Double Trouble

I rocked both girls in my arms as Ila slept. It had been almost a month since the twins were born and Ila had gotten next to no sleep. She was exhausted, but I knew she was too scared to take her eyes off of the babies. Father had retreated away and we all knew he was never coming back, but it was hard not to worry. It took a lot of arguing to get Ila to nap, but finally exhaustion won and she was asleep in seconds. Mother had offered to help me but I wanted to be alone with the girls. Ila had fed the girls already and they were freshly cleaned. They were identical and we had not named them yet, so keeping track of who was who was hard. The one in my left arm was fast asleep, while the one in my right arm was awaking and looking around.

"Hi there, you are curious aren't you?" I asked her.

I put the sleeping twin in the cradle and sat with the other. I jiggled her on my lap and watched as a little smile slipped on her face. Mother said they would not smile for real for a few more weeks and that any smile now would not be real, but I did not care. She grabbed some strands of my hair and pulled as I leaned my face over hers to give her a kiss.

"You've got a strong grip." I told her.

"She really likes you." Mother said as we ate later that night.

"I would hope so, she is my daughter." I replied as I held Evi.

Ila and I had decided on the names Evi and Adah for our daughters. We had a few other names that we really liked, but these names seemed fitting for the new world. Adah had definitely created a special bond with Ila and Evi seemed to connect with me. They did both love Ila since she was the one who could feed them.

"Can you take Adah Shem?" Ila asked me.

I took the baby from her arms. She adjusted her dress and took the bowl of soup Mother was offering her. I put both babies on the mat in front of me and began to eat as well.

"Can I hold one of the babies?" Japheth asked after our meal.

"You have to be very careful and make sure to support her head." Ila said as she placed Adah in his arms.

He held her carefully and gently. Adah was awake but she did not mind not being in her mother's arms.

"Look how big you look!" Mother exclaimed.

"Mother he is ten, stop treating him like a baby." I told her.

"Do not speak to your mother like that." Ila scolded me.

"Thank you Ila." She said to Ila before turning back to me. "And you have no authority telling me how to raise my son."

"He is a man Mother, I think it is about time I teach him how to build and how to wield an ax. One day he may need to build himself a house." I told her. "How does that sound Japheth?"

He nodded eagerly while Mother and Ila shot me dirty looks.