Married; 7 years
Sorry I haven't been on here much, guys! I've been so busy, and it seems like every time I sit down to write, something comes up. But here you go! But I'm out of school now. For good. Until college. I don't know what to do with myself. I'll be writing a lot, so you'll be seeing more of me...I hope. Enjoy - I hope xD
Rapunzel laughed at the wide-eyed little girl that was racing back and forth in their backyard. Playing a game with an imaginary friend named Ella, their little girl was having a big time. Although...she wasn't very little anymore. As a five year old, she was getting way too big and certainly very independent. She'd start kindergarten this fall.
"Sweetie, do you want to help me water the garden?" Rapunzel called, wiping her mucky hands on her jeans. The girl stopped in her tracks, grinning before dashing over to her mother, giggling breathlessly.
"Yeah! When's Daddy coming home?"
Rapunzel smiled. Missy didn't seem to have a preference with her parents, but she certainly kept track of when her father was to come home from work. "He'll be coming home soon, I think. Until then, let's give these plants something to drink, okay?"
"Okay," she nodded, taking the small pink-plastic watering can her mother held out. "I bet they're very thirsty. It's hot out."
"Mhmm," Rapunzel nodded, pointing out the leaves of a tomato plant. "See how withered they get when it's too hot? Plants get droopy when they're thirsty and too hot."
"Kinda like us!" she nodded. She stooped down to inspect a bean plant. "Look how big this is, Mom! It's going to be 'big as me!"
Rapunzel laughed. "I hope not. It'll be like Jack and the Beanstalk then!"
Missy ran back and forth, watering the plants with wild abandon...getting more water in the grass than in the raised garden beds. Rapunzel couldn't muster up even an ounce of tired frustration; she'd go back and water those plants after Missy went inside. And very soon, Missy didlose interest.
"Mom, can I go inside and get my dolls? I'm done with this row!" she called, watching her mother with bright brown eyes. Rapunzel nodded and thanked Missy for her help, and when the child tore inside, she hurried to water the rest of the plants.
Daddy should be coming home soon, I think...Rapunzel glanced towards the nice little white gate and picket fence as she heard the gate latch click. "Missy," she called towards the house. Eugene smiled, putting a finger to his mouth and slipping around to hide beside the rose bushes planted beside the back porch. Yes, it was a nice Friday afternoon and he'd only been gone away at work, but Missy always missed him anyway. Rapunzel nodded at Eugene and grinned, repeating their daughter's name just before she burst through the door.
"What?" she asked, starting to hurry over to Rapunzel. Eugene crept along behind her - quite an amusing scene, the tall man tiptoeing silently behind the young girl. Just before Missy made it to Rapunzel, Eugene let out a yell and grabbed the child from behind, scooping her up and tickling her. She shrieked, but then started giggling and squirming, trying to make him stop. When he finally did, she kissed his cheek, still giggling. "I missed you, Daddy!"
He chuckled. "I missed you too. Both of you," he winked at Rapunzel, and she gave him a teasing eye-roll. Seven years of marriage and he still greeted them that way: after picking up book shipments, he'd missed them. Missy quickly dove into a narration of what she had done while he was at work, and Rapunzel picked up the watering cans and the toys Missy had dropped in her surprise. At the back door of their cozy Victorian home, Rapunzel pried off her filthy, sweaty sneakers - she'd been working in the garden all day - and then set the watering cans down at the doorstep. Eugene made a big fuss out of Missy's dirty hands and grass-stained pants, so she hurried to go change and wash her hands, taking her toys with her.
"Be careful, sweetheart!" Rapunzel shook her head and grinned, watching the girl's long brown hair swish along behind her as she ran up the stairs. "She's something else, isn't she?"
"Mmhmm. I think she gets her energetic personality from her mom, though," he chuckled, "that's definitelynot from me."
She grinned, turning to scrub her hands clean in the kitchen sink. "So how was work today?"
"We haven't hit the busy period quite yet - that'll be pretty soon, though, I'd imagine. We just kind of hung around and rearranged boxes today. It was both infuriatingly boring and a wonderful break," he said, watching her a moment before hugging her from behind. "How was your day, gorgeous?"
She snorted before she could control herself. "If you call sweaty, dirty, and just overall smellygorgeous...you have a very biased opinion. We worked in the garden all day, and I quite honestly don't know how Missy can still be running around like she drank two cups of sugar for breakfast."
Eugene laughed. "Like I said, she's her mother's daughter. But that's an interesting simile. Do you think you're up for a date tonight? Levi offered to come watch Missy."
Rapunzel quirked a brow and turned to look at Eugene quizzically. Date nights had gone out the window with Missy's birth, but she'd honestly hardly even noticed. They still spent plenty of time together, but...still...some time to themselves sounded as wonderful as a glass of cool water on a hot day. Hm...or maybe she was just thirsty after working in the sun. But would Missy be okay with it? Levi had been dubbed "Uncle Levi" and she absolutely adored him - hence why he often came over for supper to see her. However, playing games with Levi while Mom and Daddy were still in the house was entirely different from playing games with Levi while Mom and Daddy were notstill in the house!
