Notes: Terra decides to turn her accidentally crashed birthday celebration into a small celebration for her kids and ends up with a mess to clean, but happy children.
See bottom for notes!
Chapter: A Messy Kitchen
The morning dawned and the eldest of the children woke to help their mother with the chores, and they were sure to be extra helpful on this very important day. Outside the little houses the children swarmed, wanting a moment alone with each other before they mother woke, to discuss the day's events. Duane and Katrina were among them, careful to advise the children against anything that could do any lasting damage, and to encourage they were together. The youngest of the children were running around the group, shouting, pushing, pinching and hiding behind Katrina and under her skirt's cleaning cloth. She handed her baby over to her husband and bent down to calm the young rascals before their mama could hear and come to investigate.
"Ssh, children, ssh. Remember what we discussed? Mama can't hear us, or the surprise will be spoiled." The children's eyes went wide and they started bobbing their heads, each mumbling their own response. "Good. Now can you go peak on her and make sure she's still asleep?" the four ran off in soft giggles, and then she turned her attention to the older kids. "It will be tough this year, especially since your mama is getting better at anticipating our plans, so we have to be extra careful and extra creative. So, any ideas?"
"How about we take her out to the shore again?" a twelve year old Arrty asked.
"No stupid, we take her there every day she's off work," said Sharsha, a ten year old girl with big blue eyes and red hair. "We should clean up the yard, and the houses. Mama always loves that."
"But we always clean and she always cleans!" Arrty shouted back. The two started arguing, making Duane laugh and walk away before his daughter could start crying from the unpleasant noises.
"Kids, kids," Katrina said even as she held them apart. "Your mama hates it when you fight, you know that. Now, if you two can't behave, then you can go and sit in a timeout. Understand?" they nodded, dully. "Alright then, any other ideas?" Two other boys, twins with golden hair and green eyes, held their hands up at nearly the same time. "Yes, boys?"
"How about—" Roim started with a bright smile.
"—a forest—"
"—party in the woods—"
"—with all her favorite foods and colors—"
"—and her favorite music?" and Jolla finished.
Katrina gave them a long look of consideration and then asked, "didn't we do that two weeks ago? On her 'mother's day' off?"
"We did!" Arrty muttered bitterly from the back. "Let's go with my idea!"
"No!" Sharsha growled.
"Shut up stupid!"
Again Katrina had to interrupt the coming fight. "I said no more!" and then she took Arrty by the ear and Sharsha. "This is a special day and you two wish to spend it attacking each other? Bah! I see why Terra is so exhausted all the time!" and then she told the others to behave while she was gone and dragged the two problem starters with her into the Second Household, where the two lived. After a short but heated rant on their behavior, she had them stand in corners and said to stay there until they either learn to be nice to each other or until the grandfather clock clicks to its thirty minute chime. "And I mean it!" she growled before she closed the door.
When she made it back to the group of children, all her plans to give Terra the day off or something pleasant to look forward to vanished. Standing by the crowd of adoring children, was Terra. Duane was behind her, looking pale with worry. She knew just how terrible he was with keeping secrets. He made the children look like iron-willed soldiers. As she stepped up to the crowd, the green haired woman turned her gentle eyes to her.
"What are the children doing up so early?" she sounded so surprised. Normally she had to drag them out of bed, or cook them sweet rolls—which she did not like to do.
Katrina did as best as she could in the situation; lie. "Well, Terra, you see—"
Daune quickly intercepted the answer with a rushed, "we are trying to celebrate your birth, Terra." understanding filled her gentle purple eyes and she smiled down at all the children who started screaming their ideas and that they wished her a happy day. Katrina pinched her husband's arm for ruining it and looked over at the crumbling mother—for the the littlest of the children had started to pull her to the ground—and gave an apologetic smile.
"We weren't expecting you to wake so early." she sighed. "You looked so tired too and we just wanted to ease some of your work, you know, give you a day to yourself.
"Oh, you guys did not have to go through the trouble, really." she lifted a little girl, Lily, up to her hips even as she added, "I'm not really that tired, and there is a lot to be done around the houses and the kids' rooms..."
"Then allow us to help!" Arrty shouted, running down from the houses with Sharsha trailing close behind. Katrina gave an exaggerated sigh and her husband laughed. "We could clean and you could rest!"
Terra gave it a thought, leaned down to put Lily back on her feet, and then smiled, softly. "I have an idea. How about you all help me bake a cake?"
