June 1925
They're all in the library when Sybbie and Matt march in looking purposeful. Once they've got the adults' attention, though, the children seem not to know where to begin.
"Yes, darlings?" Cora says. Tom thinks she shouldn't reward their bursting into tea like this, but then she's always indulged them.
Matt, the shyer one, makes a little urging gesture at his cousin. Sybbie lifts her chin. "Da, Aunt Mary, we want to speak wif you." Tom will feel a little sad when her lisp finally disappears.
Mary places her teacup in its saucer and turns toward the children; Tom perches on the sofa beside her. They exchange glances: obviously this is important business. "What is it, love?" He asks his daughter.
She approaches, stopping a short distance in front of them and clasping her hands before her as if for a recitation. "We would like a baby sister, please." Matt pulls on her sleeve and whispers into her ear. "Matt says a bruvver would be all right wif him." With difficulty Tom keeps the smile off his face, but he can't prevent his eyes from sparkling. Sybbie eyes him with suspicion. "I'm serious, Da."
He doesn't dare look at Mary. "Of course you are. My love, I'm afraid we can't help you there."
"Why can't you? Gladys Moore has got a baby sister. Why can't we have one as well?" Tom hears a strange sound to his left: without looking, he knows it's Edith suppressing a fit of giggles.
He sidesteps. "Maybe if you ask Gladys very nicely the next time you go to play with her, she'll share with you."
"She won't," Sybbie pouts. "She said I mightn't play wif the baby."
"But the baby's awfully new," Tom points out. "Gladys will probably get tired of her soon enough. And then she'll let you." Sybbie considers this: Tom can see her looking for holes in his logic.
Mary steps in to sweeten the deal. "It's so tiresome having to deal with a baby sister all the time. This way you'll only see her when you want to. And you won't have to share your toys."
That clinches it. Sybbie nods, satisfied. She and her cousin turn as one and stride out of the library as determinedly as they came in, and their parents can finally laugh.
AN: Thanks for reading! More to come.