I wasn't sure what to call Rex and Circe's kids but then I thought maybe Rex would name them in honor of his parents. So here's a story with Rafael and Violeta Salazar.
Do Not Own Any of the Characters.
"I'll only be gone for the night. I'll be back in the morning." Circe told Rex as she packed her overnight bag. "Do you remember what I told you?"
"Come on Circe, don't worry. I got this." Rex said smoothly.
That just made Circe worry more.
"Make sure they take a bath, brush their teeth, and read them a bed time story from the pile of books I left."
Rex nodded unconcerned.
"They can't have any sweets after 8 or they'll be wired all night. Rafael needs to take his vitamins with dinner otherwise he won't take it. You need to cut the crusts off the sandwiches…" Rex silenced his wife with a kiss.
"Honey, don't worry. Have fun at the convention with Caesar. I'll take care of the kids." Rex reassured his wife with a smile.
Circe wasn't so sure about that but she had no choice. Beverly wasn't in any condition to travel and Caesar needed someone to help him set up at the annual scientists' convention. A horn honked outside.
"Oh, there's Caesar. I've got to go." Circe quickly stuffed the rest of her things into the bag.
Rex grabbed her bag as she took her purse off the dresser. They walked down the stairs together. At the door, Rafael and Violeta met their mother.
"Mommy, don't go!" Rafael said with tears in his eyes.
"Honey, it's only for one day and night. Daddy will take good care of you." Circe gave her 6 year old son a kiss. He grabbed her and wouldn't let go. She got up with him hanging on her neck. She looked at Rex.
"Come on buddy. Let go of your mother." He grabbed the little boy's waist and pulled. Rafael just tightened his grip around Circe's neck.
Circe gently pried his chubby little fingers from around her neck. She gave him another kiss on his head. His father held him as he struggled to get to his mother.
"Mommy, mommy, mommy…." He cried.
Circe bent over and kissed Violeta who was eight years old on her head. She quietly whispered in her ear.
"Help daddy." They gave each other knowing looks.
Circe got into the front passenger side. Rex still holding Rafael with one hand put her bag down, opened the trunk, and threw her bag in. He closed the trunk all while holding his struggling, squirming son.
"Mommy, mommy, mommy…" He was still crying.
"I love you all." Circe called out the window as the car drove off.
Rex and Violeta waved.
"Mommy?" Rafael sniffed.
Rex brought the kids back in.
"So, we have the whole day. What do you want to do?" Rex asked his kids cheerfully.
"Mommy!" Rafael started wailing.
"Rafael, mommy has to go somewhere with Uncle Caesar but I'll take care of you. What do you want to do?"
"Mommy!" He said stubbornly before screaming again.
Violeta walked over to Rafael. "Hermano, you're missing your favorite cartoon."
Rafael immediately stopped and ran to the living room.
"Where's the flippy?" He asked distracted now.
"Flippy?" Rex looked at his daughter.
"He's looking for the remote." She informed her father.
"Oh, here buddy. I'll turn the TV on for you." He said as he picked up the remote from a shelf. "What show do you want to watch?"
"Pinky Panda! Pinky Panda!" Rafael chanted.
"Pinky Panda?" Rex was taken aback. Violeta took the remote from her father's hand and flipped to the show.
Immediately Rafael was enthralled.
"Hey kids! Who loves you?" The giant pink panda asked.
"You do!" Rafael gleefully answered.
"Que wha?" Rex was dumbfounded. This is what his son liked to watch?
"It's his favorite show." Violeta answered. She added. "It's not so bad if you tune it out and just look at the colors."
"I like the pretty colors!" Rafael exclaimed.
"Oh no, no, no. You're not watching this…" Rex searched for an age appropriate derogatory term. "stuff." He finished unable to come up with one. He took the remote from his daughter's hand and changed the channel to Summo Slammers Action Hour.
Rafael looked in horror at his dad.
"Look, this is much more… manly." Rex told his son.
Rafael's lower lip began to quiver. His eyes filled with tears.
"Oh no." Violeta muttered and ran out of the room.
Rafael let out a shriek so loud that the living room windows blew out. He had inherited his mother's sonic scream. Rex was knocked down by the force. Violeta ran back in and shoved a lollipop into his brother's mouth. He stopped screaming and started sucking it. She quickly picked up the remote and switched back to Pinky Panda. Rafael sighed with contentment.
