Passion's Instinct

Sixty Two

Natalie

We were eating lunch a few days later, and August sat at the table in his high chair, sucking his thumb.

"August, take your thumb out of your mouth, bud. Are you hungry?" Hayden said, setting down his sandwich and picking up August's spoon and dipping into the jar of baby food.

August shook his head, his thumb still in his mouth. He turned away, looking towards the TV in the living room, which wasn't on at the moment, but he knew that's what he watched cartoons from.

"August --" Hayden started, but he turned back around and banged the tray on his high chair, babbling excitedly.

Just before he closed his mouth, Hayden stuck the spoon in it. August didn't recoil, just gave with it and ate what Hayden gave him.

Sawyer laughed. "Look how he eats, it's so funny!" I smiled at him, and he started to erupt with laughter as he watched Hayden feed August. "Some is coming out on his... his chin!"

Hayden laughed a little and put the spoon back in the baby food jar, looking back up to wipe the drips away that Sawyer pointed out. Temple was quiet, sitting there poking at her food, her chin resting in her hand.

"What's wrong, Temple?" I asked, leaning forward to push the hair that fell on her forehead back.

She looked up at me, frowning. "Boys are so annoying."

I smiled a little. "What happened to make you think that?"

"Brothers."

"What'd they do to annoy you?" Hayden asked, shoveling another spoonful of food into August's mouth.

"Being themselves!" she exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "They played with my toys and broke them!"

"Broke them?" I asked, doubting it, until she pulled out a Barbie doll from under the table with a missing head.

"Oh..." Hayden said, sucking his teeth. I met eyes with him, giving him a warning look, a look that said 'watch your reaction.'

"Yeah, and do you want to see her head, too? It has marker all over it!" Temple raged, her eyes watering. She put the doll's head on the table top, and sure enough, the face had marker scrawled all over it and choppy hair that Sawyer must've cut.

I knew Hayden and I should've brought the kids outside when we were doing yardwork earlier.

"Can I just have a sister?" Temple begged, sniffing. She looked at both Hayden and I with pathetic eyes. She blinked beneath her glasses.

"Honey..." I started, struggling which what to say. "I don't think Mommy and Daddy are going to have another baby."

"What? Why not?" she asked, her mouth wide open.

"Because..."

"We love all three of you, Temple. And we have two dogs and a good home, and Mommy and I know that another baby would be too much to take care of right now." Hayden explained, and I knew he was trying his best. "Don't you just want your two brothers?"

"No! I really, really want a sister. Brothers are mean and annoying!"

"Temple, we can't just have a girl --" I started, but she cut me off, continuing her rant.

"Yuh - huh! Get a sister."

"What do you mean?"

"Adopt one!"

Hayden and I exchanged glances.

Before we could answer, Temple got up from the table and threw her Barbie down on the floor.

"Why can't I just have a sister? Have another baby and make it a sister, if you don't want to adopt one! Ask God for a girl, or something! Please?"

"Temple..."

"Fine! I never get what I want! I'm the only girl, and I hate it! I hate brothers!"

"Temple!" Hayden called, but she ran away, up the stairs. "Temple!" he repeated, running to the bottom of the steps and looking up them, but I stopped him.

"Hayden."

He looked at me with a worried expression on his face, not saying anything.

"Just let her be by herself right now. It'll be best."

Hayden hesitated, but then breathed out and walked back over to the table, sitting back down in his seat.

"Natalie."

I walked over to him and sat down in Temple's seat, beside him, running my fingers through his hair.

"Maybe --"

"No, Hayden. We can't give in like that. She'll get over it."

He nodded, averting his eyes from me and looking down at his food.

I sighed, standing up and helping the boys clean up the table, thinking about Temple.

Will she get over it?

I didn't know, but I hoped so, for everyone's and her sake.

Not only that, but...

She's going to be a rough teenager.