In Which Yvanette Is Safe

August 4, 1180

It was warm because it was summer, and summer was warm. Not as warm as it had been before--warm enough to be fairly called 'hot'--but warm enough that Yvanette's mama had let her go to bed without the blanket. If only she'd been allowed to go to bed without socks too!

It hadn't been a good day, heat or no heat. Her papa had been gone most of the day; she hadn't seen him before supper, and after that she'd been left with Ellie while her parents went off to talk alone. Her mama had been around, but not really--sort of half there, half not, always falling asleep with her eyes open until Yvanette got her attention some way or another.

She'd made her mama mad with one try. Her mama had been lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling, and Yvanette had climbed onto her tummy and bounced. Her mama's eyes grew large and she'd cried out something and she'd picked up Yvanette and sat her back down on the rug, scolding her for that and telling her not to do it again. She'd been confused, maybe a little scared, and she must have looked it because her mama had softened and held her, rocking her back and forth. Her mama said there was a baby growing in her tummy, and that while Yvanette could play with it all she wanted when it came out, it was too little for that now, too fragile like one of her grandmama's pretty glass figurines that were for looking and not touching.

She'd left her mama alone after that. She liked babies. She didn't want to break one, especially if it was her mama's.

"Yvanette?" A strong hand slipped through her hair and brushed it aside, thumb rubbing against her cheek. "Sweetheart? Are you awake?"

She slowly opened an eye. It was light enough that she could see her papa standing over her; she raised her arm to reach for his. "Papa!"

"Shh." He pressed a finger to his lips. She nodded and didn't say anything. "Do you mind if I hold you for a minute? I know it's late, but--"

She'd already sat up, arms stretched out toward him. Smiling, he took her under the arms and lifted her out of the crib.

"I'm sorry I've barely seen you all day. I had some grown-up things to take care of. You'll understand when you have a pretty little girl of your own." He pulled her closer; she clung to his shoulder as he moved one arm up and one down, making her more comfortable. "We'll spend all day together tomorrow, all right? Just you and me and Mama."

"And baby?"

Her papa blinked. But then he smiled again. "Yes, I guess baby will be there too."

Yvanette giggled. Her papa bounced her a couple times, then hoisted her up and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you, all right?"

She tipped her head to one side. Didn't things happen all the time? Did her papa have a say in everything that happened? "Nothing?"

He shook his head. "Well... I'll let the good things happen. But nothing bad. You know that, right?"

That made more sense. "Right."

He swayed back and forth a couple of times, his eyes growing a little faint like her mama's had during the day; she held on tighter, just in case he dropped her, but he didn't. "Do you maybe want to sleep in the big bed with Mama and me tonight?"

Yvanette nodded. The big bed was warmer than hers, but her mama and papa were there. She always felt just a little safer.

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