head as she pulled two tea cups and saucers from the cupboard and placed them on the table. "You are creating a very bad situation, Melinda."
Melinda grit her teeth. "It is a situation I have under control and one you do not have to concern yourself with at all."
"I am trying to help, daughter. It is very clear you cannot see what is happening with that little one." She cast her eyes toward the stairs. "You are enabling her to manipulate you, Melinda."
Pinching off the headache that was starting, Melinda squeezed the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. "Mother, Skye is just a baby. She is not manipulating anything or anyone. She has been through things no child should and has had more than her share of abuse. I do not intend to add to that trauma."
Lian let out a huff and dropped two spoons on the table. "I am not telling you to beat the child, Melinda. You do not have to take a cane to her or flay off a layer of skin! I am not a monster, Melinda." She thumped her forefinger against the table as she spoke. "Perhaps you still see Skye as a baby, but even so, she will not be one forever. I understand this is not the first time she's done this very same thing."
"She doesn't understand mother. She hasn't had anyone to teach her right from wrong." Melinda shot back.
"Melinda," Lian frowned. "The Sisters of St. Agnes may not have been the most affectionate caregivers but I am sure they attempt to instill the concept of right and wrong to their young charges. What about that Mary Clare you are so fond of…don't you think she kept this little one on the right track?"
"Sr. Mary Clare did what she could to keep Skye safe and loved. It was probably the only tenderness that baby had in her short lifetime." Melinda's voice rose as her temper frayed.
Lian smiled. "So she is just as guilty as you in this fiasco."
"Mother, please, if you must have one of my children taken to task I can assure you that Fitz will thinking about his behavior for a while." Melinda shot back.
Lian glared for a moment. "I wondered where my brilliant grandson had gone. He was off to ask a question, I believe. This resulted in your paddling the boy?"
"First, mother, I did not nor will I ever paddle my children. Fitz has a penchant for using very unacceptable language when he is angry or things don't go his way. This is ongoing. We're working on it." Melinda explained through her clenched teeth.
"So this little boy mouths off a few colorful terms and gets his backside warmed while his sister trots a gallon of mud through the house then throws a tantrum when stopped and receives a warm bath and an hour of cuddling. I cannot believe my own daughter does not see the miscarriage of justice in this situation." Lian growled back.
"Mother…" Melinda began.
"Melinda," Lian cut her off. "If you had done what that little one did, you would have helped to clean the mess after I swatted your little behind quite a few times." She stepped closer to her daughter and raised one finger at her. "I love my grandchildren, Melinda, every one of them are treasures and that little one is easy to fall in love with, but mark my words, daughter, you will come to regret spoiling her so badly."
Melinda narrowed her lips and took quick short breaths as she looked away from her mother's accusation then turned back. "Skye is not spoiled." She breathed just above a whisper.
Lian held up her hands, closed her eyes and gave a quick nod. "I do not want to be the one to tell you I told you so in the future." With that, Lian moved to silence the screaming tea kettle. She removed it from the heat and poured the steaming water into a small ceramic pot, then stepped around Melinda and moved to the table. She sat down and calmly poured the liquid over the tea ball inside the dainty cup then did the same with the second cup.
Melinda stood with her arms across her chest staring into nothing as she drew deep breaths and let them out slowly in an effort to calm herself. Lian waited for her tea to steep and watched. After a few minutes she removed the tea ball from her cup and set in the small dish next to the saucer. She stirred in a dollop of honey before she spoke quietly and calmly.
"Please sit, Melinda. Your tea will get cold. Come share a bit of quiet with me." Lian picked up the cup and blew a soft breath over it before taking a sip then set it back in the saucer and waited for her daughter's response without looking up.
Melinda let out one last long breath and turned toward her mother. She should have felt infuriated by her mother's serenity instead she calmly joined the older woman and prepared her cup of tea before taking a long slow drink.
xx
The rest of the day was uneventful. A long discussion with Trip revealed that he had not asked Fitz to accompany him to the basketball court only referred to the fact that Melinda would never okay the excursion. That in turn resulted in another discussion with Fitz on the merits of telling the truth entirely, without embellishments or inferences and a firm swat on the backside just to drive home the point. Fitz figured he got off easy.
