"Getting sleepy little guy?" Bobby Lee asked, seeing Ricky give Nell a slobbery kiss on the cheek.
Ricky cooed softly, reaching out for him as Nell smiled, giving him to Bobby Lee.
"You like Daddy, Ricky? Well I do too!" Nell chuckled, kissing his forehead.
"Why you go to spa, Mommy?" Elena asked with a frown.
"Honey, remember I told you how Mommy gets tired? Well the spa will help me," Nell explained with a smile.
"We can make our own spa, Elena," Isabel suggested. "I've gone with Elena and Abuelita a few times to the one in Avalor City, so I know what to do."
"Okay! We play spa too!" Elena giggled.
"Sofia, Auntie Madeline, and Auntie Sabrina can play too!" Gabby smiled.
Madeline and Sabrina had heard of spa treatments from Amber, so they looked intrigued about this. "It could be fun," Sabrina admitted.
"It can't hurt," Madeline nodded.
"See?" Nell grinned, covering her girls in kisses. "You'll have fun without me!"
"And I'd better get Ricky down for a nap," Bobby Lee said as Ricky started to fuss. "I know little buddy. I know."
"Why Ricky sleep?" Elena frowned again, now wanting him at their make-believe spa.
"Well, he's had a long day," Bobby Lee said as he took him to his and Nell's room. "He didn't get a really long nap this morning, so he's going to make up for it now. But don't worry," he added, seeing Elena start to pout, "while he's sleeping, that can give you girls time to plan what you want in your spa, and to set everything up."
Elena sighed. In a way, that made sense. Ricky hadn't been too excited about wanting a nap during their tour, but now, after seeing and doing so much, she guessed he was ready to take a little break. "Okay. When Ricky's back from his nap nap, he can play spa too," she agreed.
"And he can cuddle his new kitties, or they can watch him," Gabby agreed.
"Good girls," Nell smiled, kissing their cheeks. "Well I'm off. Be good for Daddy!"
"We will!" Elena giggled, flapping her hands.
"Does Daddy have to be good?" Bobby Lee smirked, flirting a little with Nell.
"I think we all know the answer to that," Nell smirked back. "Roland, James, make sure Robert behaves himself!"
Nell, Miranda, Bianca, Florence, Queen Elena, Luisa, and Amber set off for the spa, and Bobby Lee waved Ricky's hand after them.
"Don't worry, Bobby Lee, we'll all help you," Sofia offered, smiling as Ricky reached for her. "Yes, hello, Ricky. Are you ready for a nap?"
"I think he's been ready for a nap since we left that restaurant," Sabrina smiled.
"Okay," Sofia smiled, "Why don't we put him down, and then if they want help, we can help Elena, Gabby, and Isabel set up their spa?"
"Knowing Elena, she'll want to help," Madeline grinned, reaching out to hold her nephew.
"And how do you know that?" Sofia joked, watching as Ricky was handed to Madeline.
"I just know," Madeline grinned, starting to rock a fussy Ricky.
"Oh yes, we all know how Elena likes helping take care of Ricky," Sofia smiled.
"Nell said Ricky's a two-person job, right?" Madeline asked.
"Yes; it takes more than one person to take care of a baby," Isabel grinned. "Elena told me about how Esteban was turned into a baby after drinking from a fountain of youth, and as he got younger, she and Mateo ran all over the place trying to take care of him when he got into mischief."
"I know exactly how you feel about that," Sofia whispered, recalling how James had accidentally been turned into a baby, and how she and Amber tried to hide it from Roland and Miranda She raised her voice, "So Elena, what do you want in your spa?"
"Ricky," Elena smiled innocently, reaching out for her brother.
"Honey, he has to nap," Bobby Lee explained gently before seeing her face turn red. "If he doesn't nap, he'll be fussy."
"RICKY! RICKY! RICKY!" Elena screamed, throwing herself on the floor. "I WANNA HAVE RICKY IN SPA!"
"Be lucky we're not at home. She would start biting," Amber groaned, covering her ears as Gabby joined her.
"Elena, you can forget about doing Mommy's spa. You're going to another spa called TIME-OUT!" Bobby Lee said as he handed Ricky over to Sofia and walked over to where Elena was screaming.
"No time-out!" Elena wailed as Bobby Lee picked her up and carried her to her and Gabby's room.
