I woke up to faint crying, it sounded like an older woman. It was Aletta! I heard it coming from the balcony on the second floor of the house.
Aletta had her legs dangling out of the bars of the balcony as her arms and face also pressing against them as well.
"Sweetie, are you ok? What's wrong? Did Ross do anything to you?" I said franticly trying to find the reason she was there.
"Mark, I can't take much more of this. And because of that, I think I'll be a horrible mom!"
"Darling, you'll be a great mom, they'll only be one or two children that will be ours, not 5 or 6. We made a promise to them, to Suzy. We just have to carry on like it is. They will eventually return to their adult state. Trust me, we'll make it through this!" I then heard a tired shuffling behind us. I turned towards it then I realised it was young Suzy.
"S-Suzy *snuffle* you should be sleeping, i-its 3 in the morning." Aletta wiped away the mascara that remained stains under her eyes.
"I'm sorry. It's because I heard crying and though it was Kevin, It wasn't the baby so I went to go and see who it was." Suzy explained herself.
"Suzy, just get back on to sleep, Arin will worry and get up to find you."
"Okay, Uncle Mark. Aunt Aletta, please don't be sad. Thank you both for what you've done. See you later." The little girl walked away with a happier look on her face.
"Come on, then darling, you too. Aletta it will get better."
Later, after we'd all slept through until Kevin decided to wake us up 4 hours later. After that, we stayed awake and prepared the kids breakfast so that they had less time to complain about it. Arin and Suzy were still asleep, Ross was good aside from the fact that he couldn't stop moving. The other two boys, Danny and Barry, didn't bother Aletta much because she made sure that they were asleep before her.
It seemed like Danny had fallen out with Barry because (register this) apparently, Barry had woken up before him and stole 'Danny's chair' at breakfast. Ross wasn't speaking, Arin had a black eye, the other 2 boys couldn't stop squabbling for the life of me, and Aletta was struggling to cope. Poor little Suzy and I were in the middle of this.
"Barry, just get out of my seat, it's not that hard! Just move!" Danny couldn't get over the fact that it belonged to no- one in particular and Barry was determined to eat his breakfast without moving. Aletta was sitting with her head in her hands and Suzy was rubbing her back comfortingly. Arin was leaned away from Ross covering his bruised eye with his right hand while trying to get Suzy's attention with the other. Ross sat their playing with his food because no- one was talking to him. And me? Yeah, I was just letting this happen while contemplating whether we should go out or not.
'Maybe we should start in the back yard for now' I thought as they looked sad and bored. I went to go and check what the weather was like, luckily it was hot and sunny.
"Guys, I'm gonna go to the store after breakfast and pick up some things, so we can go into the garden, okay?" I said telling the kids and Aletta the days plan.
"I'll wash up, Mark. You head out, as quickly as possible." Aletta demanded as I usually do the dishes, I set the kids off on a drawing task while she cleared the table and laid down some crayons and note pads, one for each of them.
"Don't forget to feed Kevin, buh- bye, see you soon!" I said as I grabbed my wallet and car keys and waltzed out of the house. 5 seconds after I hear the pitter-patter of one young girl's footsteps.
"Uncle Mark, Uncle Mark! Can I come with you? I'd like to talk to you a-and have a bit of your time, if that's ok!" Suzy said enthusiastically.
"I'd love to Suzy, but it'd be breaking the law, I don't have a car seat for you. Sorry!" I felt bad for letting someone, so young, down.
"I-I know where one is, I know where six are, actually! Follow me!" Suzy ran in to the broom closet and the door closed behind her.
"Eeeck, somebody, please open the door it's scary an-and dark in here!" Suzy squealed helplessly.
I rushed to the door with my wallet and car keys in hand, opened the door and hugged her. Suzy's little face was decorated in a red flush and tears.
"It's ok, I'm here now." I said squeezing her tightly and dropping my keys and wallet on the floor.
"Th-thank you, the car seats are, there." She pulled away and pointed at five pretty, dusty car seats. I pulled one out after she left the broom closet and dusted it off. Suzy picked up my wallet, then my keys. I put the two items on top of the car seat. When my arm floated down beside me, the cute little girl held my hand, all the way to the car.