I'm Not Crazy (On Hold)

Chapter 3: Vivi

Chapter 3

"Henry!"

Bethany clutched her chest, laughing breathlessly.

"Don't scare me like that, I almost had a heart attack!"

Henry grinned merrily as he slipped off the frightening mask he had been wearing.

“I’m sorry, darling, but when I found this old thing lying around in one of the rooms, I just had to put it on. You must understand an old man’s curiosity.”

She gave her husband a slightly trembling smile, trying to reciprocate his lighthearted jollity while keeping in control her other tumultuous emotions.

It wasn’t long before he noticed the suppressed sadness in her forced enthusiasm.

“What’s wrong, Bethany?”

She sighed in defeat. He knew her too well to be fooled into thinking she was fine.

“I’m just…worried about Vivianne. She’s been so angry lately, and she snapped at me a few minutes ago. I know it’s silly to be fretting over her like this, but I just don’t know what to do.”

Bethany’s voice wavered and she felt the burning tears just beneath the surface. Quickly turning away, she buried her face in her hands.

Henry felt her pain and stepped forward, enveloping his wife in a loving embrace.

“It’s going to be okay. Everything will work out, you’ll see. Vivi is probably maturing a little earlier than most girls, and she’s having mood swings. I’m sure that once she settles in she will go back to her happy carefree self before too long.”

Bethany sighed, leaning into Henry’s comforting arms.

“I hope so, I truly hope so.”

“Mommy!”

Cali and Caden came bounding up the stairs, racing each other to see who could get to their parents first.

“Mommy, I’m hungry!” Cali shouted as she crashed into Bethany’s legs. She stumbled, nearly falling while her youngest daughter looked up at her pleadingly.

“Can we eat now?”

Caden pulled at Bethany’s hand, attempting to lead her down the stairs with Cali still wrapped around her legs.

“Kids, off of your mother,” Henry sternly admonished. They reluctantly released her but then jumped on their dad.

“Daddy, can you tell mommy to make something for us? Pretty please?”

He glanced at Bethany in amusement, giving her a sly wink.

“What do you say, mom? Will you do us the honor of cooking us some supper?”

She smiled almost all traces of her prior unhappiness gone.

“Of course I will! Who wants to go to the grocery store with me?”

♠○♠○▬○♠○♠

Cali ran around the kitchen making funny noises.

“Vroom, vroom! Mommy lookit, I’m an airplane!”

“Mhmm, nice, that’s wonderful Cali,” Bethany murmured distractedly. Henry walked into the room and made an exaggerated sniffing noise.

“What smells so good in here?”

Rolling her eyes, Bethany answered sarcastically, “Food, honey! Doesn’t it smell so delicious?”

Henry faked a double take, his eyes widened dramatically.