Jade

Chapter 40

I woke with a start.  I was alone in bed.  The room was dark.  I got up to check on Emma.  She was fast asleep.  The curtain to the sliding glass door was open.  Aris was outside.  I went out to see if he was okay.  “I am fine,” he answered before I even asked, “She had a bad dream.”  He lit me a cigarette, then one for himself.  “Will making her forget cut down on the bad dreams?” I asked.  “That is what I am hoping for,” he answered.  “Can you make her forget what happened before her time with us?”  “Yes.”  “Then why haven't you?”  “Someone did that to you.  You have no memories of me now.  What if there is someone like that for her?”  “Is that what you are looking for?”  “Yes.”  “Would it be easier if she slept in bed with us?”  “Yes.”  “Then bring her back into bed with us,” I smiled.  “Okay,” he smiled, “I might even be able to finish it tonight if she sleeps in between us.”  “Then she will sleep in the middle.”

We went back in.  I climbed into bed as he carefully picked Emma up and brought her to bed.  He laid her down next to me and rolled her onto her side, facing me.  He slid into bed behind her and covered up.  “I am just putting my hand on her belly, inside her shirt,” he explained.  She stirred a little then settled with her thumb in her mouth.  I brushed her black hair back away from her face.  So grown up, but such a baby at the same time.  She needs a dolly.  I have that covered.   She is going to be one happy girl at Christmas.  Pretty dresses too.  Do not worry.  I know what little girls like.  Plus I have Lia to help.  How am I going to shop for you?  I have everything that I want.  You do not need to get me a thing.  I want to though.  We will see.  Maybe Ripley can take you shopping sometime.  That would be great.

I brushed his hair back away from his face, then settled my hand on Emma's bare arm.  He got a funny look on his face, then his eyes rolled up into his head.  Do not be alarmed.  I am just speeding through it.  Leave your arm where it feels most natural and go back to sleep.  We have a long day tomorrow.  I closed my eyes and easily fell asleep.

My eyes snapped open.  It was morning.  I was laying on my right side.  Emma's face was right in front of mine.  She had her little index finger on my nose.  I wrinkled my nose and she giggled.  “Where is Yaris?” I whispered.  “In the bathroom,” she whispered, “he told me to wake you up.”  She was already dressed in a gray sweat suit and miniature bunny slippers.  “Who woke up first, you or him?” I whispered, curious.  “I did,” she whispered, “I jumped on him.  I had to go potty.”  I laughed.  It really is wonderful waking up with a good laugh, picturing her jumping on him.

“What's he doing now?” I whispered.  “He is watching you and listening,” he answered, standing in the bathroom doorway.  “She jumped on you?”  “She did,” he answered, “Woke me right up.  I told her not to do that to you.”  “She didn't,” I told him truthfully, “I guess we have an early riser.”  “What does that mean?” Emma asked.  “It means that you like to wake up and get up out of bed early,” I answered.  “I do not like to.  I just have to go potty,” she stated, matter-of-factly.  “Could you quietly get out of bed, use the bathroom, then come back to bed?” I asked her.  “I do not know,” she answered, “everything wakes him up and his arm is heavy.”  I smiled at her, “When you start sleeping in your own bed you won't have those problems anymore.”

“I am ready to go get trees!” she exclaimed, “Can we get a little one like me?”  “We will talk to Ripley about it and see what he thinks,” I answered, “first I need to get up so that we can have some breakfast.  Are you hungry?”  “Yes.  Yaris says he hears my tummy talking,” she told me.  “I better hurry then,” I said, getting up.  I went in the bathroom and quickly followed my morning routine.  When I emerged from the bathroom dressed and ready to go, they were sitting on the bed talking.  “I have two brothers, Ethan and James.  They are going to help you pick out trees today,” he told her, “you will like them. They are a lot of fun.”  “Are you a lot of fun?” she asked him.  “I do not know,” his brow wrinkled, “You will have to spend some time with me and let me know.”  “Okay,” she agreed, with the most serious demeanor.

“Are you ready?” I interrupted them.  They both looked up at me.  “Yes,” Emma hopped up.  “Can I carry you like you are my baby?” Aris asked.  She held her arms out to him and he picked her up.  She leaned her head on his shoulder.  “You know, pretty soon you will be too big for this,” he told her, “we better do it as much as we can while you are little.”  “Mmmhmm,” she agreed.

We made our way to the dining room, then the kitchen.  No one was cooking.  Aris set Emma on the island and put on an apron.  He took a hold of Emma’s hand and gave her an apron and a chef's hat.  “What about your hat?” she asked him.  He snapped his fingers and his hair was up in a chef's hat.  She smiled, satisfied.  “What should we make Emma?” he asked.  “Jade needs it too,” she stated.  I donned myself an apron and hat, “Better?”  She nodded her approval.  “Chocolate chip pancakes,” she answered.  “And bacon,” I added.  “Anything else?” he asked.  “Nope,” she answered.  “How about scrambled eggs and sausage?”  “Nope.”  “We will go ahead and make them but you do not have to eat them,” he told her.  “Okay,” she agreed.

