blackamber- yay! I updated... and I love the twins... so cute KAWAIII!!!
Amy- so annoying...
blackamber- and you're a good mom
Amy- (smiles) I know.
Melissa- I am scared... so usual disclaimer here.
"Momma!" Thea yelled excitedly as Amy brought Indy to a stop in the front yard, rushing over to her mother.
"Mom!" Dimitri also yelled, running over as well.
Amy jumped down from Indy's back, bending down and catching them in a tight hug as soon as they reached her. "Hey sweet-hearts," she cooed, kissing each of them on the head. As soon as she released them, Thea's attention went to Nicol, hugging the old dog as Dimitri patted Indy's side.
Amy walked further into courtyard style front yard, pausing and raising an eyebrow at Bryan. "Another one, Bryan?" she asked, in the exact same tone Tala had.
"You guys!" Bryan fumed as Lissa laughed beside him.
"You must be Amy," Lissa smiled, "it's nice to meet you. My name is Lissa."
Amy returned the smile, "Your welcome here anytime Lissa, even when you decide to dump this freeloader."
Bryan gaped at her, "Now wait just a minute Aim-"
Lissa broke down laughing, "We'll see Amy, who knows, maybe I'm just what this 'freeloader' needs."
Amy couldn't help but like Bryan's new girlfriend, she was much friendlier than the last few. She turned to Sadie, beckoning the fifteen year old over, "They weren't too much trouble, right?"
"Nope," Sadie replied, "perfect angels as always."
"We are talking about the same children, right?" Amy asked, hearing Tala chuckle.
"Hello love," Tala greeted, snaking his arm around her waist and pulling her to him so that her back was flat against his chest. He kissed her neck gently, debating whether or not he wanted to move deeper in front of the 'crowd'- it was tempting.
Amy spun around to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his lips warmly. "Hello to you too," she teased, her lips brushing against his.
"Ewwww!" the twins said in unison, 'causing their parents to smile awkwardly.
Tala slowly released his hold on her as Amy dropped her arms down to her side. "That's right," she remembered, "we need to talk."
"Uh-oh bro," warned Bryan, "when a woman says that it's never good. If you're not careful she may be breaking up with you."
"What's that mean?" Thea askd, "why would momma break daddy?"
"Not exactly what I meant, kid."
"Bryan, I can't possibly break up with Tala anymore, the only way to escape him now is divorce, which I have no intention of going through," Amy countered before returning her attention back to Tala, "I just need to talk to you."
Tala nodded to her, "Sure."
"Hey, bro, we're gonna get going. Later!" Bryan waved, hooking his arm around Lissa's waist.
"Bye Amy, Tala, it was very nice to meet you!" Lissa also waved as Bryan led her away.
Amy gave a slight wave, nodding to Sadie who signaled that she was leaving as well.
"Bye auntie Sadie!" the twins called, waving ecstatically.
"Now, what's wrong?" Tala asked, his arms finding their way around her waist again.
"I saw smoke while I was out riding."
"Smoke?" Tala didn't quite get why Amy was so worked up about smoke, with the bitter cold that was the recent weather, a lot of smoke was seen in the frozen air.
"From Bolkov Abbey," Amy finished.
"That's impossible," Tala said, "Bolkov Abbey's been closed for years."
"I know what I saw, Tala, I even went to the abbey's gates to make sure it wasn't my imagination. There was smoke coming from the chimney."
"Well, maybe some of the homeless got in to escape the cold," Tala shrugged.
"I don't think so."
"Amy," Tala gave her a reassuring smile, "if Boris was back we'd know; trust me." He hugged her to him, kissing her forehead, "You have nothing to fear."
"I know," Amy sighed, allowing her head to rest against Tala's chest, "but sometimes it's hard not to worry, especially when it's not just us anymore."
Tala stole a quick glance towards Dimitri and Thea who were playing some game with Nicol as Indy watched. "Don't worry, if push comes to shove, I'll protect you and them at all costs; you know I would."
Amy leaned into him, nodding.
"Hey mom!" Dimitri called, running over, "can I ride Indy?"
"Not by yourself, kiddo," she said, "he's a bit too much for you to handle right now."
