Haha! I have returned! I've had this written up for a couple of weeks, but getting time to type it up? No!
Let me know if I've missed any reviews:
To Riordanlover16- Don't worry. Estelle's going to inform Santa ;) Overalls that double as a baby carrier? Genius! XD
To Bdarwin85 (Chapter 1)- I've had a few more since then as well! I've just been blocking/reporting them, but I swear you can't go anywhere without scammers now D:
To valdeznation- NANA ASSHOLE! XP
To Chicken Stewww- (Chapter 23) Lots of love! XD (Chapter 29) He's fiiiiiiinnneee, totally fine! O:) (Chapter 30) You can hate Luke all you like in this version because it's not technically him, it just looks like him :P And I had to make another one because I'm evil. Some things can't be helped :3 (Chapter 31) He's only ded a little bit. Little bit. Itty bitty tiny little bit. Yay to glasses, they're underrated! (Chapter 33) Gotta get them sea puns in! Thank you! I'm rather proud of this story, it feels more involved than stuff I've done in the past and I know I'm usually delayed in updates now, but I am enjoying writing it (when I get five bloody minutes :( ) Louisa would tear canon apart if she was in the actual books, just for funsies XD And finally... (Chapter 35) Honestly? A heckton of practise and drafting, plus reading all sorts of things and making notes of words/phrases/sentences I like. I've been writing since I was seven. That's two decades of jibberish now, but I've learned so much! I like to read characters that feel like actual people, so that's how I try to write them. I like the big, fantastic chapters that sit with you forever and ever, but I also like the little chapters that make things feel like real life. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I am so THRILLED this story has had such amazing feedback, I honestly can't believe it!
Louisa scanned the apartment, pursing her lips as her suspicions grew.
Everyone had left her.
Leo had dashed out early, as he had done for the last week or so. Whatever project he was working on was big and time-consuming. She only saw him in the evenings, fighting to stay awake long enough to eat his dinner.
But her parents? She knew for a fact Jessica had the day off and that check-up appointments at the opticians didn't take five hours. Not unless her eyes had fallen out of her head.
Harvey had booked annual leave at the school, though had yet to spend a single second longer than he had to at home. He had vague 'errands' to run when Louisa had asked him his plans for his week off.
And Storm! Out most of the day 'exploring' and 'kicking ass' without her rider. Louisa was sure she was lying, clearly in on whatever was going on. On the off chance she wasn't lying, it was just plain rude not to invite Louisa along to a good ass-kicking.
Suspicious, the lot of them.
So, for the ninth day in a row, her only company was her beloved dribble monster and a small automaton dragon that had recently discovered the joy of chewing shoes.
Bradley was in his bouncy chair, cooing. He had figured out how to bounce himself, laughing to the point he was breathless and red in the face.
"You'll make yaself sick," Louisa warned him, stopping the chair with her foot. Bradley stared at her, flapping his arms in protest. "You will," she persisted. "Don't think I can't see what you're doin', mister. This is all a sneaky ploy for extra bathtime."
Bradley burbled, legs kicking excitedly. 'Bathtime' was one of his favourite words.
Louisa distracted him with his octopus toy, a leg of which he scooped into his mouth, curled around his fist. He recognised a few words now. Mama. Papi. Nana. Bathtime. Bottle. They had moved him onto a bottle, the bridge between milk and solid food. While Louisa still got to feed him, she missed feeding him herself. Once she had gotten used to it, she had enjoyed his feeds, a special moment of peace between them.
He was coming up to seven-months-old now. Where had that time gone? That tiny tiny creature she had first held on the bathroom floor could now roll over on his own and was beginning to sit up unassisted, even if he did tip over after a few seconds.
She sat back, folding her arms.
Seven months since he was born. Nearly ten months since she had come home.
She frowned. Had it really been ten months? Had it only been ten months?
So much had changed in that time, so much more than ten months should have held.
Her gaze landed on Lil' Beastie. The dragon crooned and lifted her head, staring back.
Good changes. It was all good changes.
She couldn't wait to marry Leo. Only nine days to go. She was due to try her dress on that afternoon, which would allow Piper and Hazel a week to make any amendments.
This coming week felt too long. Longer than the ten months gone, that was for sure.
Lil' Beastie yipped, jumping down from the armchair. She sniffed Louisa's knee, then Bradley's feet. He watched her curiously, now munching on Octopus's head. Lil' Beastie whirred and spewed a torrent of tiny bubbles over the tot.
Bradley jolted in surprise, dropping his toy. He burst into fresh giggles, chubby hands grabbing madly for the bubbles. He only delighted more when they popped beneath his grasp.
The bubbles were the tipping point. Bradley was so excited about them, he set himself bouncing all over again. Not even a minute later, his breakfast bottle came back up, hot milky sick on his clean Batman T-shirt.
His bottom lip trembled. Louisa reached down, carefully unbuckling him. "I told you so," she said lightly. "Mama said you'd be sick. Come here, let's get that off you."
Bathtime it was. He stopped grizzling almost as soon as he was in the water, splashing and squealing happily. Louisa was not convinced. "It was ya masterplan all along. Yes, it was," she booped his nose, "Mama's not stupid. No more chair for you today, nope."