"Really?!"
"We could?!"
"I wanna do it!" Tilo cried, his brown eyes filling with tears.
Their mother laughed and started to lead the children off. "Everyone can help. Arrty, would you mind helping the youngest?"
He looked disappointed, but promptly covered it. "I don't mind." and soon they were all gathered in the kitchen. The youngest of the children sat at the table smashing the needed eggs into a giant bowl—oblivious to the tired expressions the adults gave—while the older children helped Terra measure out the flour, sugar, baking soda, milk, salt and the other needed goods. Arrty sat at the table with the youngest, trying to show them how to properly crack an egg and leave out the shells, but they refused to listen.
Sharsha was the designated supply fetcher, and the twins stirred while Lily sat on Terra's hip, holding pieces of chocolate and licking them with round, excited eyes. The other older children went to collect firewood with Duane and the rest remained with Katrina to clean the dishes. When it came to the part of actually baking the cake, all the children started crying at once. They all wanted the satisfaction of putting the cake in the iron oven, but Katrina and Duane quickly jumped to Terra's aid, telling the children the stove was too hot for them and too dangerous. With puffs and last cries of disappointment, they all watched as Terra put the cake in the oven.
"When will it be done?" Arrty asked, frowning. They had never made a cake before, or at least seen one get made. Their usual sweets came premade from Figaro or Locke and Celes when they came back with Setzer, or they sufficed with local 'sweets', like sugar dipped reeks and celery. Katrina even pulled Terra aside to ask if she knew how to bake a cake, and was answered with a soft 'we can learn together' and the process began.
"When can we eat, mama? I'm hungry!" Tilo whined, pouting and holding his chubby tummy. Terra leaned down to brush his hair out of his eyes and place a kiss on his forehead before she snagged a slice of sweet bread off the table and offered it too him. He smiled, two of his bottom teeth missing, and then ran off with it to the corner.
"Me mama! Me!" Lily cried, tugging on her skirt.
"Oh, I could never forget about you dear," and then soon she was handing out sweet bread to all the children, hoping that would distract them from the slow baking cake. While they ate, Katrina pulled her away from the children.
"I meant what I said Terra. You deserve a day off...since you won't take today off, how about tomorrow?"
Terra thanked her but rejected the offer kindly. "The work is exhausting, but it is something I love to do. I will never stop caring for my children." and then she thanked Katrina and turned to the collection of children.
By the time the cake finished and cooled down, three of the youngest fell asleep at the table and the others went to sit and calm their impatient nerves. Only the oldest remained, waiting patiently for a slice of cake. "Is it cool now?" Arrty whispered, eying the chocolate cake.
"Yes," Terra answered. "Wake your sisters and brothers; Katrina and I will get the plates ready."
The adults had never seen the kids act so behaved. They sat patiently in their chairs, after they washed their hands and faces, and made sure not to put their elbows on the table, or to shout or fight. Arrty and Sharsha even kept from fighting over spots—which they usually did—and Tilo didn't cry for the first slice or special treatment. It was surprising for Katrina; she grew up watching every kid and knew exactly how wild most of them were, but it was nice to see the kids care for their adoptive mama this much.
After every child received a slice of cake and cleaned their plates of any leftovers, they all stormed out of the kitchen, yelling over this and that, leaving the adults alone. Daune took a moment to look at the destroyed kitchen and then back at the two women, who were already rising off their chairs to clean. "Right now?" he asked, shocked. "Sit down and rest for pete's sake."
"Oh Daune, if it sits, it will just be harder to clean," his wife answered. "Now, be useful and fetch a pale of water for us. Go on, go on." she shooed her husband right out of the door and then turned to Terra. "Let's start organizing the dishes first." as the married woman went about the dishes, Terra gave the table one more glance, smiled and then turned to help Katrina.
They said they just wanted to ease her day's work, but she couldn't imagine her life without the kids and their messes now. And a messy kitchen surely wouldn't change it.
A's Notes:
All chapters are disconnected from the rest, unless stated otherwise. Short idea came from a reader, Dom. Also, this is a very "short" short story, but hopefully you all will enjoy it!
Also, the chapter was published on the 18th, but the site took a long time to upload. It was, however, properly and quickly, uploaded on the 18th on archiveofourown. Be sure to check there for my work every once in a while, because updates are uploaded faster there than here.