Dimitri looked a little downcast at his mother's words. Riding the gelding was a fascination her had; he always thought it was so cool watching his mother come galloping into the yard.
"Tell you what Dimka," Amy said, laughing at the way her son scowled at his nickname, "you can come riding with me tomorrow, okay?"
Dimitri grinned at her, "Yeah!"
"Momma, what's for dinner?" Thea asked later as Amy set to work preparing their food.
"Food," came the immediate reply.
"What kind of food?"
"Hmmm… food for dinner."
"Yeah… but what is it?"
"You'll see."
"But I wanna know."
"Be patient Thea, you'll know soon enough."
Thea pouted slightly, she hated being patient. A thought suddenly came to her; she remembered something that had peaked her curiosity earlier. "Momma."
"Yes love."
"What does 'making love' mean?"
"Oh yeah!" Dimitri spoke up as Tala began to choke on what he was drinking, "what does it mean, mom?"
"Where… where did you hear that?" Amy asked as Tala stopped coughing and gave her a look of horror.
"Uncle Bryan," the twins responded.
"When he came earlier auntie Sadie said that you two weren't here so he asked if you were off 'doing it'? And then Thea asked what that meant, and Bryan said that it meant you were making love. And when we asked what that meant, auntie Sadie said it was a way to show that you guys loved each other that involves kissing. But we don't quite get what it means," Dimitri explained.
"And you won't understand until you're older," Tala grumbled while thinking, I am going to kill Bryan…
"Oh, dinner's ready!" Amy exclaimed, trying to change the subject, "you two go wash up."
"But you didn't answer the question," Thea argued.
"It's not a topic to discuss at dinner," Amy stated, "now go wash up."
Thea and Dimitri huffed, stalking out of the room towards the ground floor washroom to wash their hands.
Amy sank into the chair beside Tala, "I have no idea what to say to them."
"Let's just hope they forget about it and not bring it up again," Tala said, seriously wanting to kill his best friend.
Amy reached for her drink, taking a sip and then remembering a call she got from Kai earlier. "My brother called today."
"Oh? What did he want?" Tala asked as the twins came racing back into the room.
"Uncle Kai called!? What'd he say, mom? Is he gonna come visit?" Dimtri asked. Kai was one Dimitri's idols since he was the president of a beyblading company.
"Well, for starters he can no longer be mad at us for having kids before we got married," Amy grinned.
Tala broke down laughing, "No, he didn't."
"Oh yeah, and he has no idea how to handle it so he called me up," Amy said, "his girlfriend's nice so I'm happy for him."
"I don't understand, momma," Thea said, playing with her food.
"You two are going to have a little cousin," Tala smiled, "so, how long ago did this happen?"
"She's five months along," Amy said, "and she had an ultrasound yesterday. The doctor's think it's a boy."
"Knowing ruins the fun," Tala stated.
"There is still a fifty-percent they're wrong."
"I still don't understand momma, do the doctor's talk to the stork about what baby to bring?" Thea asked, "and what happens if he does get it wrong?"
Amy snorted into her food. "Don't worry about it, Thea. You'll understand when you're older."
"That's what you always say!" Thea exclaimed with a scowl.
"Thea, stop bugging your mother and eat your dinner," Tala ordered, calmly.
Thea 'hmphed' and then began to eat slowly, glaring slightly at her father.
"Mom, is what auntie Sadie said about the stork true?" Dimitri asked once he had finished eating.
"What about the stork?" Amy asked.
"About it delivering babies. When auntie Brook came to visit we were walking around town and we saw a really fat lady-
"Dimitri!" Tala scolded, "that's not polite!"
"What? It's true!" argued Dimitri, "but auntie Brook said that she was really fat 'cause she was expecting a baby. So, if it's really a stork that brings the babies, why was she so fat?"
Thea wanted to add her own comment, but just continued to eat her dinner; not wanting to bug her mother.
"No. There is no stork," Amy concluded, before adding, "you have to remember your auntie Sadie's from a different culture so they may be kids stories from her home." That was a lie, but how could she explain it otherwise.
"They believe that in Egypt?" Thea asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"I don't know for certain, but it's an idea."
"What's your culture mom? You're not from here like dad, right?" Dimitri asked.
