(( Tied to Sublimation))
Well, it's ok. It's so nice It's just another day in paradise Well, there's no place that I'd rather be Well, it's two hearts And one dream I wouldn't trade it for anything And I ask the Lord every night For just another day in paradise http://www.youtube.com/watch"v=QR4Y6Ll0DwA
Just another day, roll out of bed, shower, dress, and do all the everyday things that one normally would do. Was any day ever truly normal"
"Coll" Whe'ah are th'wipes?" Three knocks to the door preceded the muffled Australian voice through the bathroom door. "We, ah, got a little excited wit' our puddin' snack."
Mostly normal, perhaps.
To a mother of so many, ten minutes alone in the bathroom was often like a spa trip. When the door was opened by his towel draped wife, Darien was offered a clean soapy washcloth. "The wipes 're up in the nurs'ry. We use these fer food messes." Collie grinned. "Ah, takin' after yer Da, are ya, Abby' We're goin' ta start an in house chapter o' Chocoholics Anonymous."
Collie's territory invaded, Darien took the washcloth and sidled past into the bathroom, setting the much, much louder of the twins on the counter. Chocolate, once smeared over face, hands, and arms, was tidily cleaned up, much to Abby's dismay. The toddler let out a high-pitched shriek and squirmed relentlessly. "Abs, it's this 'r' let one of th'cats lick it off," Darien stated flatly, completing his handiwork. "Should've just used a drop cloth."
"Too bad it's chocolate 'r Max could do the job." She laughed as she brushed out her hair. "So, what?s on the agenda fer today' Dog walkin', zoo trip?" Collie reached over to tap Abby's nose with a fingertip. "I'd say a walk in the garden, but that was the reason fer my second shower today!" She eyed Darien a moment. "Let me guess....work, work, 'n' more work?"
As fate would have it, the phone nestled in Darien Fenner's pocket buzzed in his pocket at that exact moment. Restraint was visible on his expression as he hit the silence button on the device without so much as pulling it out to view the caller ID. "No' I said I'd spend time with my girls, so I'm spendin' time with my girls." Abby cooed and reached for her mother as Darien balanced her in his arms. The Aussie's brow crinkled, offended. "Oi....recognize my sacrifice, why don't'cha?"
She tried not to giggle, really she did, but a tiny chuckle escaped. "I do recognize your sacrifice, a chroi." Collie tipped her head and shamelessly stole a kiss. Abby was carefully supported by both her parents. "Abby, on the other hand, has realized that while Da is just wonderful at chasin' away boggins from under the bed, Mum 'as those lovely cushy pillow things fer goin' off ta dreamland." The redhead gave her husband a wry grin. "Short version' It's near nap time."
Air gusted from the Aussie's nostrils. "Speak f'r yourself. Tried fifteen minutes ago. Maddy is fast asleep, but this one seems t'think she'll be late f'r an interview at five." Again, the infant let out a high-pitched shriek, and Darien opened his eyes as if to say, see"
"ABBY! Don't do that, it hurts m'ears, ya wee imp!" She huffed and blew some stray hair out of her eyes. "Ya tried a story' Ya got ta do the voices 'n' all, ya know." Finally, Collie gathered Abby against her. "What about that plushie?" She shook her head. Darien would have thought of that. "Teeth," was the last word she said before heading past Darien out of the bathroom. "Years ago, we dolloped a smidge o' whiskey on the wee ones gums 'n'they were happy as could be. Now, ya do that 'n' yer horrible parent," she muttered. "Hopefully, that iced teether will work 'r we're goin' ta be needin' that damn whiskey!" The kitchen was the next stop!
Darien snorted. "Horrible parent accordin' to whom?"
She retorted, "Mostly, so-called medical professionals and people what never sat up wit' babies fer days on end."
"Nn?" Hands free, Darien balled up the soiled washcloth and pitched it in the hamper. "More f'r me, then." Bedding duties were left temporarily to Collie as he journeyed back to the kitchen for said teething ring, taking a moment to at least dust a kiss on his wife's cheek to convey his gratitude.