Skye woke happy and content, wandering into the family room in a backward pajama top that belonged to Jemma and served as an ill-fitting dress. Melinda quickly whisked her off for a change. Jemma returned from a trip to Bernice's church joining the woman's group on a visit to a flower show in the city. She spent the remainder of the afternoon helping Nainai with preparing a traditional Chinese dinner for the family.
Melinda and Lian remained aloof but civil through the evening meal and cleanup as Phil tried to figure out just what set them off this time. The boys cleaned up since the girls prepared and the family moved outdoors to enjoy the warm summer evening. Trip helped Skye catch lightening bugs in an old mason jar. Jemma pointed out the variety of small plants she had chosen for her garden in the backyard to Lian who gushed over her granddaughter's knowledge of each. Fitz and Phil enjoyed a game of backgammon. Melinda was content just to sit and watch her family soak up this shared time.
After a treat of ice cream sundaes the family sat around the large table on the deck and shared stories of their day, a few silly jokes and plans for tomorrow. When three young Coulson's began yawning and rubbing their eyes, Melinda announced it was bedtime and within an hour had all of her little ones tubbed, scrubbed, kissed (several times) and tucked into their respective beds. Trip excused himself and disappeared into the room he shared with his little brother and hour later and soon the house fell into its late night sigh of silence.
xx
Melinda lay in on her back staring at the ceiling with her hands folded across her midsection. One finger tapped up and down as she watched the lights of passing traffic out on the street track across the room. Phil snored quietly, curled into his pillow on the opposite side of the bed.
"Phil," she said softly.
He snorted and bounced a bit, but did not reply. Melinda waited and watched as another car passed by silently then tried again.
"Phil," this time just a whisper louder.
A snuffly groan came back and she turned toward the man with his back to her.
"Phil," she said out loud, placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a shake. "Phil!"
He rolled toward her, scrubbed his hand over his face and grumbled some sort of reply without opening his eyes.
"Phil, we need to talk…" Melinda started, shaking him again, this time a little more roughly.
"Talk," he repeated, smacking his lips and scrunching his pillow into a more comfortable ball.
Melinda let out a frustrated huff and yanked the pillow from under his head. "PHIL!"
The man dropped his head to the mattress and rolled on to his back running both hands through his thinning hair. He reached for the pillow she held against her chest and attempted to pull it back with no success.
"Melina," he breathed. "Unless someone is bleeding, can this wait til morning?" His voice was thick and groggy.
"I need your opinion." She ignored his question.
"I think sleep is a good idea." He curled back to his side, this time facing her and tucked his folded hands under his cheek.
"I'm serious, Phil." She sighed then landed a punch on his shoulder when he answered with a snore.
Phil jumped then let out a breath that fluttered over his lips. He raised a hand then let it fall on the mattress between them and opened one eye. He drew a breath before speaking.
"Okay…okay, tell me…er…ask, ask me…" he grumbled, still only half awake.
She flipped to her side and stared at him. "Are you awake?"
"Hmmm, uh huh," he answered with both eyes closed again.
"Phil!" she poked him and his eyes sprang wide open.
"Yeah, yeah, awake…I'm awake." He rubbed both eyes and blinked several times then stared at her.
Melinda stared back and wondered if her husband could sleep with his eyes opened. Phil squeezed his eyes shut tightly then opened them again, smacked his lips and swallowed.
Staring at him for a moment, Melinda frowned. "Phil," she began.
"Mmm hmm…" he sighed, struggling to keep his eyes from closing. He opened them as wide as possible as his mouth did the same.
"Phil," she started again. "I've been giving this a lot of thought and…"
He drew a breath and blinked several times, concentrating more on staying awake than on what she was saying.
"Do you think Skye is spoiled?" Melinda blurted out, then stared waiting for his answer.
