𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝

22 - Snow & Complications.

~𝑺𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒖𝒑 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒘𝒊𝒎 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒌𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒊𝒕 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒆𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆.~

****
Stacey contently drifted in a pleasantly warm cocoon, a hint of a smile on her face until a persistent tapping on her door hauled her out of the cocoon into reality.

Rubbing her eyes, she slowly lifted herself up from the bed and yawned. The knock went on. Rubbing a hand down her face, she dragged her feet to the door and opened it.

A machine gun in the form of a human ran in, chattering as she did. " Oh, Aunt Stacey. It's here! It's finally here."

The neurochemicals in Stacey's brain she was sure were short-circuiting as she groggily shut the door and leaned on it with one shoulder. "What?"

Emerald drew the curtains with her small hands and twirled when through the glass a beautiful, breath-taking image of soft fluffs of white cotton sat atop the trees.

"The snow!" Emerald squealed, looking so cute in a red long sleeve that had a red and white Christmas hat on it and matching wool trousers with the same image. She moved to grab Stacey's hand. "Please, please, can you come out to play with me?"

Stacey rubbed her eyes. "I'm kind of tired, Emerald." She spotted the presents she had wrapped yesterday night at the corner of the room, next to her bed, and instantly decided Emerald must not see them.

Throwing out her arms, Emerald placed her hand across her forehead and wailed dramatically. "Please, please. Mum is asleep and Dad's too busy to play." She dropped her hands and pushed out her lower lips, her bright eyes looking up at Stacey. " I don't want to go without an adult. Pleaseee."

Rubbing her forehead, Stacey thought of exactly what she walked into. It was obvious Emerald won't leave until she agreed. She recalled Dylan saying to nod to whatever they say if they couldn't be avoided. "Alright, fine. I'll be down in a minute."

Squealing, she jumped up and clapped her hands simultaneously. "I'll wait." Skipping, she hummed and shut the door behind her.

Muttering under her breath, Stacey went through the process of slapping cold water unto her face and brushing her teeth. She was about to strip to go bathe when Emerald shouted, "Still waiting!"

If not for the fact this girl was sweet and persistent, Stacey would have walked up to lock her door, drop on the bed, and shut herself to the world. She understood why Dylan had said she should avoid them now.

Dylan shut the door to his bathroom and was adjusting the white towel wrapped around his waist when a knock interrupted him. Water sliding down his body, he walked up to his door and opened it.

A blonde human brushed past him and began talking. "Good morning Uncle Dylan, could you follow me to go play ou -Ahh!" She screamed the instant she turned and her eyes fell on his half-naked body. Throwing both hands up, she covered her face.

Chuckling, Dylan shut his door and grabbed his robe from the foot of the bed. "That's what you get from barging into a male's room. Now," he yanked the rope tight as he walked across the room to get a small white towel. "What were you saying?"

Slowly, she lowered her hands, wisps of blonde hair fringing her forehead.
Pouting, she folded her arms. "I was asking if you could come play outside with me?"