Umbreon! C'mon, we're leaving!" I heard Umbreon barking through the house while I hang my purse over my shoulder and grabbed my almost year-old son in my arms. In no time, mine and Octavian's loyal black labrador of 7 years was next to me, with his leash in his mouth. I smirked and attached it to his collar before walking out the door.
It's been almost six years since Octavian and I got married. It's been almost six years that we spent it creating the family we always wanted. But the family expanded. With Caesar going to school of medicine, we had the time and the space to raise kids of our own. In a way. First, little Isabel that came to us when she was an year and a half. She quickly grew attached to Octavian and she couldn't go to sleep without him telling her a story. Her favorite? Three Little Piggies.
A few months ago, the family got bigger again with the welcome of Adrian. Isabel couldn't fill more excitement in her tiny body that she was a big sister and she helped in everything she could. Mainly, taking care of Umbreon when we couldn't. But, she also looks after Adrian when I'm showering or gets me his milk when he's hungry. She acts more like a nanny and not like the jealous sister I was expecting. And, to be honest, I was perfectly fine with being disappointed in that thought.
Umbreon did also did his share. Since we enrolled Isabel in a nursery half the time, so she wouldn't get troubles when she starts preschool, Umbreon would watch Adrian in his crib like a hawk, especially if I'm on the phone or cooking in the kitchen. And, if Adrian even moves from his slumber, he pokes his nose inside and finds out gently what's wrong. Seconds later, he comes to find me. It's like if the kids were his puppies as well.
We've come a long way since Camp...
"Mommy, Mommy!" I could see Isabel running my way and I greet her with a smile. Umbreon barks and wiggles his tail before licking Isabel's face when she's close enough, making her squirm and giggle "Umbreon!" she complained, making Umbreon bark.
"Ready to go home, princess?" I offered her my free hand. You'd think is hard to handle two kids and a dog, but the fact that the dog is walking my eldest child don't worries me. I watched as Umbreon stops at the corners, looking both sides before crossing. Umbreon sometimes reminds me more of a person with physical disabilities than a dog.
"-and then, Ms. Howard told us that we should make a drawing about our families and I draw you, and Daddy, and Uncle Caesar, and Umbreon and Adrian!" Isabel explained to me once we walked through the front door. I smiled at her as I left my purse down "Do you wanna see, Mommy?"
"Of course I want to see, princess!" I admitted to her, sitting down on the couch, Adrian on my hip/lap. He was kind of sleep, which surprised me because he had a long nap after lunch. Isabel quickly pulled out a careful folded paper from her backpack and showed it to me. I was impressed by the amazing amount of details and the colors in it. It looked like something I'd had drawn when I was her age "Isabel, this is gorgeous..." I complimented her, with a smile. She smiled proudly back.
"This is you-" she pointed at one doodle with a big a amount of red curls, which I assumed it was me "-and you're holding Adrian" In one of my arms, I had a small baby "Here's Daddy, with Umbreon and Uncle Caesar and this is me!" she finished, pointing at one doodle inside the draw of a house that was waving. Adrian decided that he either liked it or that he wanted attention, because he started to tap his tiny hand on the drawing.
"This is beautiful, princess... You know what? We should put this in the fridge so Daddy can see it when he gets home..." Isabel's eyes lit up and ran towards the fridge to place her drawing with magnets.
"There! Now, when Daddy comes back, he'll see it!" she announced, as if it was her idea. I chuckled and rocked Adrian in my arms before dinner.
~oOo~
Dinner time passed without nothing remarkable. It was a quiet family dinner, like always that Octavian was on trip. I smiled as I helped Isabel eat, trying to make her eat before Octavian call. It was like a tradition that he'd call after dinner, to wish Isabel good night. When the phone rang, she was the one running to it.
"I answer! I answer!" she yelled across the house, Umbreon behind her barking. I chuckled at her behavior and I seriously couldn't repress the smile off my face when she answered the phone "Hi, Daddy!" That was it. No asking 'who is it?', nothing like it. Isabel knew when her Daddy was calling "I'm great, Daddy!" I walked to her, Adrian in my arms, bouncing him lightly to make him sleep "Ms. Howard made us make a draw! I placed it on the fridge so you can see it!" While Isabel told Octavian about his day, I heard some drops of water hit the roof. Great, it was gonna rain today... "Daddy, when you're coming home?" she asked, with that pout that Octavian could never resist. If only he could see it... "OK, love you Daddy. See you tomorrow!" she said goodbye, before handing me the phone.
