Chapter 18- Heated Arguments Bring Joyful Apologies
A FEW WEEKS LATER
One morning, Cornflower slept late. She got up three hours before noon and fed herself and Retto. After they ate she found the old abbey journals she had been reading and went back into the bed with her son.
She, like Matthias, realized that very little could be done when Retto is nearby. His newfound love for crawling and even a bit of walking made him hard to keep control of. She finally contented him by stroking his soft head until he fell asleep. She fell asleep herself not long after.
Their nap was a very short because when Matthias came back to the gatehouse he jumped on the bed and tickled them until they awoke.
"Cummon! Wake up sleepyheads! There are things to be done, and sleeping isn't one of them. It's late morning already!"
"Mmmmhhhh.... Ten more minutes? Please?"
"I don't think so, miss," he joked, picking her up cradle style and spinning her around. He didn't stop until Cornflower gave up protesting and began laughing. Before setting her back down on her bed he kissed her lightly.
"Aria told me to tell you that you are going swimming with her today."
"Oh really?" she asked, amused that her friend had planned her day for her.
"She sounded adamant," he said, picking up Retto.
"Well you don't mind, do you?"
"Actually," he replied, looking uncomfortable, "I would sorta of prefer if you didn't."
She looked up at him, slightly surprised. "Okay, but if you don't mind me asking, why?"
"I don't think it's the best idea, considering your present medical condition..." he dropped off, blushing.
"What medical condition?" she asked, angry.
"Well. I j-just meant that, uh, since you're having a babe soon, then, erm......"
"How do you even know about it?" she asked heatedly.
He smiled in triumph. "Aha! So it is true! Sister Sage was right! Why didn't you tell me?"
She looked at him, devastated. "I was planning to today. I just couldn't find the right time. You've seemed so stressed lately, and I didn't want to give you anything else to worry about." She looked into his now hardened eyes, trying to show him that she was telling the truth. "Why couldn't you have asked me instead of using your cunning and trickery to get the answer?"
His eyes changed. They went from anger to guilt. They became filled with tears at realization at what he ad done. "I didn't know how to ask you. I thought you would get angry with me." He rushed to the door, hot wanting to let her see his tears.
As soon as Cornflower heard the back door of the gatehouse cottage slam, she threw herself back on the bed, crying. This only lasted for a few minutes, however, because she began to feel sick. A sharp pain sliced through her lower stomach area. She could barely keep herself from screaming in pain as she picked up her son and dashed to the infirmary.
*******
That afternoon was the longest in Cornflower's life. Giving birth to a son and a daughter would certainly make it seem that way.
Sister Sage cleaned and wrapped the babe mice for Cornflower while she changed. When she came back out and was in a fresh bed, Sage brought Cornflower her babes.
"Congratulations, Cornflower dear. Two extremely healthy children."
Cornflower took the tiny babes into her arms and cradled them gently. Retto crawled up onto her lap and looked curiously at the two newborns.
"Who dey be, mommy?" he asked, sitting on Cornflower's lap.
"They're your little brother and sister," she responded softly, beckoning him to come closer for a good look at them.
"Dey all sleepin'. I wanna play wiv em," he announced, frowning at the fact that they were asleep. "Can I play wiv em?"
"When they wake up, okay sweetie?" she asked, kissing his forehead.
"Come here, you little rascal," ordered Sage. "Leave your mum alone, she's very tired. Go and play with the other little ones, would you?"
Retto toddled off to find fun with his little friends.
"Where is Matthias?" asked Cornflower as soon as her son was out of the room. "Why did you not send for him while I was delivering?" she demanded.
"I thought it would be best if he wasn't told right away. If he had heard you screaming the way you were, he surely would have panicked and come in the room, and that would not have been good."
She nodded in understanding, tears coming to her eyes as she looked down at the two tiny mice she held in her arms.
"What is wrong, Cornflower?"
"They're so sweet. So tiny. Just look at their little paws...." She let the first tears roll down her face. "Matthias and I got into an argument earlier. He was very upset, I'm not sure he even wants to speak with me any longer."
"Do you argue much?"
"No, rarely. The only other time was about two months ago."
"Then don't worry about a thing. I am sure that once he finds out he will come up right away."
At that precise moment, Matthias was looking for Cornflower. He had just seen Retto run off with some of his little friends, but Cornflower was nowhere to be found. After looking in the Kitchens and the gatehouse again, he went to the infirmary.