Colleen headed up to the nursery. As she expected, Madison was out cold with a thumb in her mouth. "Likely dreamin' o' flyin' ponies," she said as she took Abby's shoes off. "Abby, yer sister's goin' ta be the dreamin' inventor 'n yer goin' ta be the one we find hangin' upside down from trees wit' a book in one hand 'n' apple in t'other." She sat in the rocking chair with the toddler on her lap. "Yer gettin' the wooden sword. Maddie gets the bow."
At twenty months, Abby's vocabulary was not large enough to convey what all might have been running through that head of hers. She uttered one of the most popular response for those of her age, "No!"
Her mother was unphased by that retort. "No' Hmm' so ya want the bow then?" Collie sometimes got odd looks when she spoke to the children like they were people and not lumps of something. It had been her experience that children who were spoken to in normal language developed verbal skills better. She had plenty of evidence to back her theory. Each of her offspring spoke at least four languages as adults.
"No," the answer came with a shake of the baby's head.
"No wooden sword, no bow, that leaves only one thing. Ya want a stick like Maggie's got?"
"Meg!!" She squealed. Abby had no idea what kind of stick her mother was going on about. However, Maggie was one of her favorite people. Not every kid had a pint-sized storyteller that used different voices for characters or did puppet plays. Well, they were puppets after a fashion. "Meg, Meg, Meg!!" she sang and clapped.
Collie laughed and called out. "Dare, I think I just found out who's conductin' that interview!"
"Mag," Darien corrected the toddler from the doorway, passing off the teething ring and noshing on his snack for the afternoon - leftover fried chicken, a la Collie. Soon Madison began stirring in the other crib, and the journo shoved the thigh into his mouth and dusted his hands on his trousers to check on her. Thankfully, she remained asleep. "Gotta quiet down the'ah, Abs," he hushed her, just as the hypocritical cell phone in his pocket betrayed him with a ring. Again, the silence button was pressed, and the seconds afterward were filled with tense hope that Madison had not fully awakened.
"NO!" Abby looked at her father like he was a few blocks short of a tower. She did an imitation of Maggie having corrected her, "Maaaaaggggggggggiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeee."
Colleen, meanwhile was stifling a fit of laughter. "Tell ya what, why don't I get the hellion 'ere down fer naptime while ya take that call. Afterward, we can both 'ave a snack."
"I said I wouldn't work," Darien grunted, chucking the gnawed chicken bone into the nearest wastebin. "This is me, actively not workin'."
"Right, then shut the damned thing off," she countered as she settled Abby into her crib with the teether. She just gave him one of those looks. Maybe the message was, I dare you.
Darien knew that look. He also knew that there was no such thing as being unavailable in the news business. Muttering something about redheads and tempers, he exited the nursery to take her up on her first suggestion and leave the woman to her mission.
Abby was happily gnawing on the teething ring as her mother checked on her sister. The older of the twins babbled away talking to her toys or at least that's what her mother hoped.
Collie poked her head out of the room. "Mission accomplished."
As she spoke, the journo was slowly lowering the cell phone from his ear and to the walnut crescent desk in the hall, his brows furrowed darkly. No work, he promised. And yet' "Coll?"
She knew that look all too well, it spoke volumes. It said I have to ....break our date ....have to skip dinner at home no matter how nicely he said it, the bottom line was he had to work. She laid her hand on his shoulder. "Just remember three things." Her index finger went up. "Yer mine fer the ninth o' September 'n' November." Second finger went up. "Yer mine 'n' the girls fer New Years Eve." She watched his face a moment.
The smile he gave her did not reach his eyes, but there was sincerity behind the kiss he left her with. All this in a matter of seconds, before he moved past her, grabbed the keys to his bike, and went straight for the front door. Taking the Hayabusa only meant one thing. He meant to reach his destination as quickly as possible.
From the top of the staircase, she called, "Ya still owe me that trip ta Chicago, ya crazy man!" She shook her head and laughed as she moved down the stairs. A red brow raised as she spotted that blasted electronic leash on the table in the front hall. Thinking she could catch him, she grabbed the phone and opened the door. Her ears were greeted with the roar of that bike heading down the drive. Damn thing vibrated in her hand. She looked down at it.
