A better day

[new_ophelia]

February has to be one of the worst months of the year. It's just going to have to be. Kate can't quite comprehend the idea that every month could be this hard, so February is designated the worst month. It's the first full month without Jack, it's Jack's birthday, their anniversary, and Valentine's Day. That's ridiculous. There's a lull coming up

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[dishabille_mal]

Maladicta was getting used to the world with an infant. It involved about as much sleep as she was used to, so that was fine, although she was sure this late in the game that Olivia was a peculiarly quiet child. They were supposed to be screaming without stop, if she'd heard correctly. Still, it was only fair- with the spitting up and so on, Maladicta would accept sub-typical crying.

Shenlong hadn't gone more than ten feet from the baby's side since she was brought home, regardless of whether she was with William or Maladicta and completely heedless of what they were doing. The bathrooms in the compound were no longer exclusive to humans. They were heading for said bathrooms, new mother, infant, and gigantic half wolf pony dog, when Maladicta spotted Kate.

"That's rather athletic," she said, eyebrows lifting a little. The trampoline seemed ambitious, but then, Maladicta was convinced at any moment that something of Olivia's was going to break, irreparably, and at the slightest jostling.

[new_ophelia]

"He's tethered," she says, holding up her end of the leash. "Hey, listen."

She grabs Jack and settles him on her stomach. "Jack, who am I?"

He manages to peel his eyes away from the new baby and giant dog long enough to jab a finger at her face and say, "Mama."

[dishabille_mal]

Olivia made an unintelligible half-coo babbling sound. Maladicta's jaw was dropped.

"By the Duchess, it talks like a person now. Good gods." She walked over to lean against the trampoline. Shenlong sat and rested his muzzle over its edge, eyes on the other small person, though not as small as his person's small person. His tail wagged a bit.

"That's a marvelous trick." Her mouth twitched a little at the corners.

"Let's see it again."

[new_ophelia]

She swings Sam over so they're both sitting up and points to Maladicta. "Hey, Sam who's that? Is that Maladicta?" she asks, knowing full well he can't say Maladicta. But who knows?

Sam screws his little face up in concentration and says, as close as he can make it, "Mal."

[1000_cranes]

A proud Auntie amid a flood of proud Uncles, Charlie just watches them for a moment, arms folded across her chest. She's fresh from a run, sweaty and glowing and she just leans her chin into her hand. She brushes her fringe back from her eyes.

"You two havin' a good time?"

[new_ophelia]

"He totally said 'mama'," she shoots back, giving Sam a watery smile. "He just looked at me and said it."

Sam scoots as far to the edge of the trampoline as Kate will allow and waves his arm around at Charlie.

[1000_cranes]

"Did you?" says Charlie, face splitting into a grin as she leans down to frame both sides of Sam's little face and dropping a kiss onto the top of his head.

"Way to go, little man."

[new_ophelia]

"Hi," Sam answers, pushing up to grab at her shoulders.

"Look at him, he knows exactly what he's doing," Kate laughs, rolling to her belly. "Little show off."

[polly_okeefe]

"Hey," I said, smiling to see Sam smiling. And, yes, there was a smile on Kate's lips as well. "How are you guys today?"

[new_ophelia]

"Today is pretty good," she says after giving herself a moment to feel that out. "Sam just said mama. Very first time."

[polly_okeefe]

"Oh!" I exclaimed, clapping my hands together. "That's wonderful!" I grinned at little Sam. "You're such a smart boy!"

[new_ophelia]

"He certainly thinks so," she says, rolling her eyes as Sam visibly preens under the attention. He could probably use a little extra attention.

"Hey Sam," she whispers, lowering him to lay against her chest. "Can you say hi to Polly?"

Sam gives her a long, considering look before perking up with a little, "Hi."

[legendarymadman]

"Just to be clear up front," says Geoffrey when both of them turn to look at his approach, "I'm not getting up on that thing. Again. No matter how much you look at me with those persuasive eyes of yours."

It's not entirely clear which one of them he's speaking to.

[new_ophelia]

Kate knows immediately it has to be either Duck or Geoffrey because of the way Sam wriggles and tries to fling himself to the edge of the trampoline. She snatches up her wriggling baby and fixes Geoffrey with a smug look.

"You will when you see what he can do."

[legendarymadman]

"Unless what he can do is bodily drag me up there - which would admittedly be impressive - I'm pretty sure I can enjoy whatever it is from right here," says Geoffrey. "Frankly, we're all safer that way."

[new_ophelia]

This is going to be the best, most manipulative trick, yet.

Kate shakes one of Sam's arms as he reaches desperately for Geoffrey and gets his attention.

"Sam," she prompts, pointing at Geoffrey. "Who is that?"

Sam glances between her and Geoffrey for a moment before gleefully shrieking out, "G'fee!"

[vendettaevey]

Evey'd been worried about Kate, especially around Valentine's Day, and she'd made sure to send her a Valentine, just so she'd have one. She couldn't bring back Jack, but she could be a friend, and she intended to do so. Thus, when she saw them both on the trampoline, she smiled. It was good to see Kate out and about, and Sam certainly seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.

"Good morning," she called, diverting from her path away from the compound and school complex. She had another load of books to be read, now that the school term was over and she could enjoy a little light reading. The shelf had presented her with several novels by a man named Fforde, all of which looked very interesting.

[new_ophelia]

"Morning," Kate murmurs, fixing Evey with a rarely seen smile. "Come here, listen to what he just said."

She squeezes Sam to get his attention again and bops his nose. "Hey Sam, who am I?"

He looks back at his new audience one more time before giving Kate a hearty smack to the face. "Mama."

[vendettaevey]

Smiles were something Evey was always happy to see, especially when it was Kate smiling, and she approached the trampoline with alacrity to see what Sam had said to cause such a happy response.

When he clearly said Mama but also smacked his mum in the face, she was torn between chuckling and scolding.

"Very good Sam, though perhaps you oughtn't hit your mum every time you say that," she advised him seriously.

[new_ophelia]

"If it helps, I think he's trying to play. Muscle control is still a little questionable, sometimes," she says, rolling her eyes.

Sam is clearly not feeling chastised at all and simply beams up at Evey, before fixing her with a cheerful, "Hi!"