The day passes leisurely. When evening comes, we make supper for the twins and let them play some more before they have to go to bed. I sit by the window while they wear off the last bit of their energy and watch as the sun sets. I turn my head as the twins engage in a game I haven't heard before.
"Corey! You be daddy an' I'll be mummy!" Maisie proclaims excitedly.
I raise my eyebrows as I watch them. Elias is nowhere to be seen at the moment. He's upstairs doing something. I snort when Corey's reaction to his newly assigned role is to grab Maisie's head and give her a rather violent kiss on the cheek.
"Corey! Don't grab me that hard!" Maisie protests with a pouty lip.
"He's just playing the part," I murmur with a smirk.
I rest my chin on my fist as they continue.
"Here! Beezy can be me an' your blankie can be you," Maisie proposes.
Corey reluctantly removes the blanket from his shoulders and places it on the ground beside Beezy.
"You both have to go to bed right now!" Maisie mimics, making her voice higher for some reason.
"They can stay up later!" Corey adds with authority, trying to make his voice deeper.
"Ok, fine, you guys can stay up later-"
"No! They have to go to bed!"
I laugh out loud then. He has Elias' contentious habits down to a science. Maisie gives me a quick smile. She loves it when I enjoy their performances.
"Daddy, you just s-"
"Maisie," Corey corrects calmly. "Mummy doesn't call daddy that."
Maisie looks upwards, likely searching her mind for what Elias' actual name is if it isn't 'daddy'. Her eyes light up when she remembers.
"Elias!" she proclaims proudly. "You just said they can stay up later!"
"I changed my mind, M'kaela," he states plainly.
I am enjoying this far more than I should be.
"Well, you're not nice an' I'm...not gonna talk to you!" Maisie declares, crossing her arms and turning away from Corey with exaggerated indignation.
"I'm sorry," Corey tries, walking over and resting his chin on Maisie's shoulder. "But I'm right."
I struggle to catch my breath from laughing. My stomach is starting to hurt at this point. I can't remember the last time I laughed this hard.
"No, Elias! I'm always right! I am right always-!"
My laughing stops very abruptly then when Maisie is cut off by her brother smacking her on the face with a fair amount of force. I take in a sharp gasp and my eyes go wide as I rush over and kneel in front of them. Maisie bursts into tears.
I take Corey's wrist firmly.
"Corey, you do not hit Maisie ever. Ever, do you understand? You don't hit your sister." I keep my gaze very stern as I look at him. "I want you to apologize to Maisie right now."
Corey nods and kneels down, gently patting Maisie's head as she sobs into my lap.
"I'm sorry, Maisie," he says in a small little voice.
Maisie sniffles before lifting her head some and answering.
"That's 'kay, Corey. It was just part of the game."
I feel myself paling when she says it. I hadn't connected that Corey still thought he was playing the game, still thought he was being Elias. I had immediately assumed he was just annoyed with Maisie over something. But, she really didn't do anything. I feel my heart breaking as I put the pieces together.
When I'm sure I'm on the verge of tears, I tell the twins (in a very choked up voice) to go get their pyjamas on for bedtime. They hurry off, recovered from their little scrap. I sit there on the floor as the room silences, my hand over my mouth as tears roll down my cheeks and over my fingers.
"What was that?" a voice asks from the stairs behind me. "I heard Maisie wailing."
I quickly wipe my tears and rise to my feet before turning.
"Corey hit Maisie while they were playing. Are they...are they ok now?" I ask, hoping to distract him from my teary eyes.
He studies me closely for a moment before continuing down the stairs.
"They seemed fine. It was like it never happened."
He approaches and stops in front of me, tilting his head as he studies me.
"You...alright?" he asks.
I nod and look up, attempting a small smile.
"Yeah...yeah, I'm fine."
He gives a smile of his own as his eyes flicker over my face.
"Good."
He goes to pass me but I catch his sleeve. He turns and waits expectantly.
"You can't...hit me when there's a chance they could see anymore, ok?" I request quietly, glancing at the stairs every so often. "You have your rules...I deserve at least one of my own. This is it."
He stares at me for a second before smirking.
"Heh...okay, Mikaela," is all he says before heading to the kitchen.
YOU ARE READING
Poor Little Things {ON HOLD}
Mystery / Thriller"When a babysitter thinks of all that could go wrong, an intruder is near the top of the list. I, being the carefree individual I prided myself on being at the time, dismissed such fears. Even so, they were always at the back of my mind." When fifte...
