Our Love is Evergreen

Chapter 52: Three Little Toddlers

Four years later, Gustave and Bella were twenty-six, Catherine was twelve, and Apollo, Aphrodite, and Demetrius were four.

"Can you believe how fast our children are growing up?" Christine asked Erik one day.

"It seems like it was just yesterday that Gustave was just this little boy and now he's a father. I feel so old," Erik laughed.

"You old? Never. Me on the other hand-"

"Stop right there. You will always be young and beautiful in my eyes," Erik interrupted.

"Father! Father! Look what I can do!" Aphrodite exclaimed. She played a couple notes on the piano.

Erik listened to his daughter intently and complimented, "Impressive, my little Angel."

Apollo sat next to his sister and began to play a song.

"Apollo, where did you learn that?" Erik asked in astonishment.

"I learned from watching you play," Apollo replied.

"Show off," Aphrodite muttered as she ran off to go find her nephew.

"Wait for me! Wait for me!" Apollo exclaimed as he took off after his sister.

Erik and Christine laughed merrily.

"They are something else, aren't they?" Christine asked.

"Definitely," Gustave replied, not taking his eyes off the paper.

"How has Demetrius been doing? He hardly ever leaves his room and he's very quiet," Erik commented.

"I think you just answered your own question," Bella replied. "He knows he's different."

"Who's different?" Catherine asked as she walked into the room.

"Demetrius," Gustave replied.

"Oh, he's just darling. Why, yesterday he told me-" Catherine began.

"He spoke?" Gustave asked his sister, cutting her off.

"Yes, he did. Why wouldn't he?" Catherine asked.

"He almost never speaks to us," Bella answered. "I'm just happy he knows how. For a while we though that he couldn't."

"Demetrius!" Catherine called.

"Cath, help!" Demetrius called. He ran into the room with Apollo and Aphrodite chasing after him.

Catherine lifted the boy into her arms. "Now, twins, we don't chase people when they don't want to be chased," she chided.

"But it's a part of the game," Aphrodite explained.

"We're playing tag," Apollo explained further.

"Then, why am I holding you?" Catherine asked Demetrius.

"Because I don't want to play," Demetrius replied, burying his face in his aunt's brown curls.

"Why don't the three of you play something else?" Catherine suggested.

"Okay. We'll play cards," Aphrodite decided.

Demetrius moaned. "Help me," he mouthed to Catherine as the twins dragged him away.

"Sorry," she mouthed back.

"Poor Demetrius," Christine laughed.

"Having to deal with Apollo and Aphrodite all day is certainly not easy," Erik added.