"I'm sorry you had to see that, Princess Isabel," Bobby Lee said as he came back a minute later.
"Maybe when Elena's done with her time-out, she can help us a little," Isabel suggested. "I'd hate to have her miss the whole thing."
"We'll see when her time-out's up," Bobby Lee decided.
He hated Elena's meltdowns over the simplest of things. Yet he had to remind himself that she was little and that he did the same things at her age.
But at his age, there was always the threat of Lamb-Lamb being taken away from him for a day or so if he tried to sneak out of a time out.
And knowing Elena, he had to bet that she was probably trying to do the same since Nell wasn't there to carry her back into her and Gabby's room.
A few minutes later, he looked in the room where Elena was still sitting in a corner. He checked his pocket watch. "Five...four...three...two...one. And time's up!" he said as he entered. "Elena?"
"Yes, Daddy?" Elena looked up.
"Are you ready to be a good girl?" Bobby Lee asked.
"I'll be a very good girl," Elena promised. "Can I still help with Mommy's spa?"
"For a little while, Love Bug," Bobby Lee nodded. "Princess Isabel said you shouldn't miss out on making Mommy's spa. I agreed, and you can help as long as you apologize to everyone."
"I will," Elena promised.
"That's all I ask," Bobby Lee said as he walked her back to the others.
"But how long is a little while?" Elena asked in confusion.
"As long as Kitty is on vacation," Bobby Lee explained, seeing her smile.
"You take Kitty bye-bye if I bad again?" Elena wondered as tears started to fall down her cheeks.
"Only until you're done with Mommy's spa," Bobby Lee replied. "We don't want her to get dirty. I'll tell you what, Elena: I bought a Kitty myself, and your Kitty can play with him while you're working."
"You bought a Kitty?" Elena asked.
Bobby Lee grinned. "That's right! I'll show you," he picked up the bag he'd put everyone's toy jaquins in, and pulled out the one that was still in there. "This is my own Kitty."
Elena smiled when she saw the dark brown jaquin with yellow wings. "He's cute!"
"He's going to be the guards' mascot!" Bobby Lee grinned.
"Mask got?" Elena asked with a smile.
"Yes he is," Bobby Lee grinned, mussing her hair. "I wonder how much fun Mommy's having without us."
Meanwhile, Nell smiled as she allowed herself to get a massage. "This is wonderful," she sighed happily. "I've never been able to unwind like this before!"
"It's nice to experience something like this once in a while," Bianca agreed from where she and Amber were getting mud facials.
"I wonder if everyone else is having as much fun as we are," Miranda agreed as she was enjoying a cup of tea before her own massage.
"Knowing Isa, she's fine!" Queen Elena chuckled, smiling softly at Nell. "How are you feeling?"
"Not like I'm being spit up on or dragged by my hands," Nell smiled, feeling her massage. "I love my kids, but they have to understand that Mommy isn't as young as she used to be."
"Not as young as you used to be? Look at me, Helen," Queen Elena joked, "I'm really in my early sixties, but I don't look a day over twenty!"
"Time spent in magical jewelry doesn't count," Luisa smiled.
"You're only as young as you feel," Florence agreed.
"Yeah. I admit that whenever I read the girls their books, I often wonder about being in their shoes," Nell grinned, sitting up from her massage.
"The joy to be a kid again!" Miranda chuckled, just starting her massage. "But you and I both have three of them, so you have to pick one."
"Well, Ricky's my favorite boy," Nell joked.
"James is my favorite boy too," Miranda grinned.
"But what about your favorite girl?" Nell asked.
"Well, since she's right here, I love Amber," Miranda smiled, "But I love Sofia just as much."
"No fair! I have twin girls!" Nell pouted, crossing her arms. "I can't pick!"
"Thank about the one the makes you the most happy," Luisa suggested, smiling softly. "Elena makes me the most happy."
"And not because she's the queen?" Amber grinned, feeling the mud on her face.
"Even before she became the queen, she and I would spend time together," Luisa smiled. "I'd watch her and her mother practice fencing, and she and I would make tamales for everyone. Now she comes to me for advice when she has a question about something in the kingdom."
"Speaking of which, Luisa, you gave us your recipe for tamales, didn't you?" Florence asked.
