Devil's Whore

10.

The next morning Mary woke up early. When she opened up her eyes, the girls were spread between them, pushing them both on the edges of their big bed, holding most of the space for them. But once she moved a little both of them curled up on James' side. Yenna clinged under his ribs and Lyla crawled on his head partly and on his pillow. She smiled at the sight, but since she didn't want to disturb them, slowly she slipped off the bed to let them snooze a little longer. After she washed her face and brushed her hair, she wore on her robe and walked downstairs on the kitchen to help Brace with breakfast. Even if they were the wealthiest family in Dublin, Mary never got comfortable on it, she always was present in the house, doing chores, cooking and helping Brace with everything. "Good morning, Mr Brace." She smiled.

"Morning, Mary." The old man said and stood up from the fireplace, he had already fired up. With the usual small talk they prepared the food and milk for the girls. Coffee for them of course first then anything else.

Soon they heard someone dragging his steps from the stairs and once he got on the kitchen, Will rubbed his eyes wearily. "Good morning, love." Mary came to kiss her son's cheek and passed him a cup of coffee, he surely needed.

"Good morning, mother, mornin' Brace," he said with a yawn and took a cup with gratefull nod. "How do you do it? You wake up everyday like you're never tired," he scoffed and took a seat by the table.

"Mornin', lad." Brace came to sit on the table with them.

"Well, I'd sleep more, if your sisters didn't push me off the bed." She chuckled softly, sipping on her coffee. "I'm very tired, but someone have to make you breakfast and poor Brace is already doing enough by himself."

"They climbed on the bed again?" Brace turned to her, shaking his head. It wasn't something new,both of them since they learn to walk they'd oftentimes sneaked in.

"He was doing the same, until he was ten," Mary said about Will. "Then he started to chase around girls skirts and felt too man to sleep with his mom." She teased him, pinching his cheek.

"Obviously," he shrugged with smirk. "They would laugh at me, if I told them, I'm cuddling to my mom," he said with nod.

Upstairs meanwhile both girls woke up and the moment James opened his eyes Lyla showered him with her birthday cake ideas. From shapes, tastes, changing every five seconds, till he got lost in her demands completely. "Darling, explain me one thing," he spoke, tying up back of her dress after they got from a bathroom and Yenna was braiding her hair. "How could somebody make a cake in a shape of a castle? I know, you dreamt about it. Perhaps it is my poor knowledge about baking, but I don't think, it is possible," he scoffed over her descriptions.

"I saw once a cake high as I was though," Yenna nodded, finishing fixing her hair.

From her sister's idea Lyla widen eyes and turned to her father again. "See,daddy? There are tall cakes!" She nodded in agreement with Yenna. "And I want it purple and blue. Maybe as big as I am. If it's as big as I am, can I walk inside and eat it,daddy?"

"No," he shook his head. "That is impossible, Leanna."

"I bet, he will manage to order it though, as he always does," Yenna whispered to her sister, once they took their hands and walked behind James toward kitchen. James hated them running and screaming and when he was home, they truly behaved according to his demands and wishes. "Will our teacher come today, father?" She then asked.

"No, love. Today we will have a different program in city," he announced and entered with them to the kitchen. "Good morning," he nodded toward the rest behind table and girls rushed to jump on Mary, showering her with kisses.

"God, you gonna kill me!" She groaned, when they both landed on her lap and kissed their forehead. "Good morning,girls!" She smiled. "Did you sleep well? Did you break daddy's back already?"

"No, mommy. Daddy said, I can't eat a cake from inside." Lyla frowned and sighed. Mary furrowed brows, trying to understand what was that new idea again and looked up at James.

"Would that be so bad if you eat it from a plate?" She shrugged, looking at her and Lyla frowned again. Then rushed to jump down and climbed on William, kissing his cheek.

"Now why would you say something so mean, father?" Will frowned equally dramatic as Lyla and scooped her up, kissing her forehead. "Remember, you can have anything you want, you only have to wish for it with all your heart," he told her and James gave him a glare.

"Perhaps you could wish for William to bake the cake of your choice, darling," James said thoughtfully to Lyla, making William's teasing smirk to freeze on his lips.

Yenna snorted quietly and came to hug  Brace. In silence. For some reason she like that old man and many times seeked his presence. She only sat in kitchen without a word and read or helped him with cooking. She then took seat next to him and poured hot milk for herself.

James, kissed Mary's forehead and sat down. "So, your mother has something to announce," he said calmly and kids turned to Mary immediately.

"Oh yes, I almost forgot!" She smiled at James and held his hand on the table. "Tonight is the annual charity ball for the Saint Mary's orphanage. Temple and Winter asked me to help them with the organisation and everything, so we'll go there tonight."

"But mommy, I don't have any dress!" Lyla protested, stealing from Will's plate some pie.

"Baby,you have a lot of dresses," Mary reminded her. Brace chuckled at the expected reaction from Lyla and kissed Yenna's crown, filling out her plate with pie and scrumbled eggs.

"No, I don't have a new dress. I'm not going," Lyla shook her head immediately.

"Couldn't you tell about it earlier? I'm afraid, I have different plans as well," Will said and pinched Lyla, for stealing his food.

"Can I wear the dress with black feathers, I got for my birthday?" Yenna asked and James nodded quietly with small soft glance of his eyes. She smiled and continued eating food.

"See? Yenna will be there, that's..." Will started, but James cleared significantly his throat.

"I said your mother has something to announce," he said, looking at Lyla and William. "It wasn't a topic to discuss about."

"William please." Mary looked at him. "You practically grew up with Winter and Temple, you should be there to support them," she reminded him, looking inside his eyes. 

"I want new dress." Lyla stubbornly crossed arms under her little chest. "Otherwise,we can't go," she said cooling back on William.

"Oh you will go, end of discussion," James said and the moment Lyla opened her mouth, he narrowed his eyes, silencing her.

"You can take the blue dress, you got for Christmas, hm?" Will peeked at Lyla, who had her typical frown on her face again. "You always say, you have no opportunity to wear it and look, the ball," he pinched her cheek.

"Yes!" She smiled widely again and wrapped her little arms around him like a monkey. "Thank you, Willy." For her William was always her saviour to moment, when her father or mother disagreed or forbade her to do something.

Mary smiled softly, watching them and whispered thank you to Will, for saving the moment. "So let's eat our breakfast and then we'll go to get the dresses ready." She winked at Yenna and brushed her cheek.