"Do you think Missy will be alright with it? I mean...it'd be nice...but I'll have to take a shower and get dinner ready for her, and-" she glanced towards the clock, "what time did you tell him to come over?"
Eugene leaned up against the center counter. "We'll see. I think she'd be alright, but if not, Levi could always text us. I asked him if he could be here around six, so you have a little bit. I can whip up some macaroni and cheese for her while you take a shower, if you want. But if you don't want to, that's fine," he shook his head and watched his wife's face carefully, a small smile playing across his face. "I just thought it would be nice. You're going to chew a hole through your lip if you keep chewing it..." he added.
She stopped chewing her lip and instead squinted her eyes while she thought it through. Finally catching his patient smile - still something she'd never take for granted - she melted a bit. "Alright. But if Missy doesn't take it well, we'll be back home right away. Right?"
"You have my word, princess," he winked, and she rolled her eyes, grinning. She reached up on tiptoe to give him a quick peck on the lips, which he immediately returned.
"Eww, Mom!"
Rapunzel turned towards the voice, blushing and smiling teasingly at her daughter. "Let's remember that disgust at affection when you're fifteen or sixteen, sweetie!" she laughed at her daughter's disgust. "Did you put your dolls away?"
"Yep," she nodded so hard her brown hair, which was sloppily pulled into a ponytail, bobbed. Rapunzel grinned and knelt on the floor, holding her arms out.
"C'mere, let me fix that. Okay?" Missy nodded and sat in front of Rapunzel as she quickly fixed the poor-looking ponytail. "Little Miss, would you be okay if we left you with Levi for a little while this evening? If we went somewhere for awhile?"
"Why?" she asked.
"So Mom and I can go kiss without grossing you out," Eugene joked, pulling the box of macaroni out of the pantry.
Rapunzel laughed. "Dad's awful, isn't he? We'll maybe just eat. He hasn't told me yet."
"It's a surprise?" Missy asked.
"Mmm...maybe. Or maybe he's just being a tease," Rapunzel said. "Would you be alright, staying with Levi? Here, of course, at home. You'd have your toys."
Missy nodded eagerly. "I'll be good, I promise! When's Uncle Levi coming?"
"Around six o'clock," Rapunzel said, surprised at how easily she'd accepted it. "Can you watch the clock and tell me when it's six?"
Missy nodded, running over to the couch and jumping up on it, staring pensively at the clock. Rapunzel turned to frown in mild surprise at Eugene, and he nodded in agreement before helping to her feet.
"It's six o'clock!" Missy screamed, nearly spitting out her mouthful of macaroni to do so. "It's-" she gulped and coughed.
"Don't choke," Rapunzel warned her. "Chew!"
"Where's Uncle Levi?" she asked.
"He'll probably be here soon," Eugene chuckled at his daughter's eagerness. When Levi strode in the door, Missy shot out of her chair, raced over, and hugged his knees.
Levi laughed in surprise, patting the girl's head. "Don't you ever do anything with your kid?"
Eugene grinned. "Apparently not."
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Rapunzel asked. "I don't want to be a bother if you had plans."
Levi shook his head. "My girlfriend is house-sitting for her friend. Maybe this will be prep for when-rather, if - we get married and have kids of our own." He gave a sheepish smile, the type usually accompanied by the mention of his girlfriend of three years.
"Okay," Rapunzel nodded. "If she gets upset or you need anything, you can text either one of us. There's some extra mac and cheese on the stove if you want it. Are you-"
"Go," Levi laughed, waving them both off. "We'll probably play some games after she finishes eating, by the looks of things. Tag? Hide and go seek?" he asked, dropping down to grin at Missy. She nodded eagerly, waving at her parents.
"I'll be good!" she reassured them with a dimpled grin.
They ultimately decided to go to the diner. Nothing huge - their date nights never were - but just right and fun for them. Eugene pulled Rapunzel's chair out for her and then sat across from her at the circular, red table, pausing to take his wife in. Her mid-length brunette hair fell into her face, but she quickly pushed it away to reveal her vivid green eyes and her freckles, which were even more noticeable in the summer. He realized she hadn't physically changed very much since they'd first met; only now, he could see trust and openness in her eyes. She jiggled her leg beneath the table until Eugene noticed - how could he not, with the whole table jumping around - and nudged her foot gently with his own shoe.
"If you want to head home, we can," he chuckled. "Levi hasn't texted, has he?"
"No," she gave him a sheepish grin. "Maybe I have more separation anxiety than I expected Missy to have!"
He chuckled. "What's the matter? Worried or just not used to it?"
She shrugged, nibbling her lip. "I don't know. It just doesn't feel quite right. Most parents would probably be happy for a break! You probably think I'm nuts!"
