One String Attached

59.

.James.

"Asher, you need to sleep, sweetheart," I hear Riley speak up in the middle of the night while she lay by my side. She rolls over to look at our son who stood by the edge of the bed, pouting his lips.
Ri sighs and switches the lamp on to look at him before shuffling up, allowing him to worm his way in between our two bodies, causing me to have to move along and position myself closer to the edge.

Autumn was fast asleep in the small foldable cradle we had brought along with us for her and it was situated by Riley's bedside so that if she was to start crying, she could easily pick her up and comfort our daughter from where she was sat on the bed.

However, when Aaliyah notices that her brother had clambered onto mine and Ri's double bed, she too decides to get up and pout, crossing her arms over her chest. I take one look at her before sighing, gesturing with my hand for her to head on over.
"Come here, Li," I say softly, making her smile as she instantly rushes over, slotting her miniscule body in the space between Asher and I, so Aaliyah was closest to me. 

It wasn't so often that we got to experience the joy of a hotel, so I guess the children had to make the most of it.

"Are we all happy and comfortable now?" Riley questions, clearly needing some rest. I chuckle, nodding my head and cuddling our little girl in my arms for the first time in ages. 
"Yes, babe," I answer, to which she rolls her eyes at me before switching the light of the lamp off and then hugging Asher close to her while I do the same with Aaliyah.

"Daddy," she speaks up into the dark after a moment's silence.
I hum in response to the name I hadn't heard her call me in what has only been a few months but feels like years. Ever since Bryson had entered her life, she had quite literally refused to address me as such until now.
"Do you remember our saying?" she asks me, making me smile to myself, knowing exactly what saying she was thinking of.

"I don't know. What saying, princess?" I tease to go along with it. I knew Riley was listening right now and I bet she was smiling at the light sound of Aaliyah's voice.

"A hug and a cuddle," she whispers, hugging me tightly by wrapping her arms around me while I do the same to her, pecking the top of her head.
"Makes a huggle," Asher finishes before I had the chance to, but it only makes me smile more.

I guess over the time he had been around Liyah and I, he had caught onto the phrase too.

"Lovely," Riley whispers, clearly tired of the talking which causes me to chuckle to myself lightly. "Now time to get some sleep, okay. We have to wake up early tomorrow."

"Mummy," Asher speaks up this time, facing his mother while she combs her fingers through his brown locks of hair.
"Yes, Ash?"

"I love you," he whispers to her. In spite of the darkness that restricted me from being able to view her properly, I didn't even need to see it to know that she was smiling at his gentle words.
"I love you too. All of you. Now, goodnight, okay?" she asks, making me chuckle again.

"Goodnight," I reply, but then Aaliyah responds:
"Sleep tight." And Asher adds:
"Don't let the bed bugs bite."

. . .

The following day I stood by the wings with Piper, Finn and Riley as they were due to go on stage to perform their duet, except I could read each of Piper's movements and could tell she was extremely nervous right now. 

She and Riley shared a lot of similarities when it came to how they reacted before going on stage, and that included nail-biting, fiddling with fingers, twiddling with their rings and biting their lips.
Piper had passed the stage of being just a tiny bit anxious, and I was about to say something but before I could, Riley shook her head at me and placed her hand on my arm lightly.