The Birth of a Wishing Heart

13. Familial Warmth

Lucia smiled as she admired her surroundings. The sun was bright, streaming in different shapes on the ground as the tree canopies drank its rays. Lights of orange, brown, yellow, green, and even some reds reflected off of the crisp autumn leaves.

Directly in front of her was a clearing. A small space for them that her husband had prepared an hour before. Logs were set on the ground surrounding a fireplace. The perfect spot to roast some treats and exchange stories. A large tent had been set on the corner, along with pillows and mats. She was already eager to lie beneath the stars.

Interrupting her calm stature Hansel swung past a tree and took out a necklace his father gave him. He pressed a button and a pocket knife emerged from the tool necklace.

"Hansel!" the boy looked frightened at her tone as she came closer and snapped the knife shut. "What are you doing?"

He seemed hesitant. "I was trying to carve like papa does."

She whipped her head at her husband. "Did you give our nine-year-old son a pocket knife?" Lorenzo held in a laugh. "What?" Hansel's meek expression shifted into a giggle. "What's so funny?" It was hard to stay serious when her son burst out laughing making her husband join in. This was important. She had agreed for him to teach then boy how to carve but she never agreed to give him a knife first! What happened to child safety? What was so funny? She let out a frown. "I mean it."

"Lucy-" The man approached her with a grin still on his face. Her face felt heated. Couldn't he take her seriously? He looked up at her head and pulled a leaf that must have fallen and gotten tangled in her hair. On top of the leaf was a thick hairy caterpillar.

She let out a loud yelp and jumped back. "Get that away from me!" Why did it have to be a caterpillar? She hated caterpillars. She could handle them far on leaves but not on herself. They had an unnatural amount of legs, and they were obscenely hairy.

Her son burst into laughter again as Lorenzo bit his lip in a failed attempt to hide a smirk. That was in her hair. Oh gods. Lucia shook her head quickly as her hands searched her hair throughout to be sure there was nothing else. "You're fine. It's okay, you're fine." He reassured as he placed the bug on a nearby branch.

"How long was that on me?" She asked nearly out of breath.

"I promise you. We just noticed."

"It's been there since before the red bird." Hansel cackled.

Lucia's expression dropped. He didn't tell her?

"I promise you. I just noticed." Lorenzo confirmed. That boy was going to get it. He knew how much she hated those creepy hairy things. "Now Mi Amore," She felt a hand close her fist. "I think the pocket knife is safest with the nine-year-old for now, for both of your sakes." He joked.

She took a few deep breaths. In and out. She wanted to glare back at him but she hadn't recovered from the scare yet. Hansel crossed his arms and pouted, as he did when she was "worrying too much." She sighed before looking back at Lorenzo. "Please tell me you're watching him with that."

"Of course! He's a young man, we'll be safe right?" he asked.

Hansel looked at him, then his mother. "Yes." His annoyed expression was still present. He was her one and only child. Wasn't it her job to watch for him? "Is it that bad to learn my father's craft?"

She looked away. Lorenzo had talked about this with her before, and she had fully supported it. Now that she saw the sharp edge she felt like she'd need to hold her breath. She waved her hands to shoo them off. Lorenzo took her shoulder and smiled. "He'll be fine." His voice was enough to help her catch her breath, but only for a moment. He leaned in and placed his palm on the back of her head gently pushing it forward, before giving her a kiss of reassurance. It almost felt like a promise. Lucia closed her eyes and enjoyed his scent for a moment until Hansel clicked his tongue and her husband pulled away.