The Guard To My Sanctuary

Chapter 29

Marco

Moving from the kitchen as the sound of Elm's brother and his wife's car leaving the driveway started to fade. Cartier started to look around, b"Mama, Dada," Cartier said. She must have realized that they were really gone as she looked around not seeing them.

"You're going to stay with Uncle Elm and Marco for the night and your parents will come to pick you up tomorrow. How about I get you a popsicle," Elm said walking back into the kitchen and grabbing one of the sugarless neon yellow banana flavored popsicles from the freezer and unwrapped it to hand to Cartier who had her little pudgy arms out to grab. The moment it was secured in her little palms she began munching on it ferociously.

"How about you run her a small bath then we can put her to sleep and you can get some rest," I told Elm who nodded and went upstairs. Cartier kept munching on the popsicle till it was all gone then looked at me for our next move.

"How about a bath now you're all sticky," I said as I began to walk to the stairs. I carried her up one step at a time until I was at the top and walking to her room which doubled as the guest room. I walked into the bathroom where Elm was testing the water testing the water with his elbow.

"Is it good," I asked. Cartier was already falling asleep in my arms.

"Yeah," he said and held his arms out for me to hand him Cartier who was babbling incoherently. I handed him his niece and he took off her clothes and placed her in the tub. She started playing with the water and laughing. Seeing Elm being so caring and even more gentle than he was with me was heartwarming. Her cleaned her off quickly and let her play for a moment to tire herself out.

"Go get her a onesie and some underwear," Elm turned and said to me. I nodded and walked into the room and started looking through some of the drawers and found a pink onesie and some underwear and took them to Elm who already had her dried off and was playing peek-a-boo with her.

"Here you go," I said handing him the clothing in my hands. He smiled at me before taking them and putting them on her. She looked quite tuckered out. Elm picked her up and I cleaned everything up before we left out of her room and went into Elms. It was freezing cold inside because Elm had started having hot flashes in his sleep. Elm pulled the covers back before climbing to the side near the wall and placing Cartier between him and the wall. I turned the light off and climbed in behind him. It was only eleven something but I was tired since I had been up at five. I spooned Elm while he held onto Cartier who was already falling asleep. It wasn't long before she was fully asleep and Elm turned in my arms to face me.

"That wasn't so bad getting her to sleep," he said. I kissed his forehead, I couldn't help it, he looked so cute and had this glow to him and he smelled different. It was this good unexplainable natural scent that just made me want to hold him even more than usual. I was happy that out of all the people in the world he was the one carrying my children.

"Famous last words," I said knowing that tomorrow could be totally different.

"I hope not," he said turning back around. I felt myself getting tired before he did and I gave in...

"SSSSAAAUUUSSSSAAA," Cartier screamed causing me to raise up from my slumber. I looked over to see her standing in the bed her warm undertones now rosy while she screamed.

"What baby girl? what's wrong," I asked. Elm was asleep or pretending to be asleep. I looked over at the clock and saw that it was six in the morning so either could be true for him since he tended to sleep in these days.

"I want saussa," she said aggressively at me giving me the stink eye.

"Okay baby girl, hush now your Uncle is sleeping he needs all the sleep he can get so your baby cousins can grow big and strong," I told her while reaching over to pick her up.