Phil raised one eyebrow and scraped a hand over his face before answering. "Nope," he sighed as he bounced himself into a more comfortable position, gently pulling the pillow behind his head into place. "Uh huh, I think she smells fresh as a daisy."
The pillow that struck him finally brought him fully awake.
Melinda was on her side up on one elbow, glaring at him. "I am totally serious, Phil. Do you think our baby is spoiled?" She repeated the question emphasizing every word.
Phil rubbed one eye with one finger. He could not imagine what would bring his wife to such a cockamamie question at…he turned and glanced at the clock…two forty five in the morning. "Mel," he began with a much clearer tone. "Bad dream?" he wondered.
"No, I am not dreaming." She dropped back to her original position. "My mother…"
"That explains it." Phil grinned as he fell into the same position as his wife. "I thought something felt a little off."
"She's convinced we are spoiling her rotten, that we let her get away with anything she wants. She almost ordered me to spank her after that little mud drama this afternoon." She rambled.
Phil thought for a moment about how to respond without making things worse. "It was a little extreme, Mel especially after the last time."
"Are you agreeing with my mother?" Melinda accused.
"No, no, absolutely not…not me…just making a point that's all." Phil clarified, realizing he was speaking to the ceiling, but so was Melinda.
"Phil, she's so little and all that baggage…" Melinda's voice cracked.
Phil moved closer and pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head as she rested on his shoulder. "And cute as a little bug's ear to boot," he chuckled. "And…well, I think we're both guilty of falling under that little one's spell. She does get into more than her share of mischief."
They both laughed at his statement.
"What am I going to do, Phil? I just can't bring myself to…to discipline her. I just keep seeing that monster Radcliffe and his spawn hurting her so badly she screamed in fear for years. I just can't."
Phil laughed under his breath. "Huh, you had no problem dusting our boy's britches after that little talk about being truthful." He looked down at her as she looked up at him. "What was that all about anyway?"
Melinda lowered her gaze and patted his chest lightly as he rested his chin on her head. "Oh, Fitz just blurted out another verse of his not so child friendly language."
"Ah ha," Phil nodded against her head. "And you provided the usual reminder, I suppose."
"He talked me into a lot less than he deserved." Melinda huffed.
They lay in silence for a few moments, Phil gently stroking his wife's back in an effort to comfort her. She met the rhythm of his hand with her own as she tapped a hand gently against his chest.
"Do you think Fitz resents you correcting him?" Phil broke the silence.
"What kind of a question is that?" Melinda rose up and looked directly into Phil's eyes. "I am sure he resents having his little butt spanked, but I've never left him in tears or alone to wallow in the thought that I resent him. I always make sure he knows I love him no matter what he's done or said."
"Of course you do," Phil smiled. "You love that little guy to the moon and back and yet have no problem letting him know, in no uncertain terms, when's he's stepped out of line. And I know for a fact he loves you right back, probably more."
She breathed a soft breath and laid back against his chest. "He's had his share of trauma as well, hasn't he and that Grant creep put him through his own hell." She thought about that for a moment before continuing. "But, that's different Phil. That bastard just bullied our little boy, threatened him and hurt him to make him comply. Fitz knows we would never do that. He knows how much I…we love him. He knows I discipline him because I love him. He knows that. I make sure he does."
"And so does Skye," Phil reminded her. "I know she's little and we certainly can't expect her to understand things the way Jemma and Fitz do, or for that matter Trip, but maybe we need to take a stronger stand on some things." He suggested. "I mean we wouldn't want to break her spirit."
Melinda laughed. She was more than sure it would take a lot to do that.
"I think we just need to keep a closer eye on our baby's behavior and set some limits and make her aware of some consequences." Phil suggested. "She won't be a baby forever."
Melinda snorted, "that's just what my mother said." She thought for a moment. "I think you have a point, but…" she stopped.
"But?" he waited for her to finish.
"I'm not telling my mother she was right." Melinda let out a heavy breath.
Phil squeezed her tightly with both arms. "Never," he chuckled as they snuggled together and let themselves drift to sleep.
¹Stop right there, little girl. You are very naughty. Look at this mess.
²My beautiful boy