Un sábado típico
The four year old twins were more than happy to be playing together without their older primo's mischievous interruptions.
This Saturday, Santiago was with his Papá, their tío Óscar, in the workshop. Their primo had been in tío Óscar's lap the last they saw, excitedly asking questions about shoe-making as Óscar and their Papá Felipe had attempted to keep up in answering and working on orders at the same time.
Both were unsure about how long Santiago's attention would be kept (Or how long it would take for tía Imelda to kick him out of the workshop), and they deserved to play with no annoying primos about. They had finished all their homework and were bursting to stretch their legs.
The twin girls were both quietly grateful Santiago's attention was somewhere other than how to annoy them.
He was only older than them by five months but that was enough to hold it over them with teasing words as he stuck his tongue out at them from across the room.
Jorge was older than Santiago (Only by a year, but older nonetheless), and always had more of a say over the three when present, but he was in the garden with his mamá Leonor, eagerly potting plants and listening to his mamá's words about plant care like they were gospel. They were pretty sure prima Coco was playing with prima Fifi, but the twins had given up on the idea of asking both to join their fun.
"Coco's too old!" Violeta stated, matter-of-factually when their tío Hector had asked them over the dinner table about playing together a week ago. Coco had rolled her eyes, smiling gently as she continued to eat.
"Fifi's too young!" Ovidia nodded as Fifi babbles from her highchair, Leonor leaning back a little when she smacks her plate and sends a bit of food flying.
The two reach over and hold hands.
"And we like playing together." The two concluded. Hector looked between them with a grin and chuckled, shaking his head.
"Aye, it's scary how much like your Papá y tío you two are…" He mumbled.
The twins had frowned, and exchanged a confused look. They were nothing like their tío Óscar and Papá Felipe. They were girls, Papá Felip y tío Óscar were not!
The adults at the table found it funny though, Imelda and Valeria especially, and were quickly talking about it as Jorge snuck a tamale over onto Santiago's plate, who beamed in response, the brothers exchanging a glance before continuing their dinners, while also pretending to be apart of the adults conversation, grinning and glancing toward whoever was talking.
The girls were instant that they were completely different, and they pointed it out to mamá that day as she helped pull back Violeta's hair into a ponytail identical to her hermana's before they went out to play in the courtyard.
"Indeed you are, Ustedes pequeños diablos." Valeria nuzzled her nose against Violeta affectionately making the small girl giggle and did the same to Ovidia, who whined her embarrassment, but smiled all the same.
"I'll be in the kitchen if you need me, play safe and stay in the courtyard ¿Entendido?"
The twins nodded, their annoyance forgotten and both bouncing from suppressing their eagerness to race out into the courtyard.
"Sí, mamá." The two chorused enthusiastically. Valeria grinned and gently ruffled the tops of their heads before standing.
"Have fun, niñas."
With that the two raced to the door, getting stuck as both squeezed past each other in the door frame before popping free and racing toward the well in the centre of the courtyard.
Valeria snorted, watching the leave, before making her way to the kitchen.
Ovidia screamed, glancing behind her to see her twin trailing behind her, hands out to grab her. She veered to the left sharply, and Violeta stumbled to change directions as Ovidia ran around the other side of the well. Violeta gave chase, following her twin around the unending loop of the well. She paused suddenly, and twisted about on her feet, screaming in surprise when Ovidia yelped, and scrambled to run the other way. Violeta let out a noise of annoyance as her hand grazed Ovidia's top.
"I got you!" Violeta yelled, but still continued to chase.
"No!" Ovidia yelled over her shoulder, a grin wide on her cheeks. "You have to touch me, and you didn't! You're still it!"
Violeta grumbled, but complied, her pace slowing as she thought of a way to catch her twin.
"Can't catch me!" Ovidia teased, halting on the other side of the well when Violeta came to a stop, her arms out as she smiled, wide and proud.
Both were huffing, at a silent stalemate as the other tried to watch and figure the other's next move. Violeta glanced about the well and frowned. She didn't want to run around the stupid thing any more, she couldn't seem to ever catch up to Ovidia!
But maybe…
She leapt forward and jumped up onto the cobblestone, striding over the wooden boards covering the well with quick thuds and Ovidia yelped, catching on and darting off in the opposite direction.
Ovidia ran around the tree looming in the courtyard and Violeta huffed.
"Not fair, Violeta!" She whined. "You can't keep running behind stuff!"
"Can too!" Ovidia retorts, running behind the tree one side and appearing on the other, leaning out from behind the large trunk with a grin.
"I'm doing it now!" She laughs.
Violeta huffed and leapt forward as Ovidia sqeaked and ducked back around the tree's trunk, leaping over the roots with practiced ease. Violeta's brow furrowed, more determined than ever to catch up with her sister and be chased, rather than chasing.