"Alright, missy. Teeth, pjs and bed. I'll be there in a second" Isabel nodded and rushed to her room, Umbreon behind her. Only then, I placed the phone by my ear "Octavian?"
"Hi, baby" Gods, that voice will ever melt me! I smiled and blushed to myself "How are things over there?"
"Good... You should see how great artist our daughter is..." I beamed, proudly. And hearing him chuckle was even better.
"She got them from you. Seriously" he stated. Suddenly, a lightning was heard in the distance, making me wince the phone away from me "Rach?"
"S-sorry, um... There was a lightning..." I explained.
"Rain?" he asked and I sighed. I didn't have to tell him how terrified I was "Don't worry, love. I'll be there in the morning, I promise"
"I know you will... I love you"
"I love you too, Rach... Sleep well" he greeted goodbye and I finished the call, Adrian's eyelids closing. Sighing again, I walked back to the kitchen and cleaned the dishes, which was a little complicated with one hand less. When I finished, I took Adrian to his room that, for now, was mine and Octavian's. I placed the sleepy boy in his crib and let him sleep while I was checking on Isabel.
"Ready to sleep, princess?" Isabel was dressed in her green pjs with images of fairies and shook her head "Isabel..."
"There's thunder out there..." she muttered. Like me, Isabel was afraid of the thunders and lightnings during storms.
"Don't worry, princess... Nothing will happen to you" I promised, sitting next to her in bed "You wanna sleep with Augustus?" Augustus, the raccoon, turned into a family heirloom. It passed from Octavian to Caesar to Isabel.
"And, Umbreon?" Umbreon leaned down by her bed feet, like a rag, as if he was saying 'I'm not moving from here'.
"He's staying here... Good night, princess. Sleep well..." I whispered, kissing her forehead.
"Good night, Mommy. Dream with Daddy" she mumbled, before falling asleep. I stroked her hair before leaving to my room, yawning of tiredness.
~oOo~
No matter how much I turned around in the bed, I couldn't sleep. The rain and the thunders didn't help to my desires of sleep, so I ended up looking at the ceiling, between the frustration and the tiredness. Gods, I was counting the hours until Octavian was home... Suddenly, a bright lightning was followed by a loud thunder. I sat up, panting. Especially, when I heard a loud squeak coming from Isabel's room.
"Mommy! Mommy!" I heard her coming to my room, her little feet colliding with the floor. The door opened and she climbed into my bed, hugging Augustus closer to her "Mommy..." she repeated. I sighed and hugged her closer to me "I'm scared, Mommy..."
"It's OK, princess..." I kissed her forehead, rocking her in my lap "I'm here and nothing will happen to you-"
"I'm not scared for me, Mommy" she surprised me. I looked down at her, frowning "I'm scared for Daddy..."
"Scared for Daddy?" I asked her back, moving her hair away from her face "Why, princess?"
"Because he told me he was gonna drive all night to be here in the morning" she told me. I closed my eyes, hoping Octavian was smart enough not to do that, saving me from worrying all night "What if something happens to him..?"
"Nothing will happen to him, princess..." I promised her, tucking her in my bed. She looked at me, serious "Daddy is always protected..."
"Why?" she questioned me, hugging poor Augustus closer to her chest.
"Because the gods look after Daddy..." Octavian and I hadn't had the talk if we should tell Isabel about the gods or not. I'm sure we'll have it soon. Isabel nodded and watched me check on Adrian, before coming back to her. I leaned down with her, stroking her hair until she fall asleep "Yeah... The gods will look after him..." I sighed.
"You don't sound very hopeful..." I raised up from bed and gaped at the person who was standing by the door. I got up and walked to him and hugged him tight, not minding that I was getting slightly wet and cold because of the raindrops "Gods, I missed you..." I shook my head, holding back the tears of happiness. It was something I couldn't help it, everytime he was away, it was like a part of me was leaving with him, as corny as it sounds.
"I missed you too..." I mumbled against his chest, before chuckling. He pulled back slightly and frowned at me "Nothing, just... Go take a shower before you get a cold..." He chuckled and kissed me before walking inside the shower. Sighing, I went back to bed, waiting for him. Isabel was still asleep, which I prefer it. I played with her hair, smiling.
"Done..." he appeared back, drying his hair with a towel, that he discarded later in the laundry basket. He crawled in bed and behind me, not only hugging me, but also hugging Isabel "Is good to be home..."
"I'm glad you're home..." I recognized, finally being able to sleep, feeling safe in his arms.
The morning will be filled with happy reunions...
silverhuntresses wanted to add her bit of fluff.