Are You My New Best Friend? [closed]
"You look so pretty, Aunt Sissy-"
Cecilia glanced in the mirror, the large crown sitting haphazardly on her blond hair, still damp from the shower she only had five seconds to take before her niece started crawling into her make-up. She laughed, tugging Madeline into her lap, adjusting the miniature matching crown.
"You look better," she said. "Now, come on, we've got pancakes waiting for us-"
Madeline wrapped her arms around Cecilia's neck as she rose from the vanity in her bathroom and moved into the living room. Holden and Edin were working with ease through Cecilia's kitchen, both used to where everything was after so many years of visiting. Music was playing, filling the space with sound she didn't think the flat had heard in years. It was always much quieter when she was on her own, most of her time spent at the hospital.
But she always loved it when her family came to visit.
It filled the space with so much energy.
She dropped Madeline down at the kitchen counter.
"You two need help?" she asked.
"You can settle a debate-" Holden said, leaning against the counter. "On who's the better cook-"
"Oh no-"
"Your brother seems to think his one time making breakfast means he's some sort of amazing chef-"
"They were good-"
"They were edible-"
When the knock came at the door, Cecilia sighed in relief.
"I'm not getting involved," she said. "I need to get the door-"
She couldn't help but smile knowing that George was behind it. She had been anxious about him meeting her brother, and the only family she really had left. She didn't want to admit how imperative it might have been that they get along.
She peered back over at Madeline, watching as the little girl's eyes widened in excitement. "Is that your boyfriend?" she asked, already bouncing from off the table and running toward the entry. "Is it? Do you think he has presents?"
"Maddy-" Edin's tone was warning, the wooden spoon slightly dripping in pancake batter pointed in her direction as her mother raised her eyebrows. "You're going to be nice to your aunt's friend, right?"
"Um, duh-" Madeline replied. "Especially if he brings presents-"
Cecilia stifled her laughter as she nudged Madeline's shoulder, stepping in front of her to pull open the door. Before she could even say anything, Madeline was jumping in front of her, all blond hair and bright green eyes.
"Are you George? That's a weird name. I've never heard it before-"
Cecilia just shrugged, tugging at her paper crown, "Hi?"
Cecilia glanced in the mirror, the large crown sitting haphazardly on her blond hair, still damp from the shower she only had five seconds to take before her niece started crawling into her make-up. She laughed, tugging Madeline into her lap, adjusting the miniature matching crown.
"You look better," she said. "Now, come on, we've got pancakes waiting for us-"
Madeline wrapped her arms around Cecilia's neck as she rose from the vanity in her bathroom and moved into the living room. Holden and Edin were working with ease through Cecilia's kitchen, both used to where everything was after so many years of visiting. Music was playing, filling the space with sound she didn't think the flat had heard in years. It was always much quieter when she was on her own, most of her time spent at the hospital.
But she always loved it when her family came to visit.
It filled the space with so much energy.
She dropped Madeline down at the kitchen counter.
"You two need help?" she asked.
"You can settle a debate-" Holden said, leaning against the counter. "On who's the better cook-"
"Oh no-"
"Your brother seems to think his one time making breakfast means he's some sort of amazing chef-"
"They were good-"
"They were edible-"
When the knock came at the door, Cecilia sighed in relief.
"I'm not getting involved," she said. "I need to get the door-"
She couldn't help but smile knowing that George was behind it. She had been anxious about him meeting her brother, and the only family she really had left. She didn't want to admit how imperative it might have been that they get along.
She peered back over at Madeline, watching as the little girl's eyes widened in excitement. "Is that your boyfriend?" she asked, already bouncing from off the table and running toward the entry. "Is it? Do you think he has presents?"
"Maddy-" Edin's tone was warning, the wooden spoon slightly dripping in pancake batter pointed in her direction as her mother raised her eyebrows. "You're going to be nice to your aunt's friend, right?"
"Um, duh-" Madeline replied. "Especially if he brings presents-"
Cecilia stifled her laughter as she nudged Madeline's shoulder, stepping in front of her to pull open the door. Before she could even say anything, Madeline was jumping in front of her, all blond hair and bright green eyes.
"Are you George? That's a weird name. I've never heard it before-"
Cecilia just shrugged, tugging at her paper crown, "Hi?"