We set about getting the ingredients out and setting them on the counter.  He started the pancakes first, letting Emma pour the chocolate chips in and letting her use the mixer.  He poured six pancakes on the griddle, then opened the bacon and put strips in a fry pan.  He opened a tube of sausage, cut it into patties and put them in a separate fry pan.  He flipped the pancakes then started breaking eggs in a large mixing bowl.  He added Greek yogurt, salt and pepper.  He mixed it with a whisk then poured that mixture into another fry pan.  He took the pancakes off of the griddle and added six more.

“Can I help with something?” I asked.  “You and Emma could set the table,” he pointed out where everything is.  “For how many?” I asked.  “Set it for twelve, just in case.”  I got twelve plates, forks and spoons.  I had Emma carry the silverware and I carried the plates to the dining room.  We walked around the table passing out plates and flat ware.  No one was here yet.  We went back and got twelve cups and put them on the table.  “You can put juice and milk on the table,” he suggested.  I got a half gallon of orange juice and partial gallon of milk out of the refrigerator.  I gave the juice to Emma to carry.  We took it to the table.

“No ones out there yet,” I told Aris.  “I have not told them that it is ready yet,” he explained.  He had a stack of pancakes ready.  “Emma I am making some pancakes without chocolate chips too,” he told her.  “Okay,” she agreed, “can I help.”  He picked her up and let her push the button on the mixer.  She giggled at the vibration.  He set her down on her feet and went to the stove.  He took some bacon out and put more in.  He poured some more pancakes on the griddle.  He took the sausage out of the pan.  “Can I help with that?” I asked indicating the stove.  “I think I have it under control,” he answered, turning the eggs, “Have a seat.”  He put the last of the bacon in the sausage pan.  He  turned the pancakes.  He turned the eggs off.  We were just waiting on bacon and pancakes.  He took the pancakes off the griddle and added some more.  “You could put butter and syrup on the table.”  I had Emma carry the syrup.

The others were slowly arriving.  “Uncle Theo,” Emma squealed.  I left her to visit and went back into the kitchen.  “It is ready.  Do you want to help me carry it out?”  “Yes.”  I took both platters of pancakes.  He brought out eggs, bacon and sausage.  We set them in the middle of the table.  We all took our seats, Emma sitting between Theo and I.  “We have some special chocolate chip pancakes,” Aris announced, “Emma's special request.”  “Oh, yum,” Theo growled.  Emma giggled.  I picked up her plate and put two on it with two strips of bacon.  I helped her put syrup on.  She chose milk to drink.  I got regular pancakes, sausage and bacon.  I got juice to drink.  When she finished her pancakes, she asked for another.  I gave her the last chocolate chip pancake.  “Is it that good?” Aris asked her.  “Yummy,” she announced.  She finished that one too and her bacon.

“Are you about ready to go tree hunting?” Ripley asked Emma.  “Yes!” she shouted, then quieter, “can we get a little tree like me?”  “I think we should,” he answered, “We can get a bigger one and a smaller one too.  Where would you like your little tree to go?”  A look of confusion spread across her face.

“Emma, we will spend Christmas Eve here at the main cabin with our family and friends,” Aris explained, “but Christmas day we will spend at our cabin, just the three of us.  Would you like to have your tree here, or have it at our cabin?”  “We have a cabin?” she whispered.  “You will get to see it today,” Yaris smiled.  “Can I think about it?” she asked, tapping her forehead with her index finger.  “Yes, you can think about it,” he agreed.

“Emma, I will be leaving for the day,” Aris told her, “I will not be back until after you go to sleep tonight.  You will be spending the day with Jade and these guys and you will stay here at the main cabin tonight.  I will see you again in the morning.”  “Are you leaving now?” she asked.  “In just a few minutes,” he answered.  She climbed down out of her chair and ran to him.  He picked her up and put her in his lap.  She hugged him tight.  “You promise that you will come back,” she sniffled.  “I promise,” he answered, hugging her back, “I bet Jade can tell you a good bedtime story.”  “Can Rip?” she asked.  “Yes he can,” Aris smiled.  “Tomorrow night you have to tell me a story,” she demanded.  “I will definitely tell you a story,” he agreed.  “Okay,” she laid her head on his shoulder.  He just held her like that until it was time to go.  She was asleep when he handed her off to Theo.

“Come with me Jade,” Aris said to me.  I followed him back to our room.  We made it inside.  He turned abruptly, wrapped his arms around me and kissed me on the forehead, each eye, my nose then my lips.  “I am going to miss you,” he whispered.  “I will miss you too,” I whispered back, “Will we still have contact?”  “Yes,” he answered, “I will still miss you.  You will understand after we are separated for a little while.”  I heard him breath in the scent of my hair.  Then he moved back and examined my face as if he would be gone for a year.  He zeroed in on my lips, then slowly moved in closer.  He slid his tongue along my lips, requesting access.  I granted it and we had the longest most delicious kiss.  A knock on the door broke us apart.  “Yes,” he growled, annoyed.  “It is time to go,” Lia called out, “We will be back tonight.  You will live.”  I smiled at her little jab.  “We will be out in a minute,” his tone softened.  He put his hand on my cheek, “I love you.”  “I love you too.”  “Come smoke with us before we go,” he requested.  “Okay.”