"Baaaaahhhh!"
"Language."
She let him have twenty minutes— any less and she would get told off. Dressing him was even more fun now he knew how to roll over. Gods forbid it when he started crawling.
Lil' Beastie seemed to have read her mind, ready and waiting by the pram. She whirred when Louisa approached, jumping into the underneath basket. Louisa had lined it with blankets the other day; she wasn't sure how much comfort a metal robot dragon would need, but she liked to think Lil' Beastie had a nice cosy nest.
The pram had an adjustable seat. It could lie flat or it could sit the baby up at a forty-five degree angle. Bradley loved this, able to gawp at everything to his heart's content.
Bradley had more wiggles than ever now. He always had a burst of energy after bathtime and that was just regular clean water. What would he be like with salt water?
Louisa pushed that thought aside, concentrating her efforts on getting the hyped up, wriggling tot into his seat without pinching his leg in the buckles.
"Ah!" he said when the clips clicked together. "Aaaaaahhh brrrrr."
"Oh, of course." Louisa hurried back to the sofa, grabbing Octopus. How it had been spared from the vomit, she didn't know. Maybe miracles really did happen. "There you go, sir. Anythin' else for you?"
"Baaaa Ma." Bradley paused. Louisa stayed quiet, seeing thought behind the eyes so much like hers. "Ma," he said again. He looked up at her and beamed. "Ma!"
Louisa sniffed, dashing her fingers under her eyes. Bradley waved his arms, flinging Octopus from the pram.
He leaned forward as far as his straps allowed. "Ma!" he requested. Louisa recovered the toy and he returned to his happy wriggles. "Ma, Ma, Ma!" he chanted.
Louisa would not be alone in this.
Leo answered on the third ring, beaming at her over the video call.
"Hola! How's— whoa, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"
"Nothin'," Louisa assured. "Honestly," she said as he started to speak. "Just wait." She angled the phone, Bradley going into overdrive wriggling at the sight of his papi.
"Mijo! You being good for Mama?"
"Ma!" Bradley agreed. "Ma!"
"Did he just—?"
"Ma! Ma!"
"Dios bueno!" Louisa turned the phone back. Leo had pushed his hand through his hair and left it there, astounded. He laughed when she came into view, gripping the phone with both hands. "He said 'Ma'!"
"I know!"
"You're Ma!"
"I know!"
"Oh my gods, that's… oh my gods!" He laughed again.
Whatever he made to say next was cut over by shouting in the background. He ducked his head, holding the phone closer. Louisa squinted, seeing a slither of sky behind him.
"Where are you?"
"Working off-site today," he said, grin flooding back. "Thank you for ringing me. I didn't miss his first word!"
"Rang you soon as," Louisa confirmed. "I'll get him to say 'Papi' next, you watch."
"I can't wait," he enthused, eyes sparkling. His head turned at more shouting, followed by a series of crashes. He winced, sighing.
"You gotta go?" Louisa asked.
"Yeah," he sulked. Then he shook his head and smiled again. "I'll see if I can get away a bit earlier tonight. We have to celebrate! I'm thinking… pizza?"
"Hell yeah. Say bye to Papi, Bradley."
"Blleeeeehhhh!"
"Bye, chiquito!" Leo blew him a kiss. Bradley threw Octopus overboard again, reaching for the phone. Louisa wisely kept it from his drooly hands, saying her own goodbyes. "Love you, mi vida. I'll see you later."
"Extra cheese."
"I'll bankrupt them for cheese, don't you worry." Louisa smiled.
"Love you too." He waved and cut off. Louisa pocketed the phone, snatching Octopus up before Lil' Beastie could chew it to smithereens. "Not a shoe," she told the dragon, "'n' the poor thing's been chewed enough, don't ya think?" Bradley grappled the toy from her, gurgling.
"Ma!"
"Yes," Louisa grinned. "Yes, I am."
"Piper…"
"Go with it, just go with it."
"I don't like it." Louisa pinched the material Piper had whisked around her eyes, her hand smacked away in a heartbeat.
"You're not allowed to see your dress yet."
"Why not?"
"Because I said so."
"How'd I know this ain't a trick? You're gonna steal Bradley!"
"You can have him back if you leave the blindfold on." She swatted Louisa's hand again. "Do as you're told." Louisa scoffed. Piper huffed, no doubt accompanied by an eye roll. "Do as you're told for now. Or," she stressed, "I'll make the dress pink."
"No."
"Barbie pink."
"No!"
"Hot pink. I can do it, I've got enough dye." Louisa grumbled swears, folding her arms. She could sense Piper's victorious grin, sulking more. It was more than enough to wear a dress; making it pink of any shade was a pride-bruiser Louisa would not abide.
Piper chucked her under the chin, snickering. Louisa bit at her fingers, Piper snatching her hand back. "You really are feral."
"Thanks."
"Don't move."
"I have to pee."
"You couldn't say that before you came in here?"
"I have to pee!"
