WE ARE JUST GOING TO POWER THROUGH THESE YOU GOT ME?

LEGGO.

17 December 2010

Audrey sneezed, curling up tighter under her blankets, and wiped her nose with her handkerchief.

"Bless you," Percy said. He was helping Molly hang a green bauble on the Christmas tree. Lucy sat in the bouncing chair that Arthur had made for her, near the tree. She squealed and tried to pull an angel ornament from a nearby branch, but Percy stopped her just in time. "Do you want some tea?" he asked, moving the angel somewhere safer.

Audrey nodded; her throat was too sore for her to talk above a whisper. "Lemon and honey?" she asked.

"All right," he said, getting up. He faced the baby seriously. "Lucy, you're in charge—don't let your mum get up." She cooed and gave a wild shriek of laughter. "Molly-girl, come help Daddy with the tea."

"Tee-tee," Molly babbled, taking Percy's hand and wobbling along beside him out of the room.

"Oh," Lucy said sadly, watching them go. She deflated slightly in her seat.

Audrey smiled and slid off the couch, bringing her blankets with her. "How's Mummy's girl?" she whispered, coming to sit with Lucy, who looked concernedly back at her and reached out a hand for Audrey's very red nose. "Oh, I know," she murmured, catching Lucy's fingers, "You're sorry you gave Mummy your cold."

Lucy pressed her little mouth closed and huffed, her large eyes still full of worry.

"Well, Miss Lucy, it just happens that I like this cold," Audrey informed her, jiggling Lucy's seat, "Because it means I don't have to go to work, and I get to stay with my two favorite girls all day long."

Lucy gurgled, flexing her fingers and grabbing onto Audrey's hand. Suddenly, there was a little gasp, and Audrey looked up. Molly stood in the doorway. She pointed at Audrey dramatically.

"Mumma! Mumma seep! Seep!" she insisted, hurrying over and pulling at Audrey's blankets. "Go seep!"

Audrey smiled and pulled Molly into a tight hug as Percy came back into the room with the tea tray. He spotted Audrey and shook his head. "We've got to hire some better help around here," he said, setting down the tray. "Honestly, Lucy."

"Ooh," she sighed, with a self-satisfied little smile.