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 Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 7:54 pm
Sam was late for work. It had taken longer than normal to get the twins through breakfast, with thankfully only minor accidents, and then off to the bus. There was so much she'd been planning on doing that morning but time had gotten away from her and now she was late. Xearus had just gone to bed...but maybe he could take care of a few things when he got up. Hurrying over to the dry erase board that hung on the refrigerator she jotted a quick note:
Xearus,
Shift-change at the hospital and you know how that can be. Will you do the things on the list for me? Thanks. The twins will be home around one and I'll be home as soon as I can.
1. Wash the vegetables (on the counter)
2. Change the guest towels
3. Put the dog food up
4. Toss the salad
Lots of love,
Sam
Task complete, she grabbed her bag and hurried out the door, coffee cup, files, and her catch-all bag in hand. Thank heavens she had a husband who was willing to help out anytime he was asked.
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Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 8:40 pm
He jumped at the alarm went off, blinking blearily at the clock he noted that it was set for eleven in the morning...which was usual for him but he still hated it. With the children now in pre-school and how they were being acclimated to daylight hours and how Sam had changed her schdule to fit said daylight hours and him still working the night...well it was stressful. He once again recited the lines in his head:
6:00am - 12:00pm Sam was at work and the twins were at their pre-school/daycare. Meanwhile he was just going to bed.
12:00pm - 1:00pm Sam came how after picking up the twins and they had lunch as a family. He was just getting up to an alarm and having his 'breakfast' with them.
1:00pm - 4:00pm Sam went back to work and he watched the kids and worked in his office or did house chores.
4:00pm-6:00pm Was dinner/his lunch and a little bit of together time. He's then go to work and Sam would tend to the kids till 12:00am.
12:00am - 6:00am He was home. He would call between classes to tell them all goodnight because Sam slept most of the night now. Meanwhile as he was up alone now he'd do more work, have his own dinner and if he was inclined to, actually get some extra sleep. It was hectic.
So up again he pushed himself out of bed and stoically got himself a shower. Heading to the kitchen he blinked as he caught sight of the note on teh fridge. He wanted to bang his head against the appliance as he did so. This meant she wasn't going to be home for lunch and he just lost an hour of desperately needed sleep. Mentally he added feed the kids to the list. Waiting for the kids to be dropped off back home, he made lunch and set it out on the table, heading out to the sidewalk just as said little bus was pulling to a stop. Well...he still ahd perfect timing. Hiding the tired he grinned at his little ones tottled off the bus. "Hey you two, have fun?"
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Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 8:50 pm
Completely unaware of the sacrifices his parents made in their daily schedules--not that he'd have cared if he knew, childish selfishness and all-- he had hold of his sister's hand and greeted his father with a smile. Tapping the plastic Fire chief hat he was wearing on his head, he nodded. "Daddy, guess what?" Not waiting for an answer, he plunged on. "We went to the fire station and saw the doggies. They're not as smart as ours though." He knew his sister would probably want to fill in the rest since she liked to get all excited about these sorts of things. But he frowned. "Is Mommy working again?"
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Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 9:05 pm
"Daddy!" Big grin with fangs there, only not running to him and throwing herself at his legs because her brother had her hand. "But they're spotty!" Those would be dalmations, but the word was big and she didn't remember it by now with the short attention span she held. "And they ride on the back of the trucks in their own little seats, and they have their own cubbies for their things, and they sit at the table for food!" Her dogs weren't allowed at the table, but Toby was right, they were very very smart. Being ushered into the house with her brother, she only then let go of his hand and took off her backpack, holding it up to her father. A glance at an already set table made her realize why her brother asked such a silly question. "Daddy?"
"Really? I guess our dogs are smart but humble then as well." Ushering them both in and taking their backpacks as they were handed off he gave a sigh to the dissappointed tones in their voices. "She had a shift change at the hospital, I'm sorry she can't make it home for lunch today. But we'll have fun anyway right?"
A pouty look continued. "I guess....can I have my musics?"