"I believe so," Luisa nodded as she accepted a cup of tea, "I know I wrote it down for Princess Sandra and the cooks in Orillia. If I didn't make a copy for you, I'll take care of it. And if I did give you an extra copy, you can give it to a friend."
"It would be nice," Bianca admitted before seeing Nell grinning from ear to ear. "Helen Genevieve? You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"With three kids and a husband to worry over, I'm doing great," Nell answered with a smile. "But I just hope Elena's behaving herself."
"She's been giving you trouble lately?" Queen Elena asked, a little curious.
"Not really," Nell admitted, unware that Elena had been in a time-out while she was here. "But she wants to do everything with me. She wants to prove she's a big girl."
"Just like Isa," Queen Elena smiled, and she told them about how Isabel tried to take care of Mingo, Zoom, and Estrella all by herself when they were first hatched.
"But at least she learned a lesson: Don't be in a hurry to grow up too fast," Bianca smiled. "And she learned from her mistake."
"That's all you can really do," Florence agreed, "Every day is a new day to learn something."
"Kitty time out?" Elena frowned, trying to calm down as Sabrina and Madeline helped Sofia and Isabel rebuilt part of their make-believe spa.
"Elena, you started throwing a fit," Sabrina sighed with a shake of her head.
"Ricky's ball no part of Mommy's spa!" Elena pouted, crossing her arms.
"Actually, it is," Isabel explained, "Abuela told me that some spas have therapy balls as part of their equipment. A person sits on a ball and does bouncing and stretching exercises. They also practice keeping their balance on it."
"Bouncy balls fun!" Gabby giggled.
"Do you use something like that in your therapy exercises, Gabby?" Sofia asked.
"Yeah!" Gabby nodded. "I put my bad leg on a ball, I stand up straight, and the doctor has me push the ball away until my knee bends. Then I have to stand up by raising my leg again."
"Okay! Mommy can bounce on it too!" Elena giggled.
"But it's not big," Gabby frowned with crossed arms. "Mommy might break it."
"Why don't we go to Mateo?" Sofia asked with a smile. "I'm sure he can make it big."
"Can he bring Kitty to life too?" Elena asked, clapping her hands.
"I hope not," Madeline groaned, shaking her head.
"Maybe since we're putting on this spa for her, you can show her how the ball works," Sofia suggested. "If Nell wants to try it, she can, but if she doesn't, that's okay too. This is all for fun anyway, right?"
"Yeah!" Elena giggled, "But what about Kitty?"
"Mateo showed me his potions once," Sofia replied, "He had an enlarging potion, and the antidote for it, but he didn't have any potions that would bring toys to life."
Elena pouted, but Sabrina said, "You wouldn't want Kitty to come to life, Elena; she might get loose in the palace. Or she might escape outside and fly away."
"Kitty bye-bye?" Elena asked.
"And my jaquin would be so sad if Kitty went bye-bye," Bobby Lee added. "He'd always ask me 'Where did my friend Kitty go?'"
Elena giggled. "Okay. My Kitty plays with your kitty and I won't bring her to life."
"Good idea, Elena. But we can still ask Mateo if he can use his enlarging potion on the ball," Sofia suggested.
"I still bring Kitty?" Elena asked with a flap of her hands.
"Yes but no toys to real kitty spells okay?" Sofia smirked, mussing her hair.
"Can Mr. Magic Man do it?" Elena grinned, hugging Sofia close.
"I don't think Mateo would like it if something happened to his potions when someone else is in the room," Sofia replied. "He told me and Isabel about his apprentice leaving a mess behind when she left in the middle of cleaning up, and how she accidentally summoned a water spirit. I think it's best if Mateo handles the potions by himself for now. Besides, he knows where everything is in his workshop, and I'd hate to see Mister Cedric get in trouble for messing with something he shouldn't."
"That's a very good idea," Sabrina agreed.
"Okay. Kitty can stay a toy," Elena agreed. "She can play with Daddy's kitty!"
"Good girl, Love Bug!" Bobby Lee chuckled, covering her in kisses.
"Is Mateo busy?" Sabrina asked, picking up Ricky's ball. "I wouldn't want to bother—"
Sabrina was interrupted by Ricky wailing as Elena looked at Bobby Lee.
"Ricky up?" Elena asked in confusion.
