Okay, this is for Queen Chanel, who asked for it specifically.
I seem to not be able to let this go. So much so that I have another mini sequel bouncing around in my head. I hope you all enjoy it. Please review!
The room was snug and filled with soft light. The window were thrown wide to let in the cool spring breeze, ruffling the curtains. The slanting sun painted patterns on the hard wood floors, illuminating the vibrant colors of the throw-rugs. A red-haired woman sat cross-legged on that rug. She was smiling and laughing as she watched a cloud of pixy children sprinkle sparkling dust through the room as they fought over a mustard seed. A little redheaded girl was laying on the floor next to her, looking up at her in awe. An older blond girl sat on the lilac bedspread grinning broadly. The final girl sat at a tall white dressing table, a teenager with strawberry hair and wide, warm green eyes that glittered.
"Jih! Your children are driving me insane!" The woman laughed. "I'll get mustard seeds for all of them, I promised, but can they finish with Acacia's hair first!"
A pixy in lovely silks floated over to land on the woman's shoulder. "Rachel, you have no more control over your kids then I do over mine! But I'll try." The tiny winged woman whistled shrilly and the tiny pixies all froze. "Back to work, kids, or I'll get your father."
The mustard seed clattered to the floor. Soon, Acacia's hair was weaving in and out and being tugged this way and that by Jih's kids. The teenager smiled. "Thanks, Mother! Now, I might get to the dance on time!"
Rachel grinned. "Only if you inherited your father's sense of time. I am certainly never on time for anything."
"You're always on time for Uncle Al, Mommy!" The little girl by her side piped up.
Rachel looked down at her. "That, darling, is because you never want to anger a demon! Not ever! In fact, by all accounts, you should avoid them like the Angel." The girl on the bed laughed. "Yes, laugh all you want, Calantha, but it's true. Everyone else in the world, including your father, may I add, avoids any contact with demons. Just because I can't help it doesn't mean I like it. And, Kalina, don't call him Uncle Al."
The girl crawled into her mother's lap and looked up at her with big eyes. "Why not, Mommy?"
"Just don't." Rachel turned her attention to the oldest. "Acacia, what are you planning on wearing tonight?"
The teenager turned and smiled. "The dress that Aunt Ceri made me for Solstice last year."
Rachel smiled softly. "You'll look beautiful, honey."
"Mom! Look what I found!" Calantha hopped down from the bed and crawled to her mother. "Here," she said, handing Rachel the magazine she'd been looking at.
She examined it to find a picture of herself. "Councilman's Wife Still Tagging. Find Out What Trent Kalamack says about it" Rachel read aloud. In the picture, her stance was wide and she held her splat gun at the ready. A child was on the ground by her feet and her expression clearly said not to mess with her. In the far background Ivy was frozen mid-stride. "Well, that's interesting. I wonder what Trent does have to say about it." Her eyes skimmed further down the page.
A voice from the door broke the anticipatory silence. "I say that I support my wife in whatever career she chooses to persue. She always finds time, plenty of time, for her family and running is one of her passions. It makes her happy and that is all I want."
Rachel's eyes flew up to meet Trent's as he watched her. Acacia sighed. "Father, that is so sweet! You are such a sap, sometimes."
Trent raised an eyebrow and Rachel laughed. Rising, she went and embraced him, dropping a quick kiss on his mouth. This action drew another sigh from Acacia and a chorus of 'ewww's from the other girls. "I love you too, Trenton. Now shoo! We are having girl time and you are not a girl!"
His other eyebrow rose and he grinned at her. "Shut up, Trent, and scram!" She turned him and swatted his butt as he left.
"But, Mom, Dad didn't say anything." Calantha looked confused, her emerald eyes crinkled.
Rachel smiled as she looked after him. "He didn't have to, lovely. He was thinking it."
Acacia choked and swung around to look at her mother. Rachel winked. "Gross, Mom! That's just gross!"
Rachel laughed again and strode to the closet. She pulled out the pale pink dress, which was more of a confection really, that Ceri had made for her daughter. Her eyes misted. "You girls are growing up way too fast. Where are my little girls going?"
"Mother, everyone grows up." Acacia said softly.
Calantha stood and went to hug Rachel. "We'll always be your little girls, Mom. Don't ever doubt that. We just might be a little bigger."
Rachel chuckled wetly. "Thank you, Cala. I love you. I love you all."
Kalina appeared suddenly in front of her. "We love you too, Mommy." The girl declared and hugged Rachel around her legs.
Acacia stood and joined the group. "We do. Just don't mess my hair. It took long enough the first time."
Their laughter echoed through the room and down the hall. Trent who was leaning against the wall, just listening to how his girls interacted, smiled and sighed. Where had the years gone?