Strawberry #18: Teacup
Author: Sly
Title: China
Rating: G
Challenge: Strawberry #18: Teacup
Toppings: Whipped Cream (young) and Hot Fudge (young monsters -er- villains)
Word Count: 636 words
A/N: I had
kd_bug pick out one of the prompts for me and just wrote on. Beiseite is such a cutie... I've called their mother Mama through the whole piece, because it's easier for me to get into Beiseite's head that way. (BTW: 13 Strawberry prompts on the 13th wooo)
“It’s not metal.”
“No, Beiseite. It’s china.” Mama put the tiny cup back on the ceramic plate she had called a “saucer.” It made a light clinking sound as she put it back on the table.
Beiseite knelt higher, his head barely coming above the table. Though he was tall at four and a little more than a half years old, the table was exceptionally high. All he could see if he stared straight across was Mama’s large stomach. “China is country.”
“Yes, it’s a country too. But this is an old type of ceramic that used to be made there.” Mama continued taking out the entire set. The white background was populated with flowers in pinks and violets, the bright green flowers crawling along the edges. Rims shined in their gold paint, as well as the elegant “E” inscribed on the handle.
“E?” Beiseite pointed at the letter on the teacup placed before him. “E?”
“Yes, it’s an ‘E.’ My name before I married your father was Engel,” she explained. Mindful of her large stomach, she went back to the open cabinet and took out the silver platter with careful hands. An angel was stained in the silver, holding onto a single stem of lily-of-the-valleys. “These were my mother’s. Your grandmother.”
“Grama?” Beiseite rolled the word around his mouth, stretching his small lips around the syllables. “Gran Ma.”
“Grandma. Keep trying, sweetness.” The teakettle was placed on the silver platter, reverent hands shivering as
she brought them away. Mama brought both hands to her fluttering stomach.
“Baby?” His pointer finger was aimed at her stomach this time.
“Your sister. Vorstellen,” said Mama, picking Beiseite up from his spot at the table. “Can you say Vorstellen?”
“War-cell-ehn?” Beiseite kicked his feet out, causing his mother to quickly hold him farther away.
“No kicking. Vorstellen.” Beiseite attempted the name again, the sound not far off from what he had said before. “Close enough, sweetness. Where are your brothers?”
“Playin’.” The little boy turned his head away, hanging limp in his mother’s arms before she brought him to her chest.
“Why aren’t you playing with them?” She stroked a hand down his ebony hair as she moved out of the room. Her friends were not to arrive until later that evening and having a young, rambunctious child in the room with fine china was only asking for trouble.
“They said no.” Beiseite’s eyes quickly filled with tears. “They called me stupid.”
“Oh, honey, you’re not stupid. I’ll talk to Angst and Wahnsinn. They are very naughty boys.” She held his head to her chest, stroking a hand down his cheek. “Don’t cry. You’ve got to be a big boy.”
“Yes, Mama.”
“Because Vorstellen will need her older brothers to protect her. You included, sweetness,” Mama whispered. Her knee nudged open the door to the living room, the heavy cherry wood furniture denoting her side of the house. Her husband’s fondness for the “Modern Life” had yet to infect her living space.
“Really?” He reached a hand up, wiping at the fallen tears. “I protect her?”
“Of course, Beiseite. You all have to. She’ll be very tiny.”
“Small? Like a corn?” Two chubby fingers were held apart, indicating the size of a corn kernel.
“Not quite that small. Like a doll.”
“Oh. That’s small.” The boy nodded his agreement as Mama placed him on the ground. “I watch her.”
“You promise, sweetness?” Mama reached down, ruffling the small spikes of black hair, the recognizable difference between him and his brothers.
“I promise, Mama!” Grabbing hands held onto Mama’s neck as she leaned down and gave him a kiss. Satisfied for the time being, Beiseite smiled brightly before rushing from the room. The sounds of his brother’s names from his lips echoed all the way back to the living room.