"We tried to be quiet while we made plans for Mommy's spa, but I think it's time for his bottle, and maybe a snack," Bobby Lee suggested as he took Ricky in his arms. "Hey, buddy, did we wake you up?"
Madeline found Ricky's bottle, and Sabrina found a box of teething cookies. "Just in case he might need one, right?" she asked.
"Good idea, Sabrina; it never hurts to be prepared for everything," Bobby Lee grinned as he offered the cookie to Ricky.
"Zoomer help Ricky too!" Elena added, holding up Ricky's stuffed jaquin. "It's okay, Ricky. We sorry we woke you up."
Ricky sniffed, chewing on the cookie before spitting it out as he started to cry again.
"I guess he's not hungry," Sabrina muttered, throwing away the teething cookie.
"Zoomer?" Elena asked, hoping it would work before watching as her brother threw him to the ground. "He doesn't like kitties no more!"
She found herself crying along with Ricky as Gabby covered her ears.
"No, Elena, sweetheart, don't say that," Bobby Lee murmured, "He loves Zoomer. But he doesn't see Mommy anywhere."
"It's okay, Ricky, Mommy just went out for a little while," Elena tried to comfort him. "She'll come back."
Meanwhile, at the spa, Nell was finishing up a manicure when she looked around. "Ricky?"
"Is your mommy sense tingling, Nell?" Amber joked beside her, since she also had her nails done.
"Yes. Thank you, Queen Elena, this has been wonderful, and it's just what I needed to relax and unwind, but I think we should get back to the palace," Nell said as she stood up.
"Okay, Helen, if you're ready to go, so are we," Queen Elena smiled as she and the others picked up their gift bags.
"Thank you," Nell smiled softly, looking at the floor. "Though I'm sorry we have to leave early."
"Nonsense. Richard Edward needs his mommy," Bianca smiled, stroking her hair. "Besides you were that way too when you were little."
"How come?" Amber wondered, looking through her gift bag.
"Every child feels that way when they're that age," Bianca smiled. "Yes, Princess Amber, I'm sure even you felt that way."
Amber nodded. "I knew where Mother and Daddy were, but I hated being apart from them for too long. It's true, James would keep me company, but sometimes I wanted one of them with me instead."
"Abuela always tried to help me or Isa when we wanted to be with Mami and Papi," Queen Elena agreed. "She'd tell us stories or have Abuelo play his guitar for us until Mami and Papi came to their room to check on us. They'd dance with us until we felt better, and sometimes they'd play 'wild wild seas' with us!"
"We'll have to play that game with Elena and Gabby," Amber grinned.
"We so should!" Nell chuckled with a smile. "When they were babies and I or Bobby Lee were gone for a while, or the both of us were on a date night, we always give them whatever had our scent on it."
"And to them, it was like Mommy and Daddy were there?" Queen Elena asked as she and Nell sat next to each other when the coach arrived.
"That's right. They never fussed when they had those blankets," Nell smiled.
"We'll have to make a blanket like that for Ricky," Amber agreed. "I'm getting better at sewing and knitting, and I'd like to help with something like that."
"You are indeed, Princess Amber," Bianca smiled. "You helped make Elena Lydia's Halloween costume, and she loved it. Richard Edward would love a blanket you helped make, too."
"I almost feel bad for leaving Bobby Lee with him," Nell smirked before smiling softly. "Elena's been trying to be a big girl by helping us out with Ricky and Gabby if she needs it."
"Like last week with his booster shot," Amber recalled, putting her bag on the floor. "I heard her sing kitty songs just to calm him down."
"Ricky does like kitty songs!" Nell smiled. "Elena played her tape and he loved it."
"We'll have to ask James to play some songs like that later," Queen Elena smiled. "I'm sure Ricky would love to hear one, and he'd really love hearing my grandfather accompany James."
"They did sing that one song together when Elena's toy scepter was broken," Miranda remembered. "Then it became a singalong with Amber, Sofia, Isabel, Sandra, Zoe, you, and Bobby Lee."
"That was long before Ricky was born," Amber smiled as the coach started to land.
"Mommy!" Elena giggled, running over to the carriage excitedly. "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!"
"Elena, what's gotten you so excited?" Nell asked, mussing her hair.
"Ricky rolled! Ricky rolled!" Elena giggled, flapping her hands. "Daddy was getting his bottle and I watched him like a big girl!"
