"So you saw all these animals in Eden, Mommy?"
Eve was sitting in front of little Abel and Jumella, who sat on top of fur blankets.
To her right, Aclima was sewing.
Adam had taken Cain out hunting.
They had been gone for most of the day.
"I was never little," Eve quickly responded to her daughter's query before contemplating, "well I was but not like you two. I was once your father's rib."
"What's a rib?", Abel asked curiously.
To which Eve explained, "A bone in your tummy."
Aclima walked up to Abel's side, a playful smirk on her face.
The teenager pointed at the side of the boy's stomach, "Yep, just like this…"
She began tickling Abel, who fell over laughing.
Jumella rushed to her twin's defense.
She tickled Aclima on her side.
Aclima fell on her back, leaving her helpless to the assault by her younger siblings.
Eve smiled as her eldest cried out, "Ah, Mama, help! They're ganging up on me!"
Once they all settled down, Aclima and the little ones were cuddled up together under the fur blankets.
Jumella spoke, "So, you came out of Daddy's body, Mommy?"
Eve nodded.
"Like we came out of your body?"
A pause.
The twins looked at her with curiosity while Aclima looked indifferent, having already learned the answer.
"Not, it was…different," Eve spoke before looking directly at her youngest daughter, "you'll learn when you're older."
A chorus of "Good night, Mama/Mommy"'s occurred.
Eve looked upon her children with adoration then kissed each of them on the forehead.
"Good night, sweethearts."
…
The sun was setting.
Eve sat, pondering, waiting at the entrance to the hut.
The story of her origins had awakened many of her early memories, both the wonderful and the…secrets.
The secrets she would take to the grave. What Adam could never know.
She heard the sound of little feet stepping closer and closer.
Eve closed her eyes and sighed, "What are you doing up, little girl?"
"I want to wait up for Daddy."
Eve turned around to see Jumella, her eyes clearly struggling to remain open.
"You'll see Daddy in the morning."
She stretched out her arm, pointing in the opposite direction.
"Back to bed, Jumella."
"I'm not t-tired," Jumella said in between yawns.
The child gave her mother a pleading look, "Please, Mommy…"
Eve let out a sigh, gesturing for Jumella to approach.
Jumella grinned.
The girl went over to Eve.
Eve picked up her daughter.
She rolled her eyes as Jumella let out a large yawn as she settled down in her lap.
Together, they would sit and wait.
Within a scant few minutes, Eve heard the sound of snoring.
Eve looked down to see her youngest sound asleep in her lap.
She let out a soft chuckle.
Gently ruffled the girl's hair.
…
It was moonlight out.
Jumella still lay sleeping in her mother's arms.
Eve stirred as she heard footsteps approach.
Adam and Cain had returned.
Bearing their kills on their back.
Cain smirked down at his little sister.
He kissed his mother on the cheek and headed inside the hut.
The tired expression on Adam's face evaporated when he saw his daughter.
He set down his kills on the ground.
And sat down next to his wife.
Adam and Eve exchanged a smile as he gently caressed Jumella's head.
Jumella stirred slightly.
Her left eye opened.
The barest twinge of a smile shown on her face.
Eve rested her head on Adam's shoulder.
Husband and wife sat in the moonlight, with their youngest nestled between them.
Author's Note:
Just a little moment with the first family before everything went to…you know.
Next chapter will be about Eve's creation (as well as Lute's).
Also planning a two-shot story for Father's Day (one chapter set in Heaven, the other in Hell).