Rex got up rubbing his head. "Forgot about that." He muttered.
"Should I call the window company again?" Violeta asked her dad.
"No sweetie. I can do that. "He ruffled her hair as he walked past. He also fiddled with his ears trying to stop them from ringing.
Rex was occupied most of the morning getting the windows replaced.
(Let's keep this between us." He said to Violeta.)
Rafael happily watched his show.
0o0
Around noon Rex realized that he should probably feed his kids.
"Violeta, where does your mother hide the peanut butter?" He called to his daughter. Violeta was drawing on the kitchen table. She looked at her dad. "The bread and peanut butter are in the pantry. The bread is on the top shelf to the left. The peanut butter is on the second to last shelf from the bottom on the right. Raffy likes grape jelly on his sandwich which is in the refrigerator door bottom shelf."
"Uh, thanks." Rex had the pantry door open staring at the shelves. He found the items and pulled them out. Violeta made sure her father was alright before returning to her drawings.
"Lunch!" He called to his son.
Rafael came running with his stuffed bunny.
He climbed into his booster seat. His father placed a sandwich in front of his son. Rafael looked at his dad.
"Where's Bun-Bun's?"
"Huh?" Rex looked at his son confused.
"Where's Bun-Bun's sandwich?" He looked at his dad.
"Who's Bun-Bun?" Rex asked puzzled.
Rafael lifted his stuffed bunny. "He's hungry too."
"I'm not making a sandwich for a toy." Rex scoffed.
Immediately, Rafael's eyes filled with tears.
"B-b-but, B-b-bun- Bun's hungry too!" He insisted.
"I'll make a sandwich for Bun-Bun." Violeta told her little brother. "Does he want carrot jam on it?"
"Yes!" Rafael declared happily.
Rex watched in fascination as Violeta pulled out pretend bread and spread pretend jam on it. She placed the pretend sandwich in front of the toy. Rafael picked up his sandwich and began eating it while swinging his little legs.
Rex looked at his daughter with a mingle of amusement and awe. She really was like a mini Circe.
"Thanks." He told her.
She just smiled at him. So much like her mother.
0o0
Finally, it was bed time.
"Rafael, bath time." Rex told his son.
"No! No bath!" Rafael ran.
Rex grabbed him before he got far.
"No!" He went limp. Rex almost dropped him.
"What's up buddy? You love baths." He grunted as he dragged his body up the stairs. He was heavier than he looked.
"I don't like baths!" He said vehemently.
By now Rex knew who to turn to for help. He looked at his daughter.
Violeta sighed. She walked over to her brother.
"Raffy, I think ducky is lonely." She told her brother.
"Ducky?" He looked at his sister.
"Yeah, remember ducky likes to play with you." She nodded.
"Yeah, ducky. I almost forgot." He jumped up and ran up the stairs himself.
After baths were done, teeth were brushed, Rex put the kids into bed. He read them both stories, kissed them, and tucked them in. He trudged tiredly into his room and flopped onto the bed. He was so tired he didn't even bother changing out of his clothes. How does Circe do it? He thought as he drifted off to sleep.
He wasn't asleep long when he felt a hand shaking him.
"Dad, I'm scared." Rafael whispered holding his bunny tight. Rex noticed that it had started raining and there was thunder and lightening.
Rex was too tired to try to convince him to go back to his own bed. He shifted over.
"Hop in. Just this once." He said tiredly.
Rafael snuggled close to his dad and fell asleep. Rex dozed off for another few minutes before he felt another hand shake him.
"Dad, can I sleep here?"
Rex opened his eyes. It was his daughter. She looked small and scared. Rex suddenly felt bad. She had helped him so much today that he had forgotten that she was just a little girl.
"Sure, sweetie." He pulled up the covers. Violeta quickly scrambled under the covers.
Thunder rang outside and she grabbed her dad. Rex smiled and affectionately put his arm around her. She looked up at him and gave a small smile back. She then snuggled up close. Rex kissed the top of her head.
"Good night sweetie."
"Good night, dad."
0o0
The next morning Circe walked into the bedroom and was greeted by the sight of her kids and husband curled together in bed. She smiled and closed the door. She'll give them a few more minutes before she asked them about what happened in the kitchen.