Welcome to Gaia! ::

"All day? Wow ..." Elnara was impressed.

"Look, Mama!" Serenity beamed. She pointed at the sandcastle in front of them. "Reno showed me how to make a sandcastle! We were going to do more but then we just were talking and I forgot about it." She giggled and blushed slightly, embarrassed that she could have forgotten the thing that had been so much fun to make with Reno.

Elnara nodded and smiled. "That's very nice, Serenity," she murmured, but the castle was bringing back memories that had no place here. She turned her eyes away from the sandcastle and looked at EJ instead, hoping that her eyes weren't giving her thoughts away. She smiled brightly and said, "Thank you for watching her today ... none of the children have ever been to this area before, I would have worried if she was here alone."

Serenity tugged on Elnara's hand, looking up at her mother with begging eyes. "Can they come see us at the cafe, Mama? Or can we go see theirs?" she asked hopefully.

Elnara laughed softly. "Of course, if they would also like to," she assured her daughter. Then she looked up at EJ. "What do you think? I believe my Serenity has become somewhat attached to Reno ..."

Serenity turned her eyes to the ground and let her hair fall forward to cover her face to hide her blush.

"Well, to be honest, I think Reno's the first Second Serenity's met that she isn't related to," Elnara laughed. "Five siblings, plus I've lost count of the aunts and uncles and cousins she has in here ... I don't think even I've met them all yet."

She smiled warmly. "Yes, I think it would be wonderful for both of them if we set some times aside for the two of them to spend time together."


((Shall we exchange links to our respective cafes? Then we could rp there as well as here if you want.))

((Okey dokey!))

"Then I think he would enjoy playing with all of the children," Elnara suggested with a smile. "And I'm sure they would love to play with him. They love meeting new people, though opportunities, I'm afraid, are rare. I grew up in a large family, and now I've been adopted into an even larger family, and there's no replacing the feeling of being surrounded by people who love you, whether they're family or not."

"And our family's going to get bigger, right?" Serenity piped up suddenly. "Because Grandma and Mama are always adopting," she told Reno with a giggle. "So our family keeps getting bigger!"

Elnara laughed, a faint blush sprinkling her cheeks. "I can't help myself," she admitted to EJ. "I love children, what can I say?"

Serenity watched Reno jumping and giggled. He was a very funny boy, she thought. She would like playing with him more and getting to know him better.

"I have to admit, I was betting a little worn down after six," Elnara admitted to EJ, "but I have help now, I don't know if Serenity mentioned him ... Lore, my-"

She paused. What word to use ... boyfriend wasn't strong enough, suitor ... well it was past that stage, too. Fiance? He had only half-proposed, promised that he would in the future ...

"-my betrothed," she finally decided. Yes, that was the best word. "He's a great help, and I think it would be possible to adopt more with him around."

Not to mention, once the older children grew another stage, they could help out more, too - as they already did.

"Perhaps if you come to our cafe, then, Reno," Elnara smiled down at the tiny boy. "Lore works a lot, but he comes there often enough."

She turned to EJ. "I agree," she nodded. "Children should grow up with other children. Valar know, if they don't they miss out on too much. Celebor was a child for a while already before Serenity and Skye were born, and it wasn't until they came along and he was able to play with them that I realized how lonely he had been ... I mean, I spent all my time with him, but it's just not the same ..."

She was babbling, and she knew it. She blushed. "Sorry ... I always get carried away when I talk about the children."

"Same," Elnara smiled warmly, her eyes softening as she saw the way EJ looked at Reno. The man obviously loved his son as much as she loved all of her children. "Even when Serenity stumbled through a portal into another world ... she somehow managed to run into her cousin, great-grandmother and uncle."

"Uncle Elrohir is scary," Serenity piped up, her voice going a bit squeaky again.

Elnara laughed and patted Serenity on the head. "Well, you're not with him now, so you'll be fine."

And speaking of being with others ...

"I should really go find the other children, it's getting late," she said to EJ apologetically. "I have to get them home ... they have school tomorrow, they need rest. But perhaps we'll all come to your cafe tomorrow night? Would that be all right?"

Serenity's eyes lit up at her mama's question, and she looked at EJ eagerly.

Elnara laughed softly. "It was wonderful meeting you, too, and I look forward to meeting everyone else as well," she replied happily.

Serenity clapped her hands excitedly, then waved to Reno and EJ. "Bye!" she called to them. "I'll see you tomorrow! And thank you for playing with me!"

Elnara took Serenity's hand and held it tightly, smiling at EJ and Reno. "Then we'll see you tomorrow," she nodded. She also waved then as she started walking away. "Good bye for now!"