"Timeless" - Narnian Autumn Writing Challenge - Oneshot Collection

"I'll Miss You"

"Don't worry about me. Have fun," Helen smiled a wobbly smile and began putting the dirty dishes into the sink, humming a light tune so shakily he could barely make it out.

His heart fell, the sight of her faking a smile was worse than anything. Worse than her just being sad.

As he opened the door, Lucy squealed, "I love making leaf piles!"

"And I love you." He bopped her nose, admiring each freckle that lined her face in specific places. Their children were so special, he was so grateful that his job didn't continue well into the night, and that he had time to play games, go outside with them, talk to them, and learn about who they were becoming.

They were growing so fast that he had no time to react. Nearly no time at all.

She giggled and bounced again, her boots clunking upon the floor and her short brown hair whipping around her baby face.

While not resembling her completely, she looked like Helen. Maybe it was the way she smiled. That small, graceful smile; a smile that promised kindness and a need to see others happy too. Not fake.

Through the archway to the living room, he could hear his children scurrying around, excited and bickering, Susan by the door with her lips pouted, a scarf around her neck, all ready to go.

Peter had his hands on his hips and was trying to convince Ed to put on his winter coat, to no avail.

"Edmund. Put on your coat. You'll freeze." Christopher said, his tone firm as he walked into the room, his steps loud now against the silence of their voices.

"But, Dad," Edmund whined, "I don't want to wear a coat. I'm big enough now to go out without one." He puffed out his chest and upped his chin, rising on his tiptoes to be a little taller.

"Big kids wear coats," Lucy added, slipping on her coat, little fingers tracing the embroidery where the buttons were sewn on, in awe of the smallest things.

"She's right, you know," Raising his eyebrows, Christopher took his coat down from the wooden rack by the door, where Susan stood, all bundled up. "Even I'm wearing a coat, and I'm a grown-up."

Coming closer to Edmund by the door, Pete handed him the grey coat sincerely, "I'm wearing one too. It's cold out."

"Oh, alright. But just because Dad said so." Watching his older brother closely, he readjusted his beanie sitting on his head, moving pieces of dark hair from his eyes before he took the coat with a sigh.

"This is all so exciting!" Lucy exclaimed, "Last year it was too rainy every day to be able to play much in the leaves, and the years before that I was so young that I can barely remember."

"Yes. And this year you'll be grown enough to know not to stuff leaves down the back of my coat," Susan frowned playfully and fixed her hands deeper into her purple coat.

Christopher remembered those days, when the kids were much younger and Lucy would find it hilarious to jam dry leaves down the backs of everyone's coats. And then, when everyone got mad at her for it, Lucy would cry and beg to go back inside to have a cup of hot cocoa and a hug from her mother.

Already that was so long ago.

Nodding, Lu laughed, "I will remember not to stuff leaves down anyone's coats, but... I can't promise anything for other people."

Blinking, Ed pointed to himself knowingly, "Are you talking about me?"

"Well, yes, I'm sure she is talking about you," Peter moved to the door, "But, you have to watch out for Dad. He'll get you when you least expect it."