Matthias took the stairs two at a time, running up to the sickbay. He banged on the door. Sister Sage opened it with a frown on her face.
"Honestly, Matthias, must you bang so hard? I've got patients who are asleep," she reprimanded.
"I'm sorry, but have you seen Cornflower?" he asked breathlessly.
"Yes, she's sleeping now, but I'm sure she will wake soon if she hasn't already due to your infernal banging."
She led him into the huge infirmary room with its dozens of beds lined up along the walls. Matthias expected to find his wife on one of these many beds, but instead was led into a different room.
"Why are we going in here? It's the birth room......" he dropped off, realization sinking into him.
As soon as the door was opened and he saw Cornflower lying on the bed he burst out in tears. Not loud crying, but the silent ones that roll unstoppably down your face.
"Is she okay?" he asked hoarsely.
"She will be. It took a lot out of her, though, and she might be a bit drained for the next few days."
He nodded. "Can I see the babe?"
"Of course. Your son and daughter," she proclaimed, placing each of the small bundles into his arms. Then she left, leaving him in peace.
Matthias stared incredulously at the tiny, snuffling babes he held. He lightly brushed away a tear that had fallen on his daughter's head. He took a seat in one of the chairs in the room and held his newest children close.
"They are beautiful" was the only thing he said until Cornflower awoke. She did so about an hour later, after Matthias had placed the babes gently back into their cradle.
As soon as Matthias found her awake, he rushed to her side, pulling her up into his strong arms. She let out a whimper from the pain.
"Matthias, please, no, that hurts," she choked out weakly.
He laid her back down gently, running his paw down the side of her cheek.
"Are you alright?" he asked tenderly.
"Aye," she replied, nodding.
"I am so extremely sorry, Cornflower. Please forgive me. You were right, I shouldn't have tricked you. I should have let you tell me when you found ready, and I didn't. Please, tell me that you will eventually forgive me. I don't care how long it takes."
She nodded at him, smiling slightly. "Of course its alright. It was a very silly thing to argue about in the first place."
He was relieved that she had forgiven him. He hugged her gently, not pulling her up this time.
"Where are the babes?" she asked faintly.
"I'll get them." He stood up and retrieved the sleeping babes from their cradles.
"They are beautiful. The maid looks exactly like you, though I could not see her eyes."
"They both have your eyes," she replied, taking them into her arms.
"We need to name them," Matthias pointed out.
"Of course we do. Have you any ideas?"
"This sounds incredibly stupid, but I want to call out son Methuselah Mortimer."
"Hmmm.. Methuselah Mortimer... it sounds nice, but something is missing..."
"I agree. Let us think of that when the time comes, though. What shall the little maid be called?"
"I haven't any ideas."
They sat in silence, thinking hard for a name suitable for their daughter.
"Lia."
Matthias looked at his wife in surprise. "Lia?" he questioned.
"For her to be named. Lia."
He thought on it for a moment. "I like that. Lia it is."
Cornflower smiled. It was not a full-blown, ear-to-ear smile. But it did reach her eyes. Any who looked at her in that instant would have been able to tell that she was completely happy, and that naught could change this.
Matthias watched his wife smile at her babes, stroking their noses softly.
"Where is Retto?"
"Sister Sage shooed him off a while ago. He's probably out causing trouble with the rest of the dibbuns."
Matthias chuckled. "Are you tired?"
Cornflower nodded drowsily. Matthias took the babes from her arms, placing them in their cradles. She dropped off not long later, Matthias laying next to her and holding her.
Sister Sage entered a while later and took the babes with her.
"I need to check on their health," was her explanation.
When she returned, she bore bad news.
"Matthias.I-I must tell you..." she started, fighting tears.
Instantly Matthias was alarmed. "What happened?"
Sage could go no further. She broke down in tears.
A/N: Hi. This will be short, I think. 1) I know the apologizing was very corny. I'm sorry. The corniness comes from my grandfather. He makes the corniest jokes. I guess it influenced me. EEP! 2) I know in the beginning the disclaimer said I own nothing except Joey, Ben, and Lia. Well that changed. I own nothing but Lia, Danny and Old Barty. And Retto (Thanks to my friend Jessie for the name suggestion.). Originally Cornflower was to have triplets and Mattimeo played no part in it at all. But then in one of my reviews Lime the Traveler (I love your story and I printed it because it's so good and so I can read it over and over again!) said something about Mattimeo being there and I realized that I totally screwed up the order is he wasn't there. So that's why that changed.
