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Leilah pat each of the children on their heads, gently ruffling the messy strands of hair that stuck out all over the place, furthering their untidiness. She messed up Dixie's hair, who just giggled in return. She messed up Ace's hair, who just smiled politely, and she ruffled up Kira's hair, who simply stared.
"I'll see you all later. Don't cause too much trouble for Mom, alright?" she instructed them, pointing at them all jokingly accusing, playfully chuckling as they all quietly pouted at her words.
I walked up behind the children to face my sister, cupping my arms behind the assemblage of kids. "Thanks for looking after them, Leilah. I appreciate it," I said, trying to be as genuine as I could remain due to how shaken up I was, my recently shaky voice laced in genuine gratitude.
Leilah hesitantly nodded her head and readjusted the bag around her shoulder, turning to walk out the door.
"Tell Darren I say thanks!"
She nodded at the request, throwing her arm back in acknowledgment. "Will do!" she called back, making her way out the door and down the driveway.
Heavily, an with an ounce of relief, I sighed after my sister left—not that I didn't love my sister to bits, but it was a little tricky for the both of us, and we both knew it. What Leilah wanted desperately more than anything in the world, what Leilah couldn't even seem to get one of, I . . . had three.
I hugged the three kids close to my chest, chin resting upon Dixie's head as the other two sat on either side of their sister.
"...You guys aren't too tired for another visitor, are you?"
I sure was, but I could really never be too tired for...
"Granpy will!" the kids cried in unison, bounding and flopping off of the couch heavily as the man entered the room with a big, goofy grin. He clearly had a bag in his left hand. And his right. And another on his left.
William chuckled as the kids latched onto his legs and shook him about.
"Woahh! You guys've gotten too big; you guys're gonna knock me over one of these days.." he grumbled jokingly, that big, big smile still on his pale lips.
I matched his chuckle with my own quieter one, helping the giftbags off of his arms to lighten his load enough to be able to pick up the children, all at the same time, which I found to be wildly impressive. A small sigh for the millionth time that fell from my throat as I placed the bags on the table before the kids could query; if only I could pick them all up like that. Wouldn't life just be a dream?