He grinned and reached to tuck her hair behind her ears. "No. It does feel weird, doesn't it?"
She nodded, and their conversation stilled as a waitress came to take their order. As they ate, she pulled her phone out to ask Levi how Missy was doing. While she kept checking her phone for a return message, Eugene watched her, his head cocked slightly. Finally, he chuckled to himself.
"Am I that terrible-looking that you can't even look at me, gorgeous?" he teased.
Her eyes flickered as she remembered how he'd teased her gently, in this manner, when she was so scared of her adoptive mother coming for her. She laughed and set her phone aside. "Jealous of your own daughter, handsome?"
"Never," he threw back and winked, glancing at the phone as soon as it vibrated. "But what's his response?"
"Mmhmm, you're as nosy as I am!" she teased. "He says she couldn't care less, and...we don't have to be the over-attached, obsessive parents we're turning out to be."
He covered his mouth so he didn't laugh with his mouth full. "Alright. He's got a point," he said after he'd gulped, thinking fast to change the subject. "How have your paintings been selling? You haven't spoken much about them lately."
She shrugged one shoulder. "Same as always. One person asked me if I would commission work for their entire household. I'm just not entirely sure if I should accept or not - they just emailed me this morning, though; said I'd have a week to let them know."
"They seem kinda pushy to me - I mean, shouldn't you be giving them a time frame for response? How many paintings are they asking for?"
Rapunzel nodded in agreement. "That's what I was thinking. I didn't do any painting work today - that's partly why, and partly because the garden needed tending to anyway. They want between ten and twenty paintings, ranging between my small and my large canvas sizes. It's a very large house, and it's wonderful of them to ask me. I suppose I should be honored."
"It'll give you something to do once Little Miss goes to kindergarten this fall," Eugene mentioned, mustering up a small smile. He wasn't ready for that day. He wasn't ready for his little girl to grow up - yeah, kindergarten wasn't growing up, but it certainly felt like it.
"I suppose," she nodded. "It would be a paycheck, too; that's for sure. Oh, geez, I'm not ready for Missy to go! I just want to keep her cuddled up in my arms forever."
He laughed. "Me too. But oh my, she probably would have nothing of our cuddling. She's a big girl now, she says. No more sitting on my lap for the sake of being close, or falling asleep on my chest on the couch. I guess it's been years since she fell asleep on my chest, though," he sighed.
Rapunzel nodded. "When she was just a teensy thing. I miss that."
He crumpled up his burger wrapper, watching Rapunzel carefully. He hadn't planned on bringing it up yet for awhile, and certainly not on their date night, but what better time? "Do you think we should expand our little family?"
She glanced up, surprised. Certainly, after their marriage, they'd decided that they would have at least two kids, but they'd been so focused on Missy that she hadn't seen that happening. "It would be nice to have someone to run after once Missy goes to school and you're both gone for part of the day," she said. In fact, the idea of having another tiny baby to take care of sounded absolutely perfect. She tried to hold back the grin tugging at her mouth.
"I see that grin coming," he teased. "Have you thought about it much? Personally, I've been chewing on the idea for a little while, but I didn't know when to bring it up."
"Same here," she nodded. "After I realized that our little girl was outgrowing my arms."
He gave a sad smile of sorts. "She needs to stop growing."
Rapunzel nodded. "Mmhmm. But don't tell her that. She'd vehemently disagree with you. Before I start bawling over her getting too big, how has the new manuscript been coming along?"
Eugene groaned. He'd begun the fourth book in his mystery series, but the characters did not want to cooperate. "I think Ms. Main Character ran away and took my brain with her. She probably left with Mr. Supporting Character. I'm about to file a missing-organ-report with the police or something," he joked, grinning when Rapunzel rewarded him with a laugh.
"Have you tried making a playlist of songs to help you get in the writing mood?" she asked. He did so once in awhile, in order to jog his mind into thinking like his main characters.
Shaking his head, he stuffed one last handful of fries in his mouth before answering. "See, I told you my brain went missing. I haven't yet, no."
They stayed out talking until nine o'clock, and then walked home. Rapunzel stayed tucked underneath his arm, yawning tiredly. She was tired, yes, but it was a happy sort of tired.
"Thank you," she glanced up at him with a smile.
"For...?" he asked, furrowing his brows but giving her a confused grin in return.
"Tonight, silly," she laughed. "I'll be happy to get back to Missy, but tonight was a lot of fun."
"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," he kissed her forehead. When they got back to their home, Levi was on the couch, watching the tail end of the latest animated movie. Missy was fast asleep on the other side of the couch, her hands clutching her favorite stuffed animal.
"Thanks," Eugene said quietly to Levi after they entered. "How was she?"
"An energetic angel," he laughed quietly. "She only asked once when you were coming home."
Once Levi left and Missy was carried up to her room and tucked in, Eugene gave Rapunzel a teasing smile. "Told you she'd be fine."