For My Sisters

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Rough, small hands grappled at Penelope's shoulders as she slept, shaking her to and fro. There was a strong smell of dirt and grim that wafted from the small bodies that were deciding to throttle Penelope Blythe's body. She tried to smack the nuisances away to no avail; they would not give up that easily.

“Sister! Sister! Is it true?”

With a groan, Penelope opened her eyes to behold her four younger sisters. There were the twins - Sasha and Gretel- and the other two sisters Juliet and Rose. They all peered at her with their own blue eyes, all wide with amazement.

“Is what true, my little ducks?” Penelope spoke, her voice raw from sleep.

Rose, as the oldest of the four, was the first to speak. “Are your betrothed? Mama and papa told us Petre asked for your hand!”

“Sissy, what does that mean?” Little Juliet asked in her five-year old voice. “Is Petre going to take your hand away?”

Penelope laughed. “No, silly. It means we are to be married. Like mama and papa are.”

“So it is true!” Cried the twins, both with identical beams on their small faces. “Petre is going to be our brother!”

Their ten-year-old faces were ecstatic as they begin whispering to each other the perks of having a new older brother. Fourteen-year-old Rose turned back to Penelope. “So, when will the ceremony be? Mama was not sure.”

“Neither am I. Petre and I have not really discussed the finer details of our union. He should be coming over today, however, so we-”

“Petre is coming?” Sasha exclaimed. “Come on, Gretel, I have a plan!” She grabbed her twin's hand and began dragging her out of the room the sisters shared.

Penelope shook her head with suppressed laughter. “Do not scare him off!” She only heard the twins giggle in reply.

“Do not worry, I shall keep an eye on them.” Rose promised Penelope before she ran after the trouble makers.

Juliet looked up at her sister before climbing up onto her bed and then into her lap. “Penny is not going to leave us forever, right?” She asked innocently.

Penelope smiled. “No, I cannot leave Mother and Father to deal with you ducks all by themselves, especially with baby George having just been born.”

Juliet made a face at the mention of the newest member of the family. “Georgie takes all the attention away from mommy and daddy.”

“Not a purpose, duckling. He just requires extra care while he is still fragile.” Penelope hugged her little sister tightly. “Soon little George will grow up and be able to take care of himself like you do.” Penelope kissed Juliet's head before standing up, still holding the young child in her arms. “Let us go see what is for breakfast, hm?”

Juliet nodded eagerly, scrambling to climb down from her sister's arms before running down the stairs in a waddle.