Ovidia stumbled, the tip of her foot snagging at the dirt and she stumbled, slowing to catch her bearings. Violeta leaps and grabs her, arms wrapping around her sister's waist and pulling her back from falling with triumphant cry.
"Got you!" She cried excitedly as her twin moaned. "I got you! Now you chase me!"
Ovidia giggles when Violeta releases her with a small shove and races to run by the wall, and Ovidia follows, weaving down the same beeline her twin made.
Valeria stands near the kitchen window, drying a mug with a grey cloth, watching the two girls scream and run a-muck.
Felipe enters the kitchen adjusting his glasses. His work apron is off and glances up toward Valeria as he approaches her.
"Valeria?"
She grins, nodding toward the window. Her husband stands next to her, confused.
His expression melts into a warm smile at the sight of his daughters catching each other in a small loop of tags, both growing increasingly frustrated at not being able to run an inch when the other just tags them immediately.
"Aye, those two have hardly been out fifteen minutes and they have dust all over them. I just washed those dresses this morning!" Valeria says with no real edge to her voice.
Felipe chuckles and makes his way over to the dry kitchenware that has yet to be put away.
"You say that as though it wouldn't happen." Amusement creeps into his voice as he puts a few dishes away to be used later. Valeria turns to him with a roll of her eyes.
"Still…" She sighs. "At least they still have clothes for tomorrow." Felipe nods with a hum.
As Valeria goes to hand him the dried mug a small figure appearing in the kitchen doorway catches her attention and she glances toward Santiago stood awkwardly by the door frame.
"Hola, Santi." Valeria greets him and he grins lopsidedly, shuffling out into the middle of the doorways frame, arms behind his back.
"Hola, tía Valeria y tío Felipe." His arms shift behind his back and Valeira raises a brow at him.
"Did you need something, niño?" She asks, eyeing him carefully.
The small boy grins a little wider. "Can I borrow the scissors? Por favor?" He beams, blinking innocently up at her with his sweetest face.
Valeria shots Felipe an unamused glance as he frowns a little, uncertain. Valeria raises her head, a hand settling on her hips.
"Have you asked your mamá or papá about using the scissors?" She asked carefully. Santiago's smile wilts a little and he glances to the side, shuffling his feet. He shrugs and mumbles.
"¿Perdón?" Valeria asks, tilting her head.
"No…" Santiago mumbles a little louder, pointing an annoyed glare at the floor. Valeria nods a little.
"You know the rules, Santiago." She says and the boy nods.
He shuffles back out of the kitchen and Valeria shakes her head, finally grinning at Felipe glances toward her.
"He's old enough to handle scissors, Vally." He pulls her close in a hug and Valeria leans her head against his chest, the mug still in her hands.
"Is he, though?" She asks, and Felipe makes small noise in the back of his throat. "Imelda, Leo and Óscar were very clear about keeping an eye on him after the last scissor incident." Valeria reminds him pointedly.
Felipe grimaced a little, thinking back to a year ago when Santiago was caught with a pair of scissors trimming through one of Imelda's hair ribbons.
The boy had gotten a hold of a pair of scissors and mistaken one of Imelda's ribbons on the table as something he could use as a part of his craft.
When confronted by a very angry Imelda staring him down, he'd held up the ribbon (or the snippets left of it) and desperately explained he'd wanted to make a bow for the small doll he was going to give his unborn hermanita.
The doll in question was a blue slipper with button eyes,a smile and rosy cheeks stitched into the top that Óscar had made with Santiago to introduce him to shoes earlier in the year. Santiago kept it in his room, hiding it under his pillows when Imelda told him he shouldn't have a slipper in bed with him.
"It's a shoe, mijo, not a toy." She told him, glancing pointedly at her hermanitos who shrunk back sheepishly. (Felipe was sure Imelda had caught sight of the slipper under the boy's pillow, but she never said anything against it again)
Finding out why Santiago had been cutting the ribbon (that he promised he didn't know belonged to Imelda) softened Imelda's glare, but he was grounded for three days. Leonor calmly explained that he had to ask about using the scissors until he was a little older, just in case.
He had been watery eyed, but nodded.
It had been adorable to watch Santiago beam, full of pride and love, at his newborn baby sister as she thumbed and cuddled the purple ribboned slipper doll, but no one wanted to risk finding shirt arms or bits of pant legs missing.
"I suppose your right." Felipe hums. "I'm sure Óscar will make sure he doesn't do anything too reckless…" Valeria scoffs and pulls away, taking the mug over to the cupboard with a grin
"You and Óscar-" She began as she opens the cupboard and places the mug in, "-Would let those kids rob a bank if they begged enough."
"That's not true!" Felipe insists with a huff, standing a little straighter.
At that moment, a scuffle comes from the hallway and Felipe turns as Ovidia and Violeta stumble over each other, giggling quietly to themselves. They glance up, notice their Papá and grin identically from ear to ear, dimples clear in their cheeks.
