So sorry for not posting yesterday, it was a hectic day.
We sat for the next three hours, taking turns reading to Lila, she enjoyed it thoroughly because we were new friends to her. Cooper had sat himself on the armchair with a sketchpad and began to draw while also listening. Clint had placed little Nathaniel in his cot next to us, asleep, so he could work in the yard. Laura was in the kitchen so I kept checking on him every now and then. During Wanda's turn, Clint came in, covered in mud and oil. He quickly washed his hands in the sink and wiped his face before checking on his son.
When he saw all of us together, he grinned. Wanda hadn't noticed him standing there as she continued reading. Lila was totally engaged in what she was saying and so didn't notice her father either. Clint moved back into the kitchen to talk with his wife. I saw them whispering about something, probably us.
"You all look like you're having fun," Laura commented.
"We are, thank you," Wanda replied. "I've missed reading."
"I don't think Lila will let you leave, if I'm honest." Clint sat himself down on a kitchen chair. "Once someone reads to her, they're practically family."
"I don't want to leave but training summons."
"We've got team tasks left."
"You guys will ace them, you all work great as a team."
"I'm looking forward to getting back into it but this is a welcome break."
"Well, you're first meal with the Barton Clan is ready. Cooper," Laura called her son. "Can you set the table for me?"
"Sure thing, Mom." He put his sketchpad to one side and headed into the small dining room.
"I wanna finish the book," Lila complained.
"We'll finish it after dinner, Lila," Wanda told her. She nodded happily.
"Wanda, do you fancy helping me up?"
"You are so lazy," she said, pulling me to my feet anyway.
Once Cooper had finished setting table, Wanda and I sat ourselves opposite each other; I was sat next to Cooper and Wanda with Lila. Clint and Laura at each end as the heads of the table. Dinner was delicious; roast beef stew that was positively filling and then homemade treacle tart for desert. I hadn't had such a delightful meal in four years.
We all started laughing and joking around, Clint kept coming up with typical dad jokes that amused him greatly. For us, they were so bad, you had to laugh. It was a win-win situation.
I hadn't felt so happy in a long while, apart from getting off the streets and meeting Wanda of course. After dinner, we all helped with the washing up before getting ourselves ready for bed. I had packed some tracksuit bottoms and an old t-shirt as my pyjamas but Laura gave me some proper ones when she my attire. The same for Wanda. We all sat down in the living room again and Wanda sat with Lila again to continue reading. I sat next to Cooper and we conversed about his drawings. They were rather magnificent. His most recent one of the landscape around the farm really caught my eye when I noticed there were seven people in it going for a walk in the countryside.
"There's Mom and Dad," he began pointing them all out. "Mom's got Nate and Dad's got Lila and then there's me."
"Who are these two?"
"You and Wanda. You are part of this family now." They loved us that much?
"I guess that means you're my little brother therefore I can do this." I began tickling him and he giggled, trying to escape and stop me but he couldn't. I relented after a couple of minutes.
"No fair," he mumbled, still laughing.
"Well, I am now the elder sibling. I have to fulfil that duty."
"I'm older than you," Wanda added in, her accent thick with laughter.
"Yeah, but you're the more reserved one." She shrugged and turned her attention back to the book in her hands, proving my point.
They finally finished the book at eight o'clock and Lila immediately asked for another one. Clint reminded her that it was bedtime and she sulked. I offered to read with her tomorrow and she started to smile again. Her eyes were starting to close and I smiled.
"C'mon, Lila, let's go to bed," I stood up.
"Daddy will read you a bedtime story," Laura told her.
"C'mon, sweetheart." He picked her up and walked towards the stairs.
"Wanda, Piper," she called, nearly asleep.
"Your elder sisters are right behind you." I grinned at the elder sisters bit as did Wanda. I pulled her to her feet and turned to face Cooper. "Come on, bro. It's bedtime. Let's brush our teeth first though, yeah?"
"Sure," he grabbed his sketchpad and pencils. Laura turned off the lights and followed us all upstairs.
Once Lila and Cooper were in bed, Wanda and I headed into our room. Laura and Clint came in to make sure we were alright.
"Well, they already love you both. And I saw you keeping an eye on Nate for us," Laura smiled.
"It's the least we could do."
"You are both sweet kids. Speaking of which, just how old are you?"
"We're both seventeen," Wanda replied.
"Really? You're only seventeen?"
"Yeah, but I'm older." I rolled my eyes.
"Well, into bed then, children." They're going to use that against us, now, aren't they? "This is your home as well, now. Which makes you both our adoptive daughters."
We climbed under the covers and Laura and Clint kissed us both on the forehead and left the room, Clint turning off the light. I heard whispers of sweet dreams and then retreating footsteps before rolling to face Wanda.
"What a day, huh?" I started.
"Oh god, yeah. I genuinely think Lila won't let us leave in a couple of days."
"Same, or Cooper. We're now their older sisters and so we going to look after them," I thought about what Barton Junior had said to me earlier.
"Of course, we will and anything Laura or Clint need, we'll help them."
"Without a doubt."
"We should really get some sleep."
"Hmm…" she shuffled closer to me and I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her closer still and she sighed, content with life.
"Sleep well, Piper."
"You too, Wanda."
We fell asleep fairly quickly; it had been a long day, after all. Luckily, the kids accepted our company straightaway. It feels good to be wanted. Yes, we still had training to complete but we would go back relaxed and happy. My dreams were all happy, of my potential future; taking a leaf out of Barton's book.
Reviews are welcomed =)