Talking about nothing at all
It was drawing near to the end of hammock season. Soon, Longshot would have to take it down and hide it in the carriage house. Over there rather than the castle since the twin toddlers would and did get into every thing. They both were very good at climbing out of their cribs and coming up to sleep with Longshot and Alison in the middle of the night. Longshot couldn't recall a recent night when he didn't get a small foot kicked into his ribs unexpectedly. Even when he knew one twin or the other was in bed. It was only worse and lower than his ribs when both kids had curled up in bed.
The Mojoworlder had no idea where his eldest two with Alison were at the moment. He hoped that his adoptive mother, Miyuki, or Lisa and Gloria Jean were riding herd on the pair. Longshot himself was enjoying the last of the warm late autumn air. It was supposed to get into the mid-50's today before a couple days of rain. That was the talk at the breakfast table this morning. Or at least the part Longshot caught before scooting off to camp. In the sun, it wasn't so bad. Especially with a bundled up Percy sleeping on his chest. The newest little Blaire was a few months old. Longshot figured it was time to get his youngest some fresh air before young Percival was locked up in the castle all winter.
Somehow, there had been a drop off of a Winona, too. One minute, Longshot was gently swaying in the breeze, the next there was a grinning Dakota setting his youngest child down next to Percy. It was supposed to be 'for a few minutes' while the big man went to grab something out of the carriage house. That was, to Longshot's estimation, two hours ago. It had taken supreme balance and coordination to not topple over with both kids onto the ground as Winona squirmed around. First, she crawled up to see where her Dad went. Then she spent a few seconds poking Longshot's nose when she spotted her Daddy disappearing into the carriage house. Next it was some crawling to inspect the bundled lump sleeping on Longshot's chest. There might have been some poking there, but Percy did not seem bothered when Longshot missed grabbing the little girl's tiny hand. Winona was quiet normally but very curious. Her big, brown eyes seemed to take everything in. Especially when peeking over the side of the hammock to see what was down there. There was a little acrobatics by the Mojoworlder to keep them balanced until the one year old settled back.
Winona had settled not very comfortably on Longshot's ribs. She huffed and babbled something. The Mojoworlder couldn't have been sure, but he could have sworn he heard a 'Dada,' 'Mama,' and 'furble' in her babyspeak litany. The little girl looked at Longshot and wrinkled her nose. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask if she needed a diaper change when Winona flopped over with a giggle as the hammock started swinging. Then she curled up and started playing with the zipper to Longshot's jacket. She did that for awhile before she too joined Percy in the snooze department. Longshot looked at his youngest son and decided that Percy must have been power snoozin' to not even wake with that flurry of activity. Or his son was completely comfortable in the notion his father would protect him.
Two sleeping kids on his chest meant Longshot was well and pinned for the moment. He started the hammock to swing a bit and watched the sky. Soft, fluffy clouds scooted by. They looked like condensed water vapor in no particular shape to him. He bet his wife would see elephants or bunnies or something. They just looked like the pile of cotton balls Longshot had fished Aiden out of the other day. Cotton balls on the floor seemed to make Alison less frazzled than the dust bunnies on the top of a bookcase. Longshot had almost suggested putting dust rags attached to the twins clothes once, but he wisely kept his mouth shut on that one.
It was a quiet day at home. Longshot wondered how long this streak would last.
The Mojoworlder had no idea where his eldest two with Alison were at the moment. He hoped that his adoptive mother, Miyuki, or Lisa and Gloria Jean were riding herd on the pair. Longshot himself was enjoying the last of the warm late autumn air. It was supposed to get into the mid-50's today before a couple days of rain. That was the talk at the breakfast table this morning. Or at least the part Longshot caught before scooting off to camp. In the sun, it wasn't so bad. Especially with a bundled up Percy sleeping on his chest. The newest little Blaire was a few months old. Longshot figured it was time to get his youngest some fresh air before young Percival was locked up in the castle all winter.
Somehow, there had been a drop off of a Winona, too. One minute, Longshot was gently swaying in the breeze, the next there was a grinning Dakota setting his youngest child down next to Percy. It was supposed to be 'for a few minutes' while the big man went to grab something out of the carriage house. That was, to Longshot's estimation, two hours ago. It had taken supreme balance and coordination to not topple over with both kids onto the ground as Winona squirmed around. First, she crawled up to see where her Dad went. Then she spent a few seconds poking Longshot's nose when she spotted her Daddy disappearing into the carriage house. Next it was some crawling to inspect the bundled lump sleeping on Longshot's chest. There might have been some poking there, but Percy did not seem bothered when Longshot missed grabbing the little girl's tiny hand. Winona was quiet normally but very curious. Her big, brown eyes seemed to take everything in. Especially when peeking over the side of the hammock to see what was down there. There was a little acrobatics by the Mojoworlder to keep them balanced until the one year old settled back.
Winona had settled not very comfortably on Longshot's ribs. She huffed and babbled something. The Mojoworlder couldn't have been sure, but he could have sworn he heard a 'Dada,' 'Mama,' and 'furble' in her babyspeak litany. The little girl looked at Longshot and wrinkled her nose. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask if she needed a diaper change when Winona flopped over with a giggle as the hammock started swinging. Then she curled up and started playing with the zipper to Longshot's jacket. She did that for awhile before she too joined Percy in the snooze department. Longshot looked at his youngest son and decided that Percy must have been power snoozin' to not even wake with that flurry of activity. Or his son was completely comfortable in the notion his father would protect him.
Two sleeping kids on his chest meant Longshot was well and pinned for the moment. He started the hammock to swing a bit and watched the sky. Soft, fluffy clouds scooted by. They looked like condensed water vapor in no particular shape to him. He bet his wife would see elephants or bunnies or something. They just looked like the pile of cotton balls Longshot had fished Aiden out of the other day. Cotton balls on the floor seemed to make Alison less frazzled than the dust bunnies on the top of a bookcase. Longshot had almost suggested putting dust rags attached to the twins clothes once, but he wisely kept his mouth shut on that one.
It was a quiet day at home. Longshot wondered how long this streak would last.