11 missed calls.
Well, it's ok. It's so nice It's just another day in paradise Well, there's no place that I'd rather be Well, it's two hearts And one dream I wouldn't trade it for anything And I ask the Lord every night For just another day in paradise http://www.youtube.com/watch"v=QR4Y6Ll0DwA
Just another day, roll out of bed, shower, dress, and do all the everyday things that one normally would do. Was any day ever truly normal"
"Coll" Whe'ah are th'wipes?" Three knocks to the door preceded the muffled Australian voice through the bathroom door. "We, ah, got a little excited wit' our puddin' snack."
Mostly normal, perhaps.
To a mother of so many, ten minutes alone in the bathroom was often like a spa trip. When the door was opened by his towel draped wife, Darien was offered a clean soapy washcloth. "The wipes 're up in the nurs'ry. We use these fer food messes." Collie grinned. "Ah, takin' after yer Da, are ya, Abby' We're goin' ta start an in house chapter o' Chocoholics Anonymous."
Collie's territory invaded, Darien took the washcloth and sidled past into the bathroom, setting the much, much louder of the twins on the counter. Chocolate, once smeared over face, hands, and arms, was tidily cleaned up, much to Abby's dismay. The toddler let out a high-pitched shriek and squirmed relentlessly. "Abs, it's this 'r' let one of th'cats lick it off," Darien stated flatly, completing his handiwork. "Should've just used a drop cloth."
"Too bad it's chocolate 'r Max could do the job." She laughed as she brushed out her hair. "So, what?s on the agenda fer today' Dog walkin', zoo trip?" Collie reached over to tap Abby's nose with a fingertip. "I'd say a walk in the garden, but that was the reason fer my second shower today!" She eyed Darien a moment. "Let me guess....work, work, 'n' more work?"
As fate would have it, the phone nestled in Darien Fenner's pocket buzzed in his pocket at that exact moment. Restraint was visible on his expression as he hit the silence button on the device without so much as pulling it out to view the caller ID. "No' I said I'd spend time with my girls, so I'm spendin' time with my girls." Abby cooed and reached for her mother as Darien balanced her in his arms. The Aussie's brow crinkled, offended. "Oi....recognize my sacrifice, why don't'cha?"
She tried not to giggle, really she did, but a tiny chuckle escaped. "I do recognize your sacrifice, a chroi." Collie tipped her head and shamelessly stole a kiss. Abby was carefully supported by both her parents. "Abby, on the other hand, has realized that while Da is just wonderful at chasin' away boggins from under the bed, Mum 'as those lovely cushy pillow things fer goin' off ta dreamland." The redhead gave her husband a wry grin. "Short version' It's near nap time."
Air gusted from the Aussie's nostrils. "Speak f'r yourself. Tried fifteen minutes ago. Maddy is fast asleep, but this one seems t'think she'll be late f'r an interview at five." Again, the infant let out a high-pitched shriek, and Darien opened his eyes as if to say, see"
"ABBY! Don't do that, it hurts m'ears, ya wee imp!" She huffed and blew some stray hair out of her eyes. "Ya tried a story' Ya got ta do the voices 'n' all, ya know." Finally, Collie gathered Abby against her. "What about that plushie?" She shook her head. Darien would have thought of that. "Teeth," was the last word she said before heading past Darien out of the bathroom. "Years ago, we dolloped a smidge o' whiskey on the wee ones gums 'n'they were happy as could be. Now, ya do that 'n' yer horrible parent," she muttered. "Hopefully, that iced teether will work 'r we're goin' ta be needin' that damn whiskey!" The kitchen was the next stop!
Darien snorted. "Horrible parent accordin' to whom?"
She retorted, "Mostly, so-called medical professionals and people what never sat up wit' babies fer days on end."
"Nn?" Hands free, Darien balled up the soiled washcloth and pitched it in the hamper. "More f'r me, then." Bedding duties were left temporarily to Collie as he journeyed back to the kitchen for said teething ring, taking a moment to at least dust a kiss on his wife's cheek to convey his gratitude.