With some swears of her own, Piper steered her out, only removing the blindfold when Louisa was clear of the room. It was back on the second she returned, threats of turning the dress neon pink keeping her firmly in place.
Hazel entered at some point. They were a strict pair, taking her clothes from her as she undressed. She heard a long zip being unzipped, a rustle of material. Something soft and silky and plentiful puddled at her feet.
"Step," Hazel ordered. They held her hands for balance and guided her into the centre of the material. "Hold still," Hazel said, moving behind her.
"What is this?"
"The skirts." It felt like a never-ending layer of cotton soft sheets, rustling and swishing. Louisa patted the mass experimentally, squeaking when something was pulled tight at her waist. Hazel knotted something at the small of her back and stepped away, humming to herself.
"Arms out," Piper requested. Louisa obeyed— anything to get this blindfold off quicker.
Sleeves glided over her hands and up her arm, followed by a sturdier thing. It was like putting a jacket on backwards.
The sleeves covered to her wrists and was the same material as the top layer of the skirt; thin, tightly meshed material that was called… that was called…
Piper had told her, when they went to that gods-awful dress shop. She could see it in her mind's eye, something she could sort of see through.
No, it wasn't coming. She pinched the cuff of the sleeve, turning in what she thought was Piper's direction.
"What's this called again?"
"Tulle."
"That's the bastard. Ow! I need my ribs." Hazel was still behind her, pulling the 'jacket' closed at her back with… ribbons? Louisa twisted her arms round to feel, only getting slapped again for her efforts.
"Alright," Hazel said once she had finished lacing Louisa in, "we'll have to adjust the bodice a bit—" Bodice! Not jacket. "—and I think the sleeves could be a little longer. Over her wrists instead. What do you think?"
"I think she's going to faceplant spectacularly in those skirts."
"We'll have to teach her to walk in it. We can't make it any shorter, you'll see her shoes."
"And lose the train," Piper agreed.
"Shoes?" Louisa asked warily.
"We know you well enough, Lou." Piper patted her shoulder reassuringly. "White sneakers. Clean, brand new white sneakers that'll mostly be out of sight."
"If you sit down, people might see them," Hazel added, "but we're aiming for comfort as you'll be standing a lot on the day."
"So sneakers," Piper concluded.
"Good." Louisa nodded. She had had horrible visions of torturous heels or slip-on slipper type things. Knowing she had sneakers was one less reason she'd fall flat on her face in front of her entire family.
Hazel and Piper were whispering to the side, out of arm's reach. Louisa took this slap-free time to explore the dress with her hands.
The tulle covered her arms, rose up to a curved neckline at the base of her throat and went down to the top of the bodice. The bodice was a much thicker material with a layer of lace decked with silky patches. These patches made shapes though with only her fingers, Louisa couldn't tell what.
The bodice met the top of the skirts, the tulle material returning in force. There was silk or satin underneath, something like that, and by kicking her legs, she could tell there were many layers indeed.
There was something on her right hip, a cluster of things. Each thing was hard in the middle, ringed by smaller layers of… leaves? Fake leaves, some fabric or other.
"Stop it," Piper said. "That's only pinned in place at the moment, stop it." Louisa raised her hands in surrender. "Should we move that up a bit?" Piper asked Hazel. "Move it to… here, maybe?"
"Maybe? Lou, hold still again. I need to see something." There were hands at her hip, the cluster of things coming away to move an inch or so inwards and about the same further up, putting it near the top of her hipbone and a little over her stomach.
"Down a bit. Up a bit. No, back. Yeah, about there." Piper made an uncertain noise. Hazel pinned the cluster and moved away to admire her handiwork.
"I think it needs to be on a belt, not the dress."
"Don't give her a belt. She'll turn it into a weapon."
"She'll turn anything into a weapon. I meant like a sash. White still, but with the red and yellow on the tails. Don't shush me, it'll go with the back!"
"Can't I just see?" Louisa asked as Piper shushed again.
"No," they chorused. "You have to wait," Piper persisted.
"Why?" Louisa waved her hands. "Why all… this? Secrets 'n'…" She fidgeted with the blindfold.
There was a beat of silence.
"Well…" Piper eventually said hesitantly. "After everything you've done for all of us over the years… your wedding is the least we can do."
"What?"
"You're a hero, Lou," Hazel said gently, "and if you want to retire from that, no-one can blame you. We want to… send you off in style."
"With Leo."
"Yes, with Leo."
"'Til death do you part."
"Mmph," Louisa said, crossing her arms. Silence lingered over them, broken only when she bobbed her head, mumbling, "Thank you."
"No," Hazel said with a smile, "thank you. Now hold still or I'll dye Bradley pink."
"Don't you dare, he's sleepin'."
Y'all wanna know what else I've been doing, besides this (and work)? Yeah, ya do XD I have three, that is THREE, books out now, all available on Amazon (and possibly places like Waterstones and/or Barnes and Noble) but that is THREE books out now. Eyes of Violet, Eyes of Violet: Damian and Eyes of Violet: Finn. If you like my writing here, why don't you go and check them out? I'd be eternally grateful, more so if you left reviews when you're done ;)