"¡Papá!" The girls squeal and Felipe immediately grins, kneeling down to catch the two as they leap toward him. He snuggles them as they press their faces into his shoulders.
"Hola, mi niñas preciosa." He coos, squeezing them before setting them down, and Valeria smirks a little wider, shaking her head in a subtle movement. As Felipe stands, Ovidia reaches up and pulls his hand, keeping him leaning a little as she tugs excitedly.
"¡Papá, Papá! Can we borrow a bed sheet? ¿Por favor?"
Felipe blinks, confused
"A- A bed sheet?" He asks, brow lifting.
Violeta grabs his other hand, bouncing on her toes and distracting him briefly.
"We'll bring it back when we're done, ¡nosotros prometemos!"
"¿Por favor, Papá?" The twins plead, squeezing Felipe's hand as he glances between them, his scepticism melting into a loving smile as he watches their excited smiles.
"Ah… Well, I suppose-"
Valeria comes next to him, clearing her throat loudly. He catches her folding her arms with a knowing look.
He blinks over at her, confused for a moment before something clicks in his brain and he glances back toward his daughters, slipping his hands out of their and folding his arms, attempting to put up a more stern front.
"W-Wait. " He stammers, before frowning at the two, nearly faltering again at their identical expressions "¿Why do you need a bed sheet, niñas?"
Violeta runs over to Valeria and hugs her legs, burying her face into her mamá's jeans with a smile. Valeria smooths down her daughters hair and watches Ovidia, who's grin doesn't falter one bit.
"We want to make a tent!" She exclaims.
"By the tree!" Violeta pipes in.
"Or the well." Ovidia mutters and they both share a look before smiling back at their parents
"We're gonna camp-"
"-Outside tonight!"
Valeria huffs. "Oh?" She folds her arms. She glances toward Felipe who looks between the girls, knowing the answer but faltering under the girls eager grins.
He looks to Valeria pleadingly. Valeria sighs, holding her gaze on him for a moment before relenting and gently placing a hand on Violeta's head.
"I'm afraid you can't tonight, hijitas."
The girls smiles drop.
"But-" Violeta begins.
"-Why?" Ovidia asks, disappointed.
"It'll be time to make dinner soon, and you can't sleep outside under a bed sheet. You'll catch a cold, and think of how dirty your clothes will get if you're sleeping in the dirt!" Valeria explains, frowning sternly. "Not tonight, niñas."
The twins turn to Felipe who winces as they fix him pleading looks.
"Papá…" Both begin, and Felipe scratches the back of his neck before shaking his head.
"Your mamá's right, niñas" He begins. "You'll get cold-"
"Not if we have extra sheets-" Violeta cuts in, leaning away from Valeria's legs and glancing between her parents.
"It's a 'no', mija." Felipe repeats, a more stern edge reaching his voice and both girls glance toward each other, wincing in disappointment. Valeria tuts, and strokes Violeta's head. Violeta shuffles back toward Ovidia and both hold hands, glancing toward the floor.
Felipe's expression softens and he scoops the two up into a hug, heads pressing underneath his chin as she they curl against him.
"We're just looking out for you two." He mumbles as Valeria presses a hand against his back and curls her other arm around the girls.
"We know." Vio mumbles.
"We know." Ovi repeats.
Felipe bounces them a little in his arms and smiles a little.
"Beside, it's-" He glances at Valeria who raises a brow at him, "-It's only no for tonight!" Valeria's expression falls as she raises an eyebrow at him. The twins pulls themselves back to look up their Papá hopefully. He grins at them. "Maybe another night we can set you two up a proper tent in the courtyard."
The girls look to each other and then back to Felipe nodding excitedly.
"¡Sí!"
"Yeah!"
They nod, ecstatic. Felipe grins and presses individual kisses to both their foreheads before putting them down.
"Now make sure you two clean up if you want to help with dinner." Valeria tells them as they run over and hug her ankles.
"You're the best, mamá y papá!" Violeta says and Ovidia nods. Valeria bites back a small comment as she sends Felipe a side-eyed glance. Her husband shrugs, helpless, and she sighs tiredly.
The two watch the girls pull away, holding hands as they exit the kitchen, talking back and forth animatedly.
Valeria folds her arms and leans into Felipe.
"The tent was your idea." She says, "So you'd best be ready to be hearing about that for the next week."
Felipe shrugs, an arms looping around his wife's waist. "That's fine with me." He says.
He glances to the side, suddenly uncertain. "I'm sure we still have the tent somewhere." He mumbles thoughtfully. Valeria snorts as she turns toward him, hands resting against his chest and smoothing the creases down it.
"Looks like I was wrong." He blinks at her as she continues to brush down his shirt, "You wouldn't let them rob a bank-" She smirks up at him. "-You'd help them rob it."
Felipe grins sheepishly before leaning in and kissing her.