A one-off but some of these characters may well make an appearance again…
Richard shifted in bed – half of it was cold… he grumbled in annoyance as he grabbed for the sheets to pull over him but was disturbed by a kicking sound followed by the vehement hissing of distinctly French oaths.
He heard another kick, this time purposeful and followed up with even louder swearing – yep Hurricane Bordey was in full effect.
He contemplated opening his eyes when the hurricane hit the bed in full force…. Camille launched herself under the sheets, thumped her pillow with rather more violence than he felt was truly necessary, and then heard her huff in annoyance.
Richard contemplated opening his eyes, saying something soothing, but as the huffing and thumping increased in irritation and violence, he figured playing dead (metaphorically speaking) was better than being dead – which was a distinct reality.
Though when one of the huffs almost sounded tearful in sheer frustration, he relented but still with his eyes closed he inched over to put his arms around her, but was startled as Camille pushed him away.
He opened his eyes in alarm, and a little hurt.
"Heyyyy, what's the matter?"
"I can't sleep!"
"Yes, well obviously but come here… look I wanted you to sleep on the flight home, really I did.."
"I know, it's not your fault that the…"
As her mood was dissipating when she realised that he genuinely wanted to try and make things better, his green eyes gazing at her earnestly and lovingly… the air was split with a very disgruntled howl.
They both froze… If they didn't move, didn't make a sound… maybe it would st…..
The howl intensified. Camille half sobbed, half laughed and Richard knew what he had to do.
"Sleep, Go to SLEEP and let me see to .."
Their door opened and a sleepy figure shuffled through the door.
"Dadddddddy – the baby is awake and she's crying, and my tummy is awake and rumbly but my head wants to sleep…"
Richard stole a look at Camille, with amusement, but it changed to concern as she looked exhausted. After a family vacation in the UK, the plan was for Richard to stay awake with the children while Camille slept on the flight home so that she could do the night shift as he had to go and report in at Government House in the morning.
Of course the kids had other ideas, with their baby daughter troubled with the cabin pressure and crying about the pain in her ears, and their son half excited about the trip in an aeroplane and a touch disgruntled with the attention his little sister was getting.
It did not matter how much Richard tried to console his daughter, it was mummy she wanted, and his son wanted in on mummy's attention too. The upshot was that Camille got no sleep with her two children scampering over her, while Richard was left alone to… well.. sleep!
She looked almost tearful again, so he decided to take things in hand. Kissing her gently on the forehead, he said firmly: "You sleep – I'll take the kids" as he got up to go see to his daughter and son.
He hauled himself out of bed and held out his hand to his son, but the boy clambered past him to get in with Camille.
"I'm going to stay with mummy, he said firmly.
Richard knew how wilful his son could be but was surprised when Camille gave the boy a cuddle.
Speaking softly she said: "Go, get her out of the cot and then come back for him…"
Obediently (how he wished his son would do that!) he padded out of the bedroom down the hall to the nursery where his daughter had hauled herself up to her feet in her cot. The howling had dwindled to whimpering and big tears falling down baby chubby cheeks. He smiled as he lifted her out and she nuzzled into his shoulder sniffing miserably.
Jiggling gently he soothed: "I know, it's all so terrible isn't it? Come here sweetheart, shhhh"
He shifted as her thumb went up to her mouth – with any luck a little warm milk would be enough to settle her down.
He walked back into the room and held out his hand – "Pierre, sweetheart come on, Mummy needs some sleep … and I need your help with Gracie"
The little boy looked up, considering the request – Camille kissed the top of his head and whispered something… he looked back at his mother and gave her another cuddle before scrambling over the bed to join his father…
Richard smiled at her as he took his son's hand – he got a sleepy smile from Camille in return as he took the children.
Heading down to the kitchen he hooked his foot around the high chair so he could deposit the snuffling Grace there while he sorted out some milk.
"Hey Pierre – can you get some of her toys and get her attention for me please? You want some milk too?"
The boy nodded solemnly as he grabbed a soft toy and started walking it across the high chair making various animal noises. Gracie twisted round to look quizzically at her father – she certainly had Camille's "seriously, what?" look, causing Richard to chuckle.
Richard set about heating up some milk and a little honey – he remembered his own mother making it for him if he was ill or just before bedtime. The trip home had been long and exhausting, but his parents had loved their time with their grand-children. Gracie had been very taken with her grandfather and he smiled at the memories of his father knee patiently reading the Beatrix Potter stories to her, that had once belonged to Richard.
He quickly prepared her bottle and a small cup for Pierre and lifted Grace out of the high chair. Juggling sleepy child, bottle and trying to guide his son to the living room was proving to be a challenge as Pierre was now engrossed in acting out jungle scenes with an assortment of fluffy toys.
But thankfully he followed (taking the toys for Grace, of course) and he curled up at the foot of the sofa while Richard stretched out, settling the increasingly sleepy baby. He leaned his head back as both his children turned their attention to their milk and just closed his eyes.
"Daddy – I finished" He opened them sharply to see Gracie sleeping, bottle teat all but abandoned.
"Can you be a good boy and put these in the kitchen for me?" Pierre obediently picked up his mug and the bottle and Richard watched the pyjama clad child shuffle off to the kitchen and stretch up to pop them on the work surface before he came padding back.
Richard didn't want to move – Grace was nice and settled as he smoothed the thick curls away from her face. Pierre clambered back onto the sofa with and curled up against his father's legs, eyes blinking as sleep began to catch up with him too. Richard stretched his free arm to stroke the boy's head as he too began to doze off.
Just five minutes and then I'll take them back up – he thought to himself as he leaned his head back one more time and closed his eyes.
Richard was not sure how long he had slept for, but he woke up grunting in discomfort at the weight of his daughter who was still curled up against him. He looked around, but Pierre was nowhere to be seen so with just the slightest flutter of alarm, Richard tried to get himself up without rousing his baby daughter.
Pausing on the stairs a couple of times as she murmured with the movement, he placed her back in her cot in the nursery before checking in his son's room – where there was no Pierre. Padding back towards the bedroom he paused to take in the sight – Camille dead to the world and sprawled on his side of the bed – Pierre!
Debating whether to let sleeping five-year-olds' sprawl he gently rolled the boy towards Camille who just folded her arms around him in her sleep, as Richard clambered back into bed. He allowed himself a tiny smile… yes… home, and peace… at last.