O my! Not so short after all. ;-)
A FEW WEEKS LATER
One morning, Cornflower slept late. She got up three hours before noon and fed herself and Retto. After they ate she found the old abbey journals she had been reading and went back into the bed with her son.
She, like Matthias, realized that very little could be done when Retto is nearby. His newfound love for crawling and even a bit of walking made him hard to keep control of. She finally contented him by stroking his soft head until he fell asleep. She fell asleep herself not long after.
Their nap was a very short because when Matthias came back to the gatehouse he jumped on the bed and tickled them until they awoke.
"Cummon! Wake up sleepyheads! There are things to be done, and sleeping isn't one of them. It's late morning already!"
"Mmmmhhhh.... Ten more minutes? Please?"
"I don't think so, miss," he joked, picking her up cradle style and spinning her around. He didn't stop until Cornflower gave up protesting and began laughing. Before setting her back down on her bed he kissed her lightly.
"Aria told me to tell you that you are going swimming with her today."
"Oh really?" she asked, amused that her friend had planned her day for her.
"She sounded adamant," he said, picking up Retto.
"Well you don't mind, do you?"
"Actually," he replied, looking uncomfortable, "I would sorta of prefer if you didn't."
She looked up at him, slightly surprised. "Okay, but if you don't mind me asking, why?"
"I don't think it's the best idea, considering your present medical condition..." he dropped off, blushing.
"What medical condition?" she asked, angry.
"Well. I j-just meant that, uh, since you're having a babe soon, then, erm......"
"How do you even know about it?" she asked heatedly.
He smiled in triumph. "Aha! So it is true! Sister Sage was right! Why didn't you tell me?"
She looked at him, devastated. "I was planning to today. I just couldn't find the right time. You've seemed so stressed lately, and I didn't want to give you anything else to worry about." She looked into his now hardened eyes, trying to show him that she was telling the truth. "Why couldn't you have asked me instead of using your cunning and trickery to get the answer?"
His eyes changed. They went from anger to guilt. They became filled with tears at realization at what he ad done. "I didn't know how to ask you. I thought you would get angry with me." He rushed to the door, hot wanting to let her see his tears.
As soon as Cornflower heard the back door of the gatehouse cottage slam, she threw herself back on the bed, crying. This only lasted for a few minutes, however, because she began to feel sick. A sharp pain sliced through her lower stomach area. She could barely keep herself from screaming in pain as she picked up her son and dashed to the infirmary.
*******
That afternoon was the longest in Cornflower's life. Giving birth to a son and a daughter would certainly make it seem that way.
Sister Sage cleaned and wrapped the babe mice for Cornflower while she changed. When she came back out and was in a fresh bed, Sage brought Cornflower her babes.
"Congratulations, Cornflower dear. Two extremely healthy children."
Cornflower took the tiny babes into her arms and cradled them gently. Retto crawled up onto her lap and looked curiously at the two newborns.
"Who dey be, mommy?" he asked, sitting on Cornflower's lap.
"They're your little brother and sister," she responded softly, beckoning him to come closer for a good look at them.
"Dey all sleepin'. I wanna play wiv em," he announced, frowning at the fact that they were asleep. "Can I play wiv em?"
"When they wake up, okay sweetie?" she asked, kissing his forehead.
"Come here, you little rascal," ordered Sage. "Leave your mum alone, she's very tired. Go and play with the other little ones, would you?"
Retto toddled off to find fun with his little friends.
"Where is Matthias?" asked Cornflower as soon as her son was out of the room. "Why did you not send for him while I was delivering?" she demanded.
"I thought it would be best if he wasn't told right away. If he had heard you screaming the way you were, he surely would have panicked and come in the room, and that would not have been good."
She nodded in understanding, tears coming to her eyes as she looked down at the two tiny mice she held in her arms.
"What is wrong, Cornflower?"
"They're so sweet. So tiny. Just look at their little paws...." She let the first tears roll down her face. "Matthias and I got into an argument earlier. He was very upset, I'm not sure he even wants to speak with me any longer."
"Do you argue much?"
"No, rarely. The only other time was about two months ago."
"Then don't worry about a thing. I am sure that once he finds out he will come up right away."
At that precise moment, Matthias was looking for Cornflower. He had just seen Retto run off with some of his little friends, but Cornflower was nowhere to be found. After looking in the Kitchens and the gatehouse again, he went to the infirmary.
Matthias took the stairs two at a time, running up to the sickbay. He banged on the door. Sister Sage opened it with a frown on her face.
