smallestopener | Slumber Birthday Party

Slumber Birthday Party

The tea party room in the House of Arch has been re-arranged. The chests of dress-up clothes are still there, but the large table is gone. In its place are comfy, overstuffed chairs, a long sofa, and several cushions and bean bags scattered about. There is a small table loaded with snacks like crisps, dips, cupcakes, candy, and soda. There's also a veggie tray and cheese and crackers for all of those over age eight.

An old model TV hooked up to VCR is set up with several video cassettes of movies such as The Aristocats, Sleeping Beauty, Shirley Temple classics, and other fun viewing choices.

Tom and Door have been busy escorting guests into the House, if they didn't already have access on their own, and the birthday girl greets them with squeeful happiness. Megwyn is already there, standing by a basket of fresh hay and apples. Even Companions need treats.

She is wearing pajamas with unicorns on them with a fluffy yellow robe on over. She is very excited and feeling very grown up. She's going to stay up all night.

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Eventually, Alanna takes Grace home and returns carrying much less than on her previous visit. She smiles fondly at Ingress and looks around, idly snacking on a cupcake. She likes the frosting; it disappears first.

Susan has drifted off on top of one of the bean bags, giving Amy a chance for some grown up conversation.

"Good evening, Alanna."

There's icing on her upper lip; Alanna feels it, but smiles at Amy before wiping it off.

"Hullo, Amy. How do you fare?"

If a cupcake is worth eating, it's worth getting frosting on your face for.

"Very well, Alanna. How are you?"

Alanna clearly agrees!

"I'm well," she says. "Busy, but thankfully I thrive on activity. Adam requires more sleep than I do."

Amy grins. "If you've got to thrive on something, activity is probably not a bad thing to thrive on.

"Do you know, I don't think we've spoken since my brother's wedding. There seem to have been a great many arrivals since then."

"We haven't!"

She looks surprised at the realization, but only briefly; the months have started to blend together in her memory.

"All three arrived safe and sound, though it was touch and go with Jamie for a while. He was smaller than Thom and Grace. They are a handful, but we love them dearly. Adam has only threatened to trade them for dogs once."

"I'm quite glad to hear that, anc congratualtions to you and to Adadm. Though I tell you, Alanna, I can't imagine having three at once. Having the one is occasionally still completely overwhelming."

Amy looks over at Susan with a smile.

"And the second one's on the way now, too."

"Really? Well, that's splendid news. Congratulations to you as well!"

She waves her hand in a distracted gesture.

"It's probably good I had them all at once. The more shocked I am, the more likely I am to come out swinging. Or changing diapers, as the case may be."

"Thank you," says Amy.

"And I hadn't thought of it like that, but it makes a good deal of sense.

"How old are they now?"

"They were born in February, so only a few months. And what of your daughter?" She smiles at the little girl, who looks much older than Alanna expected, but such is the way of the bar. "She's lovely."

"That's a wonderful age. You still can't quite believe they're real. And yours."

She beams at Alanna.

"Isn't she?" says Amy. "I think Perry's still sorry she didn't get the freckles and the turned up nose, just a bit.

"Susan was a year in March, and it's early May at home now. So, a year and two months, give or take. She chatters all the time now."

There's a sudden grin. "That, at least, she inherited from her mother."

Alanna laughs.

"Adam was pleased that Grace is a redhead, but I think he's starting to feel concerned over the stubbornness and recklessness that tends to go with it, in my family." She pauses. "I cannot wait for them to start talking. I hope mine chatter as well."

Re: Grown up thread

kitchen_maid - 2007-06-04 23:51 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Grown up thread

the_lioness - 2007-06-05 13:46 (UTC) - Expand

After watching the younger girls settle down into watching one of the movies, amid spurts of laughing and little girl sighs, Marian wandered toward where the adults were milling.

She spotted Alanna, and smiled gently. "You look radiant. Motherhood seems to be suiting you well."

Although not a vain woman, Alanna is not immune to flattery, especially the genuine sort. She grins cheerfully, pleased to see Marian again.

"I thank you, Marian. I've taken to it better than most expected, myself included. And how are you?"

"I can bet it's not too far from also getting to go back to other loves" --like her sword-- "As much as discovering how much these little ones suddenly become them, too." Marian said with some amusement.

But then without waiting to answer the second question yet, she took a step forward. "Are those cupcakes?"

"Well said. I'm certain feeling like myself again and training has helped immensely."

She nods eagerly, selecting another cupcake and licking at the icing.

"Aye. They are truly marvelous."

"I'm glad to hear it."

Picking up a cupcake, taking her time to pull a finger through the icing and lick it thoughtfully with a dreamy expression.

"Things have been tense back home, so it's nice to be somewhere filled with laughter and joy."

Alanna pauses, holding the cupcake near her mouth, and gives Marian a concerned look.

This time, she doesn't notice the icing on her upper lip.

"It is," and it's said with rueful understanding. "I'm sorry things have been tense. Has something happened?"

The icing makes Marian grin, which is the one thing which keeps her from looking grim when the the thought scurry back to the foreground of her mind.

"It was complicated, but it comes down to making the wrong choice for the right reason."

"Ah."

There's a sympathetic smile, but Alanna looks lost in her own thoughts for a moment.

"I have experience with those sort of choices," she says wryly, thinking of Thom. Shaking herself, she sighs and re-focuses. "Are you all right?"

"Not completely," Marian says too quickly, not positive why she's being so honest, though it strikes in her remembering her conversation with Death. "But I'm moving in that direction."

Like sludge, she doesn't say as her find Ingress and she smiles absently. "But when you're young little things like this party seem so important so I made sure I arrived for her."

"And I'm sure that means the world to her," Alanna says, following her gaze. "Is there anything I can do? Please, you have only to ask."

She looks back, obviously concerned.

Remake the world, she doesn't say.

Make him walk away, without costing her life or her fathers.
Make him love me, without costing her life or her fathers.

"It's fine at the moment," she says though. And in some part its true. "And it's easier here, among friends."

And that is entirely true.

Not terribly convinced, Alanna watches her for a moment before linking her arm through Marian's and reaching for another cupcake.

"Here. You have to catch up. We can't leave them all for the children, or they will rot their teeth. It's our moral responsibility."