"After you eat." Pointing to the table and watching her turn and head off to it. That girl and her music...at least it was an easy compromise. She got her own little player..and it was loaded with classical. She seemed to like it anywayn. Ruffling his son's hair he guestured him to the table as well. "I'm sure she'll spend extra time with you tonight."
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Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 9:33 pm
He followed suit, handing his own backpack up but refusing to take off his fire hat. That was fun and new and his teacher had given it to him because he got to lead the line to go to the bus. Every other kid had gotten one back at the school but his was still special, even if only to him. The excitement from the fire station was dimmed slightly since they were minus one for lunch but he dutifully slid into his chair and picked up his grilled cheese sandwich, taking a bite. "She'll be too tired." Frowning a bit and then glancing up, "Daddy, can Nonna come play with us today?"
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Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 9:53 pm
He couldn't believe how tired he still was or the fact that he couldn't shake it. Sleep hadn't been particularly restful for him though so he supposed it made sense. Not that he liked the fact. Drinking down half of his glass of blood he turned a look to his son. "Nonna is sleeping right now. You have to ask those things a day before so she can get a good night's sleep and be up to play with you in day, remember? We'll give her a call later and she can come over tomorrow, how's that sound?" Making sure to not break the child's heart compeltely before a frown across the table. "Lici please don't play in it." Propping an elbow on the table he watched his children as he tried to not nod off. "Do you have any homework you two need to do?"
She blinked and gave a bashful smile as she was caught playing with her food, swirling the little grilled cheese triangles around in the little puddle of blood on her blade and using them like crayons on her plate. Playing with food wasn't something they were supposed to do. As mama said, food was for eating not for playing. Hearing the disappointment in her brother's voice though she turned an unhappy look to him. "Mama won't be too tired." Trying to encourage him some before looking back to her father. "Um...we gotta find something for show and tell. I wanted to take Caprice." Beaming at that one.
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Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 10:03 pm
There went his appetite. Andrew had told the class that his grandma was coming to pick him up after class and take him to the zoo. His Nonna couldn't do that because she was a vampire and vampires had to sleep during the day. Except them because they had to go to school. "I guess." He ate a few more bites, drank all his blood and then sat there. "I'm done. Can I be 'scused?" Not even waiting for an answer as he was already picking up the colored plastic plate and dropping it in the sink. "You can't take Caprice, Lici. She's too big and that's for pet day, member?" Glancing at his father and shrugging, "I'm taking my bug book."
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Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 10:37 pm
Finishing off her food she sat there a moment and gave another pout as she was told that taking the dog wasn't a good thing because then there would be nothing for pet day and Thobias was already taking Mercury and she didn't want to share. "Well what am I supposed to bring then? I don't wanna be the only one without something....I don't have a special book."
"Best to take something easy to carry." They always were in a down trodden mood when Sam wasn't home...mother child bond he guessed. "Sure you can." Those kids, or at least one of them was going to mope all day. "You can put your things in the sink too Lici. And why don't you and Toby go to your room and look through your things, I'm sure there's something interesting in there. If you can't find anything I'll help you. Okay? I'll be doing chores that your mother left."
Huff. "Okays..." Getting up and taking her dishes to the sink like her brother she then took his hand and gently pulled him off. "Come on, you gotta help, I don't wanna get yelled at."
He watched them go off and sighed lightly, cleaning things up and then heading to the living room to plop down on the couch. Oh so tired. Laying back he sighed and closed his eyes...eh he'd just rest them for a few minutes before he got up and took care of that list. Soon enough though he was making that sleeping sound of his.
Fifteen minutes later, the twins weren't satisfied with their choices and that meant it was time to go see what daddy could do about it. Though she blinked as they found him on his back on the couch, quite asleep with Mercury on the couch as well near his feet curled up and Caprice on the floor nearby. "Should we wake daddy up?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 10:23 am
He tried to help his sister find something to take but she didn't seem to want to take any of the things he suggested. And the things she wanted to take were either too big or their parents wouldn't let them take it in, like her CD player. He glanced over his sleeping father and shook his head. "No." Chewing on his lip for a moment as the wheels began turning in his mind. Daddy had said something about chores left by Mama. If Daddy didn't do them then Mama would have to and that meant she'd have even less time to play with them. "We should help Daddy do his chores."