Colleen headed up to the nursery. As she expected, Madison was out cold with a thumb in her mouth. "Likely dreamin' o' flyin' ponies," she said as she took Abby's shoes off. "Abby, yer sister's goin' ta be the dreamin' inventor 'n yer goin' ta be the one we find hangin' upside down from trees wit' a book in one hand 'n' apple in t'other." She sat in the rocking chair with the toddler on her lap. "Yer gettin' the wooden sword. Maddie gets the bow."
At twenty months, Abby's vocabulary was not large enough to convey what all might have been running through that head of hers. She uttered one of the most popular response for those of her age, "No!"
Her mother was unphased by that retort. "No' Hmm' so ya want the bow then?" Collie sometimes got odd looks when she spoke to the children like they were people and not lumps of something. It had been her experience that children who were spoken to in normal language developed verbal skills better. She had plenty of evidence to back her theory. Each of her offspring spoke at least four languages as adults.
"No," the answer came with a shake of the baby's head.
"No wooden sword, no bow, that leaves only one thing. Ya want a stick like Maggie's got?"
"Meg!!" She squealed. Abby had no idea what kind of stick her mother was going on about. However, Maggie was one of her favorite people. Not every kid had a pint-sized storyteller that used different voices for characters or did puppet plays. Well, they were puppets after a fashion. "Meg, Meg, Meg!!" she sang and clapped.
Collie laughed and called out. "Dare, I think I just found out who's conductin' that interview!"
"Mag," Darien corrected the toddler from the doorway, passing off the teething ring and noshing on his snack for the afternoon - leftover fried chicken, a la Collie. Soon Madison began stirring in the other crib, and the journo shoved the thigh into his mouth and dusted his hands on his trousers to check on her. Thankfully, she remained asleep. "Gotta quiet down the'ah, Abs," he hushed her, just as the hypocritical cell phone in his pocket betrayed him with a ring. Again, the silence button was pressed, and the seconds afterward were filled with tense hope that Madison had not fully awakened.
"NO!" Abby looked at her father like he was a few blocks short of a tower. She did an imitation of Maggie having corrected her, "Maaaaaggggggggggiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeee."
Colleen, meanwhile was stifling a fit of laughter. "Tell ya what, why don't I get the hellion 'ere down fer naptime while ya take that call. Afterward, we can both 'ave a snack."
"I said I wouldn't work," Darien grunted, chucking the gnawed chicken bone into the nearest wastebin. "This is me, actively not workin'."
"Right, then shut the damned thing off," she countered as she settled Abby into her crib with the teether. She just gave him one of those looks. Maybe the message was, I dare you.
Darien knew that look. He also knew that there was no such thing as being unavailable in the news business. Muttering something about redheads and tempers, he exited the nursery to take her up on her first suggestion and leave the woman to her mission.
Abby was happily gnawing on the teething ring as her mother checked on her sister. The older of the twins babbled away talking to her toys or at least that's what her mother hoped.
Collie poked her head out of the room. "Mission accomplished."
As she spoke, the journo was slowly lowering the cell phone from his ear and to the walnut crescent desk in the hall, his brows furrowed darkly. No work, he promised. And yet' "Coll?"
She knew that look all too well, it spoke volumes. It said I have to ....break our date ....have to skip dinner at home no matter how nicely he said it, the bottom line was he had to work. She laid her hand on his shoulder. "Just remember three things." Her index finger went up. "Yer mine fer the ninth o' September 'n' November." Second finger went up. "Yer mine 'n' the girls fer New Years Eve." She watched his face a moment.
The smile he gave her did not reach his eyes, but there was sincerity behind the kiss he left her with. All this in a matter of seconds, before he moved past her, grabbed the keys to his bike, and went straight for the front door. Taking the Hayabusa only meant one thing. He meant to reach his destination as quickly as possible.
From the top of the staircase, she called, "Ya still owe me that trip ta Chicago, ya crazy man!" She shook her head and laughed as she moved down the stairs. A red brow raised as she spotted that blasted electronic leash on the table in the front hall. Thinking she could catch him, she grabbed the phone and opened the door. Her ears were greeted with the roar of that bike heading down the drive. Damn thing vibrated in her hand. She looked down at it.
11 missed calls.