Rose petals

Chapter 42

"Elle, Emmy, Axel's here for you." I yelled from the front door as I ushered Axel inside. The weather has gotten significantly colder and I've made sure to wrap the kids up in their weight of layers just so they're warm. They don't feel it though, they run around carelessly and warm themselves up.

"Emmy give me back my gloss!" Elle yelled from the top of the stairs as I closed the door behind me.

"No! Dad said makeup is banned in our house!" He yelled back as I shot Axel a sheepish grin.

"I'm telling mommy!" Elle threatened as I ushered Axel into the kitchen while they continued fighting.

"Axel honey are you not cold?" I asked, frowning at his denim jacket, as he pulled himself up on the stool. 

"Lora was on the phone with her boyfriend so she just gave me the first thing she saw." He said staring down at the counter as his cheeks turned redder than they already were. I could visibly see him shaking from the cold. Despite the short walking distance between our houses it was still absolutely freezing outside.

"Hey Axel." Elle grinned as she bounced into the living room with her glossy lips while Emerson came stomping behind her with a pout on his face.

"Are you kids playing inside our outside?" I asked as I opened the coat closet.

"Outside!" The three of them said as I rolled my eyes in amusement and pulled out three coats, three pairs of gloves, three beanies, and three scarfs.

I helped Axel take off his denim jacket that did absolutely nothing for him. His hands were freezing cold and his face even colder. Wrapping the wooly blue scarf around his neck, I helped him out on one of Emerson's coats and zipped it up. I then slipped on a matching blue beanie to cover his ears and put the blue gloves on him.

"Better?" I asked while Elle and Emerson bundled themselves up.

"Thanks." He mumbled with a grateful smile as I pulled the hood of the coat over his head.

"Does Lora know you've come over?" I asked as he guiltily shook his head. "It's okay, I'll call Danielle and let her know." I said before slowly wrapping my arms around him and pulling him in for a tight hug.

Pulling away, Elle and Emerson eagerly grabbed Axels hands and pulled him towards the backyard. I picked up my thick wooly blanket and sat myself down on the armchair facing the sliding doors where I had the perfect view of the kids. I tapped on Danielle's contact name and held my phone up to my ear.

"Hey Ev." She said sounding as exhausted as ever.

"Hey babe, how are you? And how's Lia holding up?" I asked. Amelia, Axels three year old little sister, had suddenly gotten ill a couple days ago when Asher, Danielle's husband, had gone for a work trip to Michigan. He's been snowed in meaning his day long trip turned into four and that alone has stressed the two of them out like crazy. Alex had said Amelia had a bad case of a viral infection going around and Danielle hasn't left the hospital for more than two hours. At first Danielle's sister, Daisy, was watching Axel, but just yesterday she had to cancel because she'd been missing a bunch of work. I had offered to watch him multiple times but Danielle's the type that hates asking anyone for anything. Just like me she feels too guilty about it.

"She's a lot better than before, but she's still not as healthy as I'd hoped. Alex said we should see a big turn around the next few days and all we need to do is have hope." She said softly. "What about you, how are you and the kids? Everything okay?" She asked, my heart physically hurt for her. I don't know how she's even thinking of anyone else other than herself and Amelia but Danielle is probably one of the most selfless people I've ever met.