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 3:34 pm
Happiness bloomed on her face in place of disappointment and uncertinty and she gave a bright grin to her brother. That was a wonderful idea wasn't it?! "And it will make her really happy too!" Though clapping a hand over her mouth as daddy shfited and rolled over on the couch, afraid she had woken him up for a moment and despite her being the one to make noise, she gave her brother a shushing motion. "We gonna let him sleep and we'll do the chores." Tugging him to the kitchen and pointing up at the list. Reading was something they knew...kind of...but still struggled with in certain aspects. Mama was big on learning things.
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 7:09 pm
He knew better than to shush her, it wouldn't do any good anyway. Following along behind her, he glanced up at the list and scanned over the words. He was reading better than she was but Mama believed that was because he'd been big on cuddling and reading books ever since he was little while his sister was much more active. As a result, his sister was able to do more on the playground and she had better writing skills than he did. Part of that had to do with a slower development that all males encountered but he didn't know that or care.
Frowning at the first line he read it slowly. "Wash the...on the co-coo-" Tilting his head, "Count! Er. Counter. Counter!" Thus pointing to the long thing that spanned the kitchen and the tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers sitting on a paper towel. "Those." Walking over, he stood on his toes and handed the veggies off to his sister. "How're we s'posed to wash 'em?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 7:22 pm
He had skipped a word, she knew that but she couldn't figure it out either as she tried to stare at it and decipher it in her head...that was a long word and it had funny sounds. A blink over to the counter noticing the veggies on it, and those being the only new thing that usually wasn't on there, she decided to agree with him that that was what that word was. Taking them in her arms she pondered a moment with one eye closed. "When mama washes, she used the wash'chine." Thusly moving off to the alcove that was their wash room with the washer and dryer sitting against the far wall. "She puts thing in that one." Nodding to the one on the left. "Get the stool." Waiting for him to do so and climb up with her, they mananaged the top open and she dropped in the vegtables. Thus on to imitating what mommy did, turning the knob and grinning as water started. "It beeps when it's done. What's next?"
Caprice was onto the kids by now, and sitting just at the entrance to the washing room. A whine as she saw what they were doing...oh this wasn't going to turn out well.
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 7:41 pm
He nodded, that was wonderful logic, wasn't it? Taking the rest of the veggies in his arms, he followed her then set them on the little table Mama kept for folding and stuff he knew nothing about. He just knew she sprayed shirts and stuff and ruffled his hair when he'd gotten stains on things. Bringing over the stool, he watched then frowned. "You gots to put in soap too, Lici. Member what Mama says?" Stepping on the dryer, he opened the cabinet and pulled down the soap then dumped a reasonable amount into the spinning water and let his sister close the lid. Patting Caprice's head, he went back to the kitchen and sounded out the next line. "Change the guh-uhst towels. What'cha think she means by that?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 8:30 pm
A finger to her chin, she thought. "Aren't those the towels that daddy doesn't like?" Dragging her brother into the nearest bathroom and pointing to the little towels near the sink that were overly decorative. "The ones we can't use...they're for...guests..." Which sounded like the word that he had said from the list. "Change means make different...I guess we should make them different." Upset look then as she didn't know how to go about that...she wasn't the creative one like he was. He always thought up neat ways to do things. "How we gonna do that?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 8:51 pm
His sister was so smart. "Like Nonna when she sleeps over." Glancing over those towels, he nodded in agreement then pulled the funny folded towels down and took them back in the kitchen. It'd be best to do it on the floor where they could both reach and the mess could easily be cleaned up. "I know! We'll change what's on 'em. Mama must be tired of this dumb look." Pointing to the seashell stitched into the bottom he flipped the towels over and showed her how they were plain white. "We can use chalks and paints. I'll get 'em." Running into the playroom, he pulled the art supplies from the table and corner his parents had set up for them and rejoined his sister. "Be careful though. Don't get none on your clothes or the floor or Mama will get mad." Taking a piece of blue chalk, he carefully began to draw a rocketship on the pristine terrycloth."Nonna likes rocketships."
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