(Untitled)

[goingtodorking]

The little girl is absolutely covered in glitter. For a moment, Karen just stares, horrified. This wasn't supposed to happen. They were sitting making Christmas cards and Karen promised Lily that she'd take good care of Emmy. She'd made sure she didn't cut herself with scissors. She'd carefully drawn a Christmas tree for Emmy to colour in.

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[pere_noel]

Now, Nick's knees aren't what they used to be, and his belly's a little more present than it once was, but he's still capable of lowering himself to the floor with surprising grace to sit with the two little girls.

"Now, what have we here?" he says, quite ignoring the squabbling. "What are we making today?"

[goingtodorking]

"A mess," says Karen, with all the honesty of small children. She reaches out and absently brushes at the glitter caught in Emmy's dark curly hair.

"I was supposed to be looking after her for her Mummy."

[pere_noel]

"Well, you both seem to be having a fine time," says Nick. "Do you mind if I join you? I do like a good Christmas card this time of year, particularly one that sparkles."

[emilyiris]

Emmy holds out both hands to him, fingers crusted in glitter. WIth her fingers spread, her palms look kind of like stars.

"Cards for Mum and Dad," she says.

[pere_noel]

"An excellent idea," says Nick. "I have it on good authority that parents love it when their children sparkle."

[goingtodorking]

"Yes, but I was supposed to be looking after her," says Karen, pensively, twisting her fingers in her hair and looking up at him. "And now she's all messy and stuff and she's getting glitter on everything."

She points. Glitter has even ended up on his sleeve.

[pere_noel]

"Oh, I don't know," says Nick. "I'm fairly sure children are meant to look just like that during the holidays. Maybe the problem is that you and I aren't covered in enough glitter."

[emilyiris]

"Glitter!" cheers Emmy and lifts both of her hands, blowing oer them and showering Nick in glitter and not a small amount of spit.

She cheers again.