Little Mother Esme
(Esme POV)
"Esme! I can't find my hat!"
"Esme, the cat got out again!"
"Esme, have you seen my gloves?"
"Esme! Listen to me!"
"I am," I replied. Jodie glowered at me. Around me were my two sisters and little brother, getting dressed very slowly. Jodie had lost her hat, Bethany had lost her gloves, and George had let the cat out.
"Esme, you have to help me!" George pleaded.
"No! She's busy with me," said Bethany roughly.
"Ahem!" Jodie said, stomping her foot. I could not help but to giggle at that.
"Esme, be serious!" Bethany pleaded.
"Sorry, Bethany, darling. What is wrong?" I asked patiently. She sighed, and held out her hands.
"My gloves?" she prompted.
"On the table in the parlour room," I replied, pointing. She gasped and nodded.
"Oh, right!" she said, and ran to go get them.
"Esme, what about me?" Jodie said, pulling on my sleeve.
"Yes?" I asked as I walked over to the mirror, Jodie and little George trailing behind me.
"My hat?" Jodie growled. I smiled.
"In the hallway closet downstairs," I replied. She took off to go get it. I sat down on the rocking chair, and pulled George up to sit on my lap.
"And you, George?" I asked.
"The cat got out," he said. I smiled.
"She will come back when she get's hungry. She always does," I promised and straightened his collar.
"Esme, how do I look?" Jodie asked, entering the room. I looked up at her. She was almost eleven, and looked a little older than that. She spun around, and beamed at me.
"Lovely," I said, and she nodded, satisfied.
"I know," she said, and walked over to George and me. I smiled. Classic Jodie.
"Esme! I found them!" Bethany squealed, running into the nursery. She held up her gloves triumphantly before pulling them on.
"Well done," I said and Bethany smiled with her youthful grace. Bethany was only seven, after all. She had much darker features than Jodie and I, with long chocolate hair, and black-blue eyes. Jodie was strawberry-blonde, with grey eyes, and a longer face than Bethany and me. Little George, only four, had fawn hair and matching eyes, framed with long pale eyelashes.
"Children?" Mother came into the room. We looked up at her.
"Yes, Momma?" Jodie asked sweetly, unlike her natural self.
"Good morning, little ones," Mother said, "Are you ready?"
Mother was taking Jodie and Bethany to school. I was surprised she remembered.
"Yes, Momma," said Bethany quietly, unlike herself as well. They were all nervous around Mother; they did not know her very well at all.
"Good. We had better be going. Esme, take care of George, won't you?" Mother said as Jodie and Bethany stood beside her.
"Of course, Mother," I said. She nodded, smiled brightly, and left, with Jodie and Bethany following her.
"Now what?" George asked. I smiled.
"Shall we go outside?" I offered. He smiled and nodded. Therefore, we left the nursery for the yard.
(A Little After Lunchtime)
"Catch, Esme!" George threw the ball at me. I caught it easily, and threw it back. He missed the catch, and ran after it, laughing.
"Esme!"
I looked up. At the fence was Adam, the neighbour boy, and my own friend. We had gone to school together.
"Hello Adam," I said.
"Did you hear the news?" he asked.
"I do not think I have yet," I replied.
"New doctor in town," he said.
"Really? Go on," I said eagerly.
"He lives in that house on the edge of town, near that big lion range," Adam said.
"Really? How brave," I said.
"Or stupid," Adam rolled his eyes.
"What else?" I asked.
"He is not married. He lives with some boy," Adam said, delighted at the scandal.
"A boy?" I frowned.
"Apparently they are brothers, but look nothing alike. Also, the doctor is British and the boy is American," Adam laughed.
"Wow," I said. Adam nodded.
"Glad to brighten your day," he tipped his hat and rode off on his bike. I smiled.
"Catch, Esme!" George's voice called, and I turned around. I missed it, of course, and the ball landed in the tree.
"Oh no!" George was horrified. I sighed.
"Never mind, George, I will get it," I said, and went over to the tree. I pulled myself up onto the first branch, George ran to the tree.
"Esme…" he sounded scared.
"Do not worry, George," I said, as I stood on the branch, and reached to get the ball. I flicked it out and smiled down at George.
"Look at me!" I giggled, as I climbed higher in the tree. My little brother George looked up at me laughing. I was almost at the top of the tree, when I fell- hard.