"Thank you, Elena...wait. He rolled?" Nell gasped.
"Yes he did," Sabrina smiled. "We shouted for Bobby Lee to come quick, and when he came in with Ricky's bottle, he rolled again!"
"That's great! Do you think he could roll for me?" Nell asked.
"I think he'd love that!" Madeline grinned.
Nell entered the room, and saw Ricky lying on a mat on the floor. "Ricky, you rolled? You got some 'splainin' to do!" she sang out.
Ricky looked up at the voice, and rolled over on his stomach. He squealed when Nell ran over and covered him with kisses.
"What a big boy! Ricky, sweetheart, I'm so proud of you!" Nell cheered.
Ricky cooed, showing only his first tooth to his mommy but she didn't seem to care.
"If he knows how to roll and sit up, then why aren't his teeth growing?" Madeline joked with a smile.
"It depends on the baby, Maddie," Nell grinned, mussing her hair.
"Babies decide on teeth?" Elena asked, a little confused.
"Not all babies develop at the same time, and they reach certain stages at their own pace," Queen Elena explained.
"They take it one day at a time!" Elena cheered, jumping up and down.
"That's right, sweetheart," Nell grinned.
"We got a surprise for you Mommy!" Gabby giggled, clapping her hands.
"I think I just had enough for today thank you," Nell smiled, picking up a cooing Ricky.
"But it's a good surprise," Elena looked sad.
"Okay, I'll look," Nell smiled, hugging her, "What is it?"
Elena and Gabby walked Nell to the room where their surprise was set up. "Surprise, Mommy!" Elena cheered when they came in, "It's a spa!"
"I get to have another spa day?" Nell smiled, "This is wonderful! But girls, you'll spoil me!"
"Mommy deserves it, right?" Bobby Lee asked. "Even if she's already spoiled!"
"Daddy, be nice to Mommy!" Elena pouted.
"You heard her; be nice to Mommy!" Nell grinned.
Ricky squealed happily upon spotting his ball in the spa, clapping his hands.
"Okay little guy you pick first for Mommy," Nell suggested, stroking his hair.
"I think Ricky wants his ball," Bobby Lee grinned. "And look at how big it is, buddy!"
Ricky squealed, seeing how big his ball was.
"Watch, Mommy! You sit on it and bounce!" Elena giggled, sitting on the ball and demonstrating. Suddenly, the ball rolled back, and she slid off.
"No, Elena, it's like this," Gabby said as she put her leg on it and demonstrated one of the stretches her doctor showed her.
"That's good, Gab-Gab," Nell smiled. "I remember when you saw the ball in the doctor's office during our first visit, you wanted to play with it. We finally had to go in a different room, so you wouldn't get distracted as he was telling you how to do the exercises and stretches."
"How long do I visit him? Forever? When I'm a grown up?" Gabby wondered with a smile.
"We've got years to answer that, sweetheart," Nell grinned, helping Ricky with his ball.
"You get better with your stretches and exercises every time you go," Bobby Lee smiled as he watched Mateo pour his shrinking potion on the ball so it wouldn't hurt Ricky. "You make us proud with all your progress."
"A few times a year isn't all that bad, or that long," Nell agreed. "Soon it'll be once or twice a year, then maybe once a year. Then hopefully you won't have to go at all. But it all depends on how the muscles in your leg are healing, and what the doctor says about it."
"I get better at my own pace?" Gabby asked.
"You know us so well," Bobby Lee grinned, covering her with kisses.
Ricky cooed, holding up Zoomer in Mateo's face.
"No I'm not making him come to life! Your big sister already tried!" Mateo chuckled, taking Ricky in his arms.
"But Snow White can have them as kitty friends!" Elena pouted with crossed arms.
"Maybe, but don't you think all the kitties in your stable would be scared of the ones with wings?" Mateo asked. "And jaquins aren't really tame."
"He's right. According to your book on jaquins, they're not the same as house kitties," Sabrina agreed. "They're bigger, and about the size of the horses back home."
"We don't want to scare the horses," Sofia added, "You know how skittish he gets around anything bigger than him."
"Okay. I won't scare your horsie, Jaggy, or the kitties," Elena agreed.
"It's nice of you to think of the other animals, Love Bug," Nell smiled.