Title: China
Rating: G
Challenge: Strawberry #18: Teacup
Toppings: Whipped Cream (young) and Hot Fudge (young monsters -er- villains)
Word Count: 636 words
A/N: I had
kd_bug pick out one of the prompts for me and just wrote on. Beiseite is such a cutie... I've called their mother Mama through the whole piece, because it's easier for me to get into Beiseite's head that way. (BTW: 13 Strawberry prompts on the 13th wooo)
“It’s not metal.”
“No, Beiseite. It’s china.” Mama put the tiny cup back on the ceramic plate she had called a “saucer.” It made a light clinking sound as she put it back on the table.
Beiseite knelt higher, his head barely coming above the table. Though he was tall at four and a little more than a half years old, the table was exceptionally high. All he could see if he stared straight across was Mama’s large stomach. “China is country.”
“Yes, it’s a country too. But this is an old type of ceramic that used to be made there.” Mama continued taking out the entire set. The white background was populated with flowers in pinks and violets, the bright green flowers crawling along the edges. Rims shined in their gold paint, as well as the elegant “E” inscribed on the handle.
“E?” Beiseite pointed at the letter on the teacup placed before him. “E?”
“Yes, it’s an ‘E.’ My name before I married your father was Engel,” she explained. Mindful of her large stomach, she went back to the open cabinet and took out the silver platter with careful hands. An angel was stained in the silver, holding onto a single stem of lily-of-the-valleys. “These were my mother’s. Your grandmother.”
“Grama?” Beiseite rolled the word around his mouth, stretching his small lips around the syllables. “Gran Ma.”
“Grandma. Keep trying, sweetness.” The teakettle was placed on the silver platter, reverent hands shivering as
she brought them away. Mama brought both hands to her fluttering stomach.
“Baby?” His pointer finger was aimed at her stomach this time.
“Your sister. Vorstellen,” said Mama, picking Beiseite up from his spot at the table. “Can you say Vorstellen?”
“War-cell-ehn?” Beiseite kicked his feet out, causing his mother to quickly hold him farther away.
“No kicking. Vorstellen.” Beiseite attempted the name again, the sound not far off from what he had said before. “Close enough, sweetness. Where are your brothers?”
“Playin’.” The little boy turned his head away, hanging limp in his mother’s arms before she brought him to her chest.
“Why aren’t you playing with them?” She stroked a hand down his ebony hair as she moved out of the room. Her friends were not to arrive until later that evening and having a young, rambunctious child in the room with fine china was only asking for trouble.
“They said no.” Beiseite’s eyes quickly filled with tears. “They called me stupid.”
“Oh, honey, you’re not stupid. I’ll talk to Angst and Wahnsinn. They are very naughty boys.” She held his head to her chest, stroking a hand down his cheek. “Don’t cry. You’ve got to be a big boy.”
“Yes, Mama.”
“Because Vorstellen will need her older brothers to protect her. You included, sweetness,” Mama whispered. Her knee nudged open the door to the living room, the heavy cherry wood furniture denoting her side of the house. Her husband’s fondness for the “Modern Life” had yet to infect her living space.
“Really?” He reached a hand up, wiping at the fallen tears. “I protect her?”
“Of course, Beiseite. You all have to. She’ll be very tiny.”
“Small? Like a corn?” Two chubby fingers were held apart, indicating the size of a corn kernel.
“Not quite that small. Like a doll.”
“Oh. That’s small.” The boy nodded his agreement as Mama placed him on the ground. “I watch her.”
“You promise, sweetness?” Mama reached down, ruffling the small spikes of black hair, the recognizable difference between him and his brothers.
“I promise, Mama!” Grabbing hands held onto Mama’s neck as she leaned down and gave him a kiss. Satisfied for the time being, Beiseite smiled brightly before rushing from the room. The sounds of his brother’s names from his lips echoed all the way back to the living room.