"Honestly, Matthias, must you bang so hard? I've got patients who are asleep," she reprimanded.
"I'm sorry, but have you seen Cornflower?" he asked breathlessly.
"Yes, she's sleeping now, but I'm sure she will wake soon if she hasn't already due to your infernal banging."
She led him into the huge infirmary room with its dozens of beds lined up along the walls. Matthias expected to find his wife on one of these many beds, but instead was led into a different room.
"Why are we going in here? It's the birth room......" he dropped off, realization sinking into him.
As soon as the door was opened and he saw Cornflower lying on the bed he burst out in tears. Not loud crying, but the silent ones that roll unstoppably down your face.
"Is she okay?" he asked hoarsely.
"She will be. It took a lot out of her, though, and she might be a bit drained for the next few days."
He nodded. "Can I see the babe?"
"Of course. Your son and daughter," she proclaimed, placing each of the small bundles into his arms. Then she left, leaving him in peace.
Matthias stared incredulously at the tiny, snuffling babes he held. He lightly brushed away a tear that had fallen on his daughter's head. He took a seat in one of the chairs in the room and held his newest children close.
"They are beautiful" was the only thing he said until Cornflower awoke. She did so about an hour later, after Matthias had placed the babes gently back into their cradle.
As soon as Matthias found her awake, he rushed to her side, pulling her up into his strong arms. She let out a whimper from the pain.
"Matthias, please, no, that hurts," she choked out weakly.
He laid her back down gently, running his paw down the side of her cheek.
"Are you alright?" he asked tenderly.
"Aye," she replied, nodding.
"I am so extremely sorry, Cornflower. Please forgive me. You were right, I shouldn't have tricked you. I should have let you tell me when you found ready, and I didn't. Please, tell me that you will eventually forgive me. I don't care how long it takes."
She nodded at him, smiling slightly. "Of course its alright. It was a very silly thing to argue about in the first place."
He was relieved that she had forgiven him. He hugged her gently, not pulling her up this time.
"Where are the babes?" she asked faintly.
"I'll get them." He stood up and retrieved the sleeping babes from their cradles.
"They are beautiful. The maid looks exactly like you, though I could not see her eyes."
"They both have your eyes," she replied, taking them into her arms.
"We need to name them," Matthias pointed out.
"Of course we do. Have you any ideas?"
"This sounds incredibly stupid, but I want to call out son Methuselah Mortimer."
"Hmmm.. Methuselah Mortimer... it sounds nice, but something is missing..."
"I agree. Let us think of that when the time comes, though. What shall the little maid be called?"
"I haven't any ideas."
They sat in silence, thinking hard for a name suitable for their daughter.
"Lia."
Matthias looked at his wife in surprise. "Lia?" he questioned.
"For her to be named. Lia."
He thought on it for a moment. "I like that. Lia it is."
Cornflower smiled. It was not a full-blown, ear-to-ear smile. But it did reach her eyes. Any who looked at her in that instant would have been able to tell that she was completely happy, and that naught could change this.
Matthias watched his wife smile at her babes, stroking their noses softly.
"Where is Retto?"
"Sister Sage shooed him off a while ago. He's probably out causing trouble with the rest of the dibbuns."
Matthias chuckled. "Are you tired?"
Cornflower nodded drowsily. Matthias took the babes from her arms, placing them in their cradles. She dropped off not long later, Matthias laying next to her and holding her.
Sister Sage entered a while later and took the babes with her.
"I need to check on their health," was her explanation.
When she returned, she bore bad news.
"Matthias.I-I must tell you..." she started, fighting tears.
Instantly Matthias was alarmed. "What happened?"
Sage could go no further. She broke down in tears.
A/N: Hi. This will be short, I think. 1) I know the apologizing was very corny. I'm sorry. The corniness comes from my grandfather. He makes the corniest jokes. I guess it influenced me. EEP! 2) I know in the beginning the disclaimer said I own nothing except Joey, Ben, and Lia. Well that changed. I own nothing but Lia, Danny and Old Barty. And Retto (Thanks to my friend Jessie for the name suggestion.). Originally Cornflower was to have triplets and Mattimeo played no part in it at all. But then in one of my reviews Lime the Traveler (I love your story and I printed it because it's so good and so I can read it over and over again!) said something about Mattimeo being there and I realized that I totally screwed up the order is he wasn't there. So that's why that changed.
O my! Not so short after all. ;-)