14
It was a blustery and wet night in late March. The entire week had been raw and cold, wet snow changing to driving rain and back again. Tonight it was pouring rain.
Victor and Victoria were snug in their room, tucked up in bed. The lamp was burning low on the bedside table and the fire was crackling. Lydia was snug in her cradle beside the bed. She was very nearly too long for it already. She slept flat on her back with her arms splayed as wide as they could get in the cradle. Her breathing whistled through her nose. Victor found it a sweet and comforting sound.
Victor was reading the latest issue of the journal he subscribed to, while Victoria lay beside him with one arm flung over her eyes. Not unlike the way the baby was sleeping, actually.
As he set the magazine aside and reached to put out the lamp, the cover date caught his eye. He thought for a moment, then reached over to prod Victoria gently in the arm. She shifted a little.
"Do you know what last week was?" he asked in a whisper.
"Which week?" Victoria whispered back sleepily.
"Last week."
There was a long pause. "No," she whispered at last. "What was last week?"
"Our wedding anniversary."
Victoria lifted her arm and blinked at him. "Our anniversary?"
"Yes, I'm fairly certain," he said, looking at the magazine again. Now he was second-guessing himself. He wasn't always the best with remembering dates and occasions, but he'd never had much trouble remembering his wedding date. Though time had done strange things since Liddie had been born, not to mention the strange things helping to care for an infant had done to his brain and memory. Though he really didn't think he was mistaken...
Victoria rolled over to face him, propping herself up on an elbow. "No, surely not," she told him. "I wouldn't have forgotten."
"I don't suppose I would have, either," he replied. "But we've been-"
"Nnnnnnnn!" came a sharp cry from the cradle. Victor and Victoria froze, staring at Liddie. The blankets rustled as she fidgeted and sighed. "Ack."
Then nothing else. Victoria leaned over to check, staring for a long moment, then nodded to him. Victor quickly put out the light, as silently as possible. Quietly they arranged themselves under the covers. The fire was dying down. Liddie's nose was whistling again.
After a moment Victoria reached for him in the dark. "You're quite right," she whispered. "About the date. I'm sorry I forgot our anniversary."
"I'm sorry I forgot our anniversary," he replied. "Goodness knows you've had enough to think about lately."
He pulled her in close, putting his face to her hair. He listened to his baby daughter breathe, and felt his wife's heartbeat against his chest. "Is it too late to...well. You know."
"Mark the occasion?" she whispered, a grin in her tone. Victor went warm. "Too late at night, or too long after our anniversary?"
"Either. Both."
Victoria snuggled in, giving him a breathy kiss on the earlobe. "No," she said.
"Shall we go to my room?"
They took another long listen. Liddie didn't stir, and her breathing was deep and even.
"Yes," said Victoria. "Let's."
15
"Ow!" Victor cried in mock pain as Liddie tugged his hair and cackled. "My goodness, you're too strong! Let go, let go!"
"Eeeee!" Lydia squealed. She gave one more tug, then let him loose. Victor ran his hand through his hair. It was getting rather damp and sticky. They'd been playing this game for a while now.
Victor loved this time of day. Liddie had been fed and bathed and was about to be put to bed. He sat in the armchair by the nursery window with Liddie on his lap while Victoria dressed for dinner in the next room. These few minutes before bedtime were Victor's special time with his daughter. It was the only time he was ever alone with her.
Every night he tried to read her a book. Every night she wanted to rough-house. Victor had been surprised to learn that baby girls liked to rough-house. Or perhaps his unruly bangs were just too tempting for grabby little fingers.
And she was strong for a nearly one-year-old. And so tall! When she stood on his lap, as she was now, Victor actually had to look up at her a little. She was grinning a gummy grin, her huge eyes bright. Little white nubs of soon-to-be teeth peeped from the middle of her bottom gums.
Victor held her firmly under the arms and lifted her into the air, making her squeal again. On the way back down to his lap he pressed his nose to hers.
"Da," said Lydia, slapping gently at his cheeks. Then not so gently.
"Ouch!" Victor cried, not entirely joking this time. "Gentle, Liddie." And he sat her on his lap again, gently pushing her swatting hands from his face.
"Da. Da ha!" Liddie cried. She said this just about every evening when they played. Victor had translated it loosely as "Father's hair," and it appeared to be a warning that she was about to grab him by the bangs again. He was right.
She gripped fistfuls of his hair and tugged his face down to hers to press noses again. Victor laughed.
"Oh, you like nose kisses?" he asked her, brushing his nose against hers. Liddie giggled. Then, with strength that surprised him, she rammed her nose into his in a move that was nearly a head-butt. Something in one of their noses crunched.
"Gentle, Liddie," he said, sounding congested. He could feel Liddie's warm milk breath on his face as she gave his hair a yank.
"Ow!" Victor cried, startled. It was no joke at all this time. "Lydia. No."
"Eeee!" squealed Liddie, having the time of her life. "Da ha!"
Victor, gently as he could and grimacing in pain, tried to pry her fists open. How was a baby girl this strong? She still had her face pressed to his, but her nose had migrated to his cheek.
"Lydia!" he said, deeply and sternly as he could. He could feel a few hairs popping free of his scalp. "That hurts, let go. Stop!"
"EEEEEE!"
"Is everything all right?" came Victoria's voice. He tried to turn to look at her, but Liddie held him fast. "What are you doing?"
"Da ha!" Liddie answered for him, roughly dragging her nose across his. Again came that crunching sound.
"Oh Liddie," said Victoria. "Unhand your father. Come to Mama."
Victoria plucked Lydia off of Victor's lap and held her on one hip. Victoria's belly, rounded slightly with Liddie's future sibling, was evident beneath her dinner dress. Her hair was only half-up. She'd have to be careful. Victor first rubbed his scalp, then made sure his nose wasn't bleeding.
"Are you all right?" Victoria asked, amused. Liddie was grinning hugely, twining one hand into Victoria's hair. This girl loved hair. Victor grinned back, then tweaked Liddie's nose.
"Perfectly," he replied. He was still grinning as he watched Victoria carry Liddie to her cot. Liddie's small hand, he noticed, was making a fist in her mother's hair. Oh dear, he thought, heaving himself out of the chair. He was quite sure Victoria was not prepared for a round of "Da Ha." Unfortunately, he wasn't quite fast enough.
"There you are, my darling," Victoria said. "Let's set you in your-ouch! Lydia! Ouch! Let go! Victor! Help!"