Sorry for the wait, but school has started. ^^;; Anyway, this chapter is a bit short, but hopefully it's a bit lighter in tone, too. Includes a brief narration from Jeanne. ^^;; Enjoy! ^_^
Chapter 11
Erik woke up feeling utterly miserable. He dressed and went into the main living quarters, to be greeted with an enthusiastic "No!" from Jeanne. The baby had pulled herself up and was standing by holding onto the railings of her crib, looking quite pleased with herself.
"Well, look at you," he murmured softly.
Jeanne continued to smile smugly at him. "Up!" she proclaimed happily.
"Yes, you're standing up. Congratulations. Would you like breakfast now?"
"No!"
"No, me, or no breakfast?"
Jeanne looked completely perplexed.
He pointed to himself. "Erik. My name is Erik. We've been through this before, Jeanne."
The girl glared at him and sat down, pouting. "No!"
"Yes, we have."
"No, No!"
"No, what?"
She extended her arms forward. "Eeh!"
"Eh? Do you want breakfast?"
"Noooooooooo!" she exclaimed in frustration.
"Tell me what you want; you have to be at least one year old by now."
The baby, seeing no other alternative, began to wail, which brought Christine out of her room.
"What happened?"
"She needs to stop addressing me as "No." It's too confusing, for both of us," he said dryly.
"Oh, well then..." Christine picked Jeanne up out of her crib and patted her soothingly.
"Are you feeling alright?" Erik asked.
"Me? Oh, yes...why do you ask?"
"Because you fainted last night."
Christine dropped her head. "Well, you see...I was worried..."
"Christine, I'd never force you into anything..."
"No! It's just..." Christine bit her lip, trying to conjure up a suitable explanation. A scenario formulated, and she blushed deeply as she explained, "You see...I fully understand I'm your wife, but...really, taking care of Jeanne is more important than anything, and if I were to...become..." She gulped, "pregnant, it just wouldn't be fair to her."
"Oh," Erik remarked nonchalantly. "Well...if she's your first priority, you can make her breakfast this morning."
Christine sighed with relief despite the hint of bitterness in his voice. Hoping to lighten his mood, she forced a smile and said teasingly, "But I always make her breakfast!"
He shrugged and went back to his room.
"That could have gone better, perhaps," Christine mumbled to Jeanne.
"Kiss-kiss, food!" Jeanne demanded.
Christine laughed. "Alright, alright!" She set the baby on the floor and fixed her meal.
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Jeanne's narration:
No's been going out a lot, and Kiss-kiss apparently can't find something to play with, so she's been sitting me down everyday for...let's see...seven dinners, now, on the floor with her. She points to her face and says stuff like "eyes" and "nose." I want to show her how I can stand up, but every time I try to make my way over to the table so I'll have something to pull up on, she scoops me up and plops me down again! It's so annoying! I'd much rather her tell me the names of the foods she and No eat, because the stuff she feeds me is so bland. I need variety! I have a few teeth...why am I still subjected to eating gruel?
So, now after ten dinners, Kiss-kiss can point to something and I'll say it. I would much rather be eating, though. Doesn't she realize I don't want to concentrate on frivolous things like talking when there are meals waiting to be eaten? Hmm...maybe she won't tell me the names of food on purpose, so I can't ask for them. How typical; No and Kiss-kiss always keep me in the dark on stuff. They never just talk to me about what bothers them; they must be upset about something, 'cause they're avoiding each other.
After eleven dinners, No finally came home while I was still awake. He hasn't read to me in ages, so I figured if I showed him how well spoken I was he'd definitely do it. It didn't work; now they're both upset.
Anyway, I got No to pick me up, and since he wears that stupid bib on his face, I had to take it off. He always looks shocked when I do this, which is really funny, 'cause his eyes get really big. Now, please remember, I just started this whole "listing" thing, so I have to go in order, you know, from the eyes down? Well, No doesn't have a nose. I guess that's okay, because I don't have any hair like Kiss-kiss, yet. But, I couldn't remember how to say what came after the nose, and I got frustrated, and I started to cry. Well, No got all upset, and so did Kiss-kiss, and she locked herself and me in her room and I had to stay with her, instead of by the couch where they've been keeping me.
