It was cold outside. The refreshing morning air banished every bit of remaining sleepiness from Anima’s eyes. Hand in hand, he and Luina walked the road to Garaat, their white breath dancing through the air and disappearing before their eyes. They arrived at the town’s main road, but the usual bustle was nowhere to be seen. It was a quiet, strangely calming experience that they rarely got the chance to appreciate.
“It’s so quiet,” Luina said.
“Maybe we should have stayed at the inn a bit longer.”
“I suppose we’re just used to waking up early. While we’re here, is there anything you wanted to do?”
“Let’s see... The bakery should be open. Let’s get something for the girls.”
The girls were not with them. The previous day had marked their fourth birthday together, and their daughters had been nice enough to let them go out on a date. They hadn’t been able to go out for their second, as they’d had to look after their one-year-old, Lyla, and a huge storm had ruined their plans for their third.
It was their first date in three years, but the wait had only made it that much sweeter. They went shopping, watched a great play at the theater, talked, and deepened their love for each other. They’d had enough fun to last them until their next shared birthday, and it was their turn to give back to the girls for their kindness. They wanted to bring something nice back for them—especially the little Lyla, who had been such a brave girl to spend a whole day without her parents.
“I hope Lyla hasn’t been crying...”
“I don’t think we have anything to worry about. She’s two and a half years old already, which is younger than Marie was when she first did this, but Lyla has three amazing sisters to look after her. I’m sure they had a lot of fun yesterday.”
Luina’s encouragement put a smile on Anima’s face, and she was completely right. The girls were extremely kind and dependable, so he had nothing to fear. They’d all grown so much since he’d first met them, not only in size, but in character as well. However, he was still their father. He couldn’t help but to be worried about them, and he was likely to be that way forever.
“Let’s get something they all love and hurry home. Ah, but I’m not bored of our date or anything. I wish it could last forever. I mean that.”
“I know you do. And I don’t want to end our date either, but I love spending time with the girls just as much as I love spending time with you.”
Both of them on the same wavelength, they visited the bakery, bought a banana cake, and made their way home. The moment they stepped inside, they heard two sets of lively voices, one coming from the bedroom and the other from the kitchen. Heading toward the kitchen, they entered the dining room, where the delicious aroma of breakfast welcomed them.
“Myuke is up and about, at least.”
“She probably woke up early to make breakfast.”
Their appetites whetted by the promise of breakfast, they put the banana cake down on the dining room table. Just as they began walking toward the kitchen, the door opened.
“Ah! Daddy! Mommy!” It was Marie. Her long hair was tied into a ponytail—probably the work of one of her sisters. She set the plate she was carrying, which held an assortment of fruits, on the table and charged at Anima. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders as she joyfully rubbed her face against his stomach and looked up at him with a big smile. “Welcome home!”
“Thank you.”
“Were you a good girl?”
“Uh-huh! I helped Myuke a lot! We sang Lyla a lullaby! Then, then, when Bram went to sleep early, Myuke joked that she’s just like Lyla! Hahaha!”
She excitedly shared everything that had happened the day before. It seemed like looking after the house was still just as much fun as it had been three years earlier.
“Oh, welcome back. You’re home early.”
The chatty Marie was followed into the dining room by her red-haired sister, Myuke. However, Myuke’s long, flowing hair was no more; she had it cut a year earlier so it wouldn’t get in her way while she was cooking. She hadn’t planned for it to be as short as it was, but Bram had accidentally gotten a little carried away with the scissors, which, of course, had led to a fight. That fight, however, was quickly resolved by everyone complimenting her on how great she looked with short hair.
“Hello, Myuke. That pie looks really good.”
“What kind of pie is it?”
“Meat. I tried to tell them a meat pie would be too heavy for breakfast, but Bram insisted on it. Plus, you know, you liked it a lot last time, Daddy, so I wanted to make another one anyway.”
She sheepishly put the pie on the table.
“Everything you make is incredible. We started learning at the same time, but you can cook circles around me.”
“Don’t feel too bad about it, Anima. She’s already better than me.”