"I don't really have a culture. I was born in Japan, brought here to Russia, then moved to Canada, where I spent most of my life."
"Well, what's it like being from Canada?"
Amy grinned, "It's cow country."
Thea and Dimitri looked at her confused.
"I worked with horses and cows most of the time," explained Amy, "and played music."
"Were you good momma?"
"She was amazing," Tala said, looking at Amy with a familiar look in his eyes.
Amy rolled her eyes, then gave him a look that said, 'what until later.'
"How come you don't play music no more, momma?" Thea asked.
"I sing to you guys, don't I?"
"Yeah… but you don't play music. There's a difference," Dimitri argued as Thea nodded her head ecstatically.
"I haven't played for a long time. The last time I picked up a guitar was long before you two were born." It may have only been two years difference, but it felt like a lot longer time now that she was twenty-two.
Amy got up from the table, clearing away Dimitri's finished plate and letting Tala and Thea finish. "Thea, after dinner I want you upstairs and hear the tub running," she called from the kitchen.
"Aww momma! Do I gotta have a bath?" whined Thea.
"Dimitri had one last night, so yes, you have to have a bath," was the stern reply.
Thea pouted into her dinner as her twin grinned cheekily at her before hopping off his chair and rushing into the 'family' room- AKA living room.
"So," Tala growled gently, trailing his finger up her arm. He kissed her collarbone. "The kids are in bed." He kissed her neck. "What are we going to do?"
Amy grinned, turning on her side so that she was facing him, "I don't know, what are we going to do?"
Tala gave another low, possessive growl, moving so that he was straddling her. "It's been sometime since we've done this… you sure you can still handle me."
"Oh shut up and kiss me," Amy purred.
Tala grinned down at her, about to grant her demand when the door opened a sleep voice said, "Momma…"
Tala let out a exasperated sigh, rolling off Amy, as she sat up, clutching the blanket up to shield her bare skin. "What is it Thea?" she asked, concerned.
"I had a bad dream… can I sleep with you and daddy?" the four, almost five, year old asked.
Tala let out a noticeable groan, earning a sharp jab in the ribcage from Amy's elbow.
"Is daddy okay?" Thea asked.
"It might be best if you didn't sleep with us tonight, baby," Amy said, "your father's not feeling well and I don't want you to catch anything."
"What about you, momma? Won't you get sick?" inquired Thea.
Amy shook her head, "Momma is immune to your father's sickness. Tell you what, you can take Nicol with you, okay? He'll protect you from your scary dreams."
Thea beamed at her mother, it was a rare treat that she would let Nicol sleep in the kids room. "Okay!" she agreed.
"Go on Nic, go with Thea," Amy ordered, jabbing Nicol with her foot to wake him up.
The old dog yawned, seemed to grumble a little, then hopped off the bed, following Thea out of the room.
Tala was back on Amy as soon as the door shut. "We really need to get a lock."
"I'll think about it," Amy murmured before Tala silenced her; kissing her hungrily.
"Hey, Dimka," Thea beckoned, shaking her brother.
"What?" Dimitri groggily asked.
"I think I know what making love means," Thea beamed.
"Really?" Dimitri snapped awake and sat up, eagerly awaiting the answer.
Thea nodded. "I think it's a game that they play."
"That involves kissing?" questioned Dimitri in disgust.
Thea nodded again, "Uh-huh. And the result of the game is that momma becomes immune to all of daddy's sicknesses because his love protects her!"
"Oh! I get it." Dimitri smiled at his sister. "How'd you figure that out?"
"I went into momma and daddy 's room and caught them at it. I don't know why they didn't just tell us."
"Maybe it's a secret game that's different for all mom's and dad's," Dimitri suggested.
"Maybe," Thea agreed as she climbed into bed.
"Night, Thea," Dimitri yawned.
"Night Dimka."
With their mystery 'solved', the twins slipped into an easy slumber.
blackamber- Little do they know... that they are completely wrong.
Amy- Not entirely... I mean for the 'illness' Tala did have...
blackamber- True... and I guess it COULD be considered a game
Amy- Well, there you go. The censored explanation of what making love is.
blackamber- Yes, well done little children (claps)
Tala- R&R