Chapter 2: And Then There Were Four (sons, that is)
England was still inwardly seething at his cousin's callous treatment of little Canada as he carried the boy into the foyer. Poor Canada rested his little head weakly on his new father's shoulder. Every once in a while, he hiccuped and drew a deep breath. England asked him quietly, "Are you hungry, pet?"
"Oui," the little chap responded. "Yes."
"Well, let's go get you some breakfast," England replied. "Would you like some toast with butter and jam?"
"Oui, s'ilvous plait,"* Canada replied. England was glad that he could understand French. He carried Canada into the kitchen, where he was greeted by Iggy.
"One slice of toast or two?" Iggy asked softly, opening the bread box.
"Start with one, and then if he's still hungry, we'll make him another," England told Iggy quietly. He had a feeling that the little fellow's stomach couldn't handle much at one time. Iggy put a slice of bread in the toaster while England poured Canada a glass of milk. Meanwhile, little Canada sat silently at the kitchen table, squinting as though he was not used to bright light.
"Matthew*, this is your brother Arthur," England told him. Iggy waved and smiled kindly at Canada.
"Bonjour, Arthur," Canada said in a tiny voice. Iggy was about to respond when America came running into the kitchen.
"Daddy, Peter's awake," America cried. "I heard him crying in his room." England sighed and rubbed his forehead. He really missed his wife right now... she would have been perfect in a situation like this.*
"Right," he said quietly. "Thank you, Alfred."
"I'll go get him, Dad," Iggy called over his shoulder as he turned in the direction of eight month old Sealand's room. England hurriedly began making Sealand a bottle of formula. Meanwhile, America marched right up to Canada and sat down next to him at the table.
"Hi," America said to Canada. "Are you okay?" Canada looked up at him, a little startled.
"Matthew, this is your brother Alfred," England said to Canada as he lifted the bottle from the pan of hot water on the stove top*.
"Hi, Alfred," Canada said, squinting at him.
"What's wrong?" America asked, looking concerned. "Are your eyes hurting that you're doing them all funny like that?" Canada nodded. It was then that Iggy returned carrying baby Sealand.
"Thank you, son," England told him. He took Sealand from Iggy and crossed the hallway to the living room. As he sat in his favorite armchair and fed Sealand his bottle, he thought, "Poor little chap... it's going to get better now, I promise..." He could hear Iggy and America talking quietly to Canada, and he was glad that they had welcomed the new member of the family so quickly and without question.
It wasn't long before Sealand finished his formula. England sat him up and burped him. Sealand uttered a loud belch and then exclaimed proudly, "Aphblglsthbbb." "That's right," England said in a squeaky voice as he changed the pudgy baby's diaper, "that's right, and you need a new nappy too". Iggy entered the living room just as England was putting Sealand in his playpen.
"What else can I do to help you, Dad?" Iggy asked him. England thought for a minute... let's see... what did Canada need?
"Why don't you go pull out the rollaway in Alfred's room, so Matthew has a place to sleep?" England answered. "It needs sheets on it... and a blanket and pillow too. Get Alfred to help you. I'm going to give that poor child a bath and wash his hair."
"He sure needs it too," Iggy said. He was quiet for a minute, then he suddenly said, "Dad, how did she land up like that? I mean, your... Matthew's... her," He looked angry. "How could anyone be like that?"
"I don't know, son," England replied, sighing. "She's... not quite altogether in her right mind." Iggy looked sad for a moment, then he briskly turned around and went back to the kitchen with England right behind him.
"Look, Daddy!" America exclaimed as England came back into the kitchen area. "Matthew's eyes don't hurt when he puts my glasses on!" Canada was still seated beside him, grinning sweetly, and wearing America's glasses. It was just as England suspected... the boy squinted because his eyesight was poor. England chuckled, for it was now America who was squinting up at him.
"What are you going to do now, though?" England asked him, ruffling his sandy hair. "You look like you can't see very well yourself."
America shrugged. "I'll just wear my old ones. I can see out of them, I really can."
"We will get Matthew his own glasses soon," England answered. "Now, Matthew, would you like a nice warm bath and a hair wash?" Canada nodded. "Right, then," England continued. "Come with me."
"Alfred, can you come help me with something?" Iggy said to his little brother. America nodded, jumped down from his chair and ran after him.
Footnotes:
*1. I've included some simple French seeing that it is spoken in Canada, but I am not fluent or conversational in French, so there won't be any more than that.
2. England has opted to use the English Matthew instead of the French Mathieu... but remember the latter, there's something to it...
3. Not sure exactly who or what England's wife would be, but he is widowed, and recently so.
4. I feel like England is old-fashioned enough to use glass baby bottles and cloth nappies, hence the warming the bottle in a pan of water on the stove.
And one last note: I realize that my Arthur/Iggy is a lot softer than the Hetalia one, but he is a lot younger too (I imagine him as a preteen or young teenager here). Also, I wasn't entirely clear in my first chapter that "Marianne" is based on SatW France. Hetalia France will make an appearance soon, I promise...