Anima and Luina smiled as they complimented her.
“N-Not at all. I still have a ways to go before I’m as good as you.” She acted modestly, but her happy smile and slight blush told the truth. She shook off the daze from all the compliments and turned toward Anima and Luina. “You two just sit down; I’ll set the table. Marie, can you go get the other two?”
“Uh-huh!” She opened the dining room door slightly and took a deep breath. “Braaam! Lylaaa! Breakfaaast!”
They had thought she would go up and tell them, but she’d likely wanted to stay with her parents after a whole day of not seeing them. Regardless of her method, though, the footsteps coming from upstairs meant that she’d gotten results.
“I’m starving, m’kay?! Oh, you guys’re home! Welcome back, m’kay?!”
It was Bram. Thanks to her insatiable appetite and long, peaceful sleep cycle, she was already taller than Myuke.
“Daddy! Mommy!”
✦ ✦ ✦
In Bram’s arms was a little girl with snow-white hair and azure eyes. She reached her tiny hands out toward Anima, leaning so far forward that she nearly fell.
“Careful, Lyla. You sure love having Daddy hold you, though, don’tcha? You’re making me jealous, m’kay?”
“Bam hug good!”
Lyla, to Bram’s absolute joy, planted a kiss on Bram’s cheek. Bram then slowly put her down on the ground, which was met with a very polite “Tanks!” before she trotted up to Luina and hugged her. Luina crouched down and pet her head until she was satisfied, at which point she clung onto Anima.
“You home!”
“We’re home. How was yesterday? Did you play a lot with your sisters?”
“Mm-hmm! We payed ousside!”
“Oh, did you now? That sounds wonderful.”
“Womferful! I pay wif Mommy too!”
“You want me to play outside? That’s so nice; thank you!”
“Aww. I wish I could play too.”
“Daddy come!”
“Hooray! We can go outside right after we eat breakfast!”
“That’s a great idea. It’s the perfect weather for a walk.”
“Walks is fun!”
Lyla’s blue eyes twinkled with excitement. Anima picked her up and sat her in the high chair.
“Mmm, that pie looks super yummy, m’kay? I’m ready to dig in!”
“I made it for you, so you’d better eat up!”
“You don’t have to worry about that, m’kay?”
“Come and help me first. Can you get the milk ready? And Marie, would you grab us some forks?”
They started acting on Myuke’s orders, and soon enough, breakfast was ready. They all sat down and looked at Lyla, who loudly clapped her hands together.
“Tanks fo’ foob!”
They all followed her lead, and then their breakfast was finally ready.
“It’s so good, m’kay?!”
“Don’t scarf it down like that or you’ll choke! Just calm down and eat like a normal person; I’ll make more whenever you want.”
“Wass! I gupp!”
“Wow, amazing! Did you see that, Mommy?! She gulped it down in one go! Talk about a professional!”
“Yep, I saw it. Well done, Lyla. I’m proud of you.”
“Right? She’s got way better manners than a certain someone at the same table.”
“Just who do you think you’re talking about, m’kay?”
“You! Just look at yourself! You got crumbs all over the table! Do you have any idea how long it’ll take to clean all that?!”
“Get off my back, m’kay?! I’ll clean up after myself!”
“I’ll help!”
“Me! I hepp! We do ’gever, Ma’ie!”
“Uh-huh! Let’s do it together!”
Anima listened to the cute exchange over the table with a huge grin on his face. Every day was like a dream for him. He was surrounded by his family at the dinner table, enjoying his daughter’s delicious cooking, and the six of them were talking and laughing together. The idyllic family he had longed for for over a century had become his reality.
Every morning, Luina watched as he spaced out while he listened to his family’s voices, yet she couldn’t get enough of it. The sight of Anima’s peaceful smile was just as contagious as it was the first time she saw it.
“Anima, your pie is getting cold. You shouldn’t let it go to waste; it’s very delicious.”
“Ah, you’re right. Thank you.”
Anima took his first bite of Myuke’s meat pie. To him, it tasted like a little slice of heaven.