Now No won't come near me. He won't even sing to me anymore.
Adults are so stupid; they misunderstand everything.
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Chapter 11
Erik woke up feeling utterly miserable. He dressed and went into the main living quarters, to be greeted with an enthusiastic "No!" from Jeanne. The baby had pulled herself up and was standing by holding onto the railings of her crib, looking quite pleased with herself.
"Well, look at you," he murmured softly.
Jeanne continued to smile smugly at him. "Up!" she proclaimed happily.
"Yes, you're standing up. Congratulations. Would you like breakfast now?"
"No!"
"No, me, or no breakfast?"
Jeanne looked completely perplexed.
He pointed to himself. "Erik. My name is Erik. We've been through this before, Jeanne."
The girl glared at him and sat down, pouting. "No!"
"Yes, we have."
"No, No!"
"No, what?"
She extended her arms forward. "Eeh!"
"Eh? Do you want breakfast?"
"Noooooooooo!" she exclaimed in frustration.
"Tell me what you want; you have to be at least one year old by now."
The baby, seeing no other alternative, began to wail, which brought Christine out of her room.
"What happened?"
"She needs to stop addressing me as "No." It's too confusing, for both of us," he said dryly.
"Oh, well then..." Christine picked Jeanne up out of her crib and patted her soothingly.
"Are you feeling alright?" Erik asked.
"Me? Oh, yes...why do you ask?"
"Because you fainted last night."
Christine dropped her head. "Well, you see...I was worried..."
"Christine, I'd never force you into anything..."
"No! It's just..." Christine bit her lip, trying to conjure up a suitable explanation. A scenario formulated, and she blushed deeply as she explained, "You see...I fully understand I'm your wife, but...really, taking care of Jeanne is more important than anything, and if I were to...become..." She gulped, "pregnant, it just wouldn't be fair to her."
"Oh," Erik remarked nonchalantly. "Well...if she's your first priority, you can make her breakfast this morning."
Christine sighed with relief despite the hint of bitterness in his voice. Hoping to lighten his mood, she forced a smile and said teasingly, "But I always make her breakfast!"
He shrugged and went back to his room.
"That could have gone better, perhaps," Christine mumbled to Jeanne.
"Kiss-kiss, food!" Jeanne demanded.
Christine laughed. "Alright, alright!" She set the baby on the floor and fixed her meal.
***********************************************************************
Jeanne's narration:
No's been going out a lot, and Kiss-kiss apparently can't find something to play with, so she's been sitting me down everyday for...let's see...seven dinners, now, on the floor with her. She points to her face and says stuff like "eyes" and "nose." I want to show her how I can stand up, but every time I try to make my way over to the table so I'll have something to pull up on, she scoops me up and plops me down again! It's so annoying! I'd much rather her tell me the names of the foods she and No eat, because the stuff she feeds me is so bland. I need variety! I have a few teeth...why am I still subjected to eating gruel?
So, now after ten dinners, Kiss-kiss can point to something and I'll say it. I would much rather be eating, though. Doesn't she realize I don't want to concentrate on frivolous things like talking when there are meals waiting to be eaten? Hmm...maybe she won't tell me the names of food on purpose, so I can't ask for them. How typical; No and Kiss-kiss always keep me in the dark on stuff. They never just talk to me about what bothers them; they must be upset about something, 'cause they're avoiding each other.
After eleven dinners, No finally came home while I was still awake. He hasn't read to me in ages, so I figured if I showed him how well spoken I was he'd definitely do it. It didn't work; now they're both upset.
Anyway, I got No to pick me up, and since he wears that stupid bib on his face, I had to take it off. He always looks shocked when I do this, which is really funny, 'cause his eyes get really big. Now, please remember, I just started this whole "listing" thing, so I have to go in order, you know, from the eyes down? Well, No doesn't have a nose. I guess that's okay, because I don't have any hair like Kiss-kiss, yet. But, I couldn't remember how to say what came after the nose, and I got frustrated, and I started to cry. Well, No got all upset, and so did Kiss-kiss, and she locked herself and me in her room and I had to stay with her, instead of by the couch where they've been keeping me.
Now No won't come near me. He won't even sing to me anymore.
Adults are so stupid; they misunderstand everything.
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