Arms Hotel, Saturday Morning

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Okay, so for all the complaining about having to get up early - especially after a night chock-full of pollen - this was Kathy's favorite weekend of the year. Surrounded by kids who called her mom, arguing over breakfast, listening to them babble on about their likes and interests and hopes, singing them to sleep at night. Even with as a late an evening as they'd had, she was still up, bright and early, humming around the public room of the suite, readying it for tiny visitors.

A hotel room meant that she had to rely on room service for breakfast, but she made due, making sure to order plenty of fruit (heavy on the strawberries), and juice, and more bacon and sausage than any one room really ought to have.

Now to wait for folks to start showing up!

[Open for all tiny children and their parents, whether related or not!]

Comments

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"You stopped by the Perk and got your own cocoa, and just came in all self-possessed and casual," Kathy assured her, rather missing the bouncy hugs and excitement of yesteryear. But kids were supposed to grow up, right? And she was supposed to be proud of them for it?

"My littlest girl is all grown up and not very little at all anymore."

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Carys beamed at her -- not missing the melancholy in Kathy's tone, exactly, but too proud to do much to acknowledge it.

"You say that at home too," she answered. "I get to be Dad's 'prentice and help him in the clinic now, 'cause I'm responsible."

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"All the way down in Darktown?" Kathy asked, remembering some of what Carys had said about it. "How did you get so grown up?"

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"You guys had a baby," Carys said, in much the tone one might use to say one's parents had a particularly persistent nail fungus. "So I had to help out, like, a lot. Also Dad says Darktown isn't as bad since Hawke got the Coterie to leave."

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Across the room, Zeke's head snapped up at the mention of 'Coterie.' Another moment of listening and then he went back to eating.

"A baby?" Kathy asked, missing Zeke's response entirely. "You're a big sister now! Do you not like it?"

...Kathy had to admit, she was delighted.

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It was a different Coterie, anyhow. More dwarf-y.

"Nuh-uh," Carys said, aghast. "He's so loud and he poops like ten times a day, and he never sleeps, and I said we should get a Mabari instead but you guys said that would be too much work, but Bastian is way more work than a puppy. I don't get it."

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"That's his name?" Kathy asked, her smile turning dopey, "Bastian?"

Wait, no. She could squee over the idea of a new baby later, she had to focus on Carys right now.

"It sounds like you're having a really hard time adjusting," she said, opening her arms for a hug. "It's tough, trying to be responsible all the time and feeling like nobody's paying attention."

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Carys nodded vigorously as she folded herself into the hug. "Yeah," she said. "And sometimes even when you do pay attention, you just don't have time. Like last week Dad was trying to teach me Wicked Grace and the dumb baby kept fussing until we gave up."

A hesitation, then she looked up under her lashes. "Was it like that when Auntie Sarah was born?"

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"I was a lot littler than you when Auntie Sarah was born," and it was still hard to talk about her, damn. "So I don't remember it very much. But I think so. I do remember that she cried a lot. And I had to take care of her a lot because I was her big sister."

Kathy petted Carys' hair. "But you absolutely deserve attention, too. It's easy for grownups to get all wrapped up in their own stuff that they forget. And it's okay to remind them of that sometimes."

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"Can I tell them you said that?" Carys wondered. "Maybe you'd listen to yourself."

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"Absolutely," Kathy said, with a firm nod. "Remind your mom that there were plenty of times when she would have liked a little more attention."

She crouched down. "But I'll let you in on a secret," she said. "When you want to do something and you're not sure your parents will let you? Do something for the baby first. Like, 'I just changed Bastion's diaper, can I go play outside now?' And they'll be more likely to say yes, because you reminded them you're a responsible girl. The more things you can add on, the better."

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Carys wrinkled her nose thoughtfully. "But that sounds like work," she argued.

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"Being a big girl is work," Kathy said, though not without some sympathy. "Only babies get to get out of work. But if you wait to be told to do it, you'll still have to do it and you won't get anything out of it. But if you do it before being asked, you'll impress us with how grownup and responsible you are."