#whatdowecallit

#whatdowecallit Part 16

Nic- You wine more than any person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Squinting at her knowingly.

Wyn- And your point is? Raising a defensive eyebrow.

Nic- Nothing. I just needed to tell you that. She chuckles at herself. You go grab the whiskey I left in the car, motioning with her hand towards her keys hanging on the key hook in the mudroom, & I'll get the shot glasses and set the table. You'd probably screw it up anyway.

Wyn- I love you too. She smiles a toothy mischievous smile. Be right back bestie. She says turning to get the spirits, feeling triumphantly about getting out of setting the table, despite the weak insults Nicole tried to throw at her.

Wyn & Nicole really are best friends. It took many, many, many, many, many, many, oh so very, many years, and fights (physical & verbal), and tears for them to get to this point but they trust each other with their lives. They are just fundamentally different people. When they collaborate; it's magic. When they don't; Waverly gives them both the silent treatment. The system works.

Nicole finishes setting the table in the fresh white linen & burlap that Waverly prefers. She places the freshly picked lilacs she'd removed to put the table leaf in, back at the center of the table. She heads towards the kitchen where Waverly & Bridger are getting out the right number of forks & spoons.

Upstairs Aunt Gus stands in the doorway of the twins' room, watching as the kids make what appears to be a lincoln logs mansion. She's actually pretty impressed. It doesn't stand long though, as Calamity Jane decides to make her presence known by scooting out from under Fauna's bed and promptly knocking over the child constructed mini mansion. All three of the kids groan in unison.

Aunt Gus- Oh Calamity Jane. She says in a sing-song manner. You're still as sassy as ever. Calamity Jane proceeds to sashae her way through the center of the kids creation without regard to a single soul in the room.

Fauna- Did you see it Aunt gus? Before she tipped it over? She says scooting to stand on her knees to hover over the pile of lincoln logs. It was so big!

Aunt Gus- I did see it. Smiling brightly. It was also beautiful.

Alice- We all did it together. Lincoln logs are easy. She starts picking up a few of the fallen logs. You want me to show you? She hops to her feet obviously excited about pulling Aunt Gus into their fun. I can be the teacher!

Forest- Yeah Aunt Gus! His hurried walk over to grab Aunt Gus from the doorway, betraying his excitement as well. Alice will teach you!

Fauna- We can make another bigger one this time! She hops up all the now and just as she does with excited sparkling eyes, Aunt Gus can't help but to laugh at how much this little ball of energy looks exactly like her mother.

Fauna is everyone's favorite big sister. She was born first and she knows it. She is a "take charge" little girl. She is the "I'm sweet but sharp" little girl. She has personality with a capital P. Fauna did everything early. Crawl, walk, talk... you name it. She is so incredibly bright. So much so, that their kindergarten teacher suggested she skip kindergarten altogether. Waverly & Nicole had decided against it after talking to Fauna about it.

Their ever concerned little girl had asked, "What about Forest?". Nicole & Waverly had cried later that evening. They found themselves struggling to "just know" what the best decision was for both of their kids. Always the through and determined parents, they came up with a solution in collaboration with the school where Fauna could stay in the same grade with her brother & freshly made friends, but she'd receive slightly different assignments so she didn't get bored.

Fauna, with her chestnut hair in loose waves that fall dramatically to her waist, she has to do everything with a flourish out of necessity, so she doesn't pull her own hair. Aunt Gus had threatened to take scissors to it at least once a week for the past 6 months and was met with a squeal of dissent each time.

In the kitchen Nicole is reaching up for the plates when she hears the front food open.

Nic- I'm in the kitchen Wyn. She yells over her shoulder.

Doc- Wow! Truly offended. You really must be getting old, Sheriff. You can't tell the difference between Wynonna's boots & mine on your front porch? Smiling as Nicole turns to make eye contact. I thought I taught you better.