Interlude #6

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The handle creaked slightly, the water splashing out of the faucet as Deserey turned the tap on with a small, genuine smile. "Okay, stick your tooth brush under there -- there you go! Good job!"

Daren, just three years old, grinned, showing off his tiny little baby teeth as his father lifted him up so he could carry out his instructions.

Darryl set him down a moment later to do the same with a four year old Anita.

Deserey turned the tap off and grabbed the toothpaste, showing it to her kids. "Now, you just use a little bit. You remember how much?"

"I do! I do!" Anita said, jumping up and down a little bit. "You make the toothpaste as big as a pea!"

Deserey nodded in approval, smiling at her daughter proudly. Darryl brought the childrens' attention to him for a moment to ask, "And how do you brush?"

"In a circle!" Daren answered quickly, grinning from ear to ear as he got a nod of approval from his parents.

Deserey got down on her knees so she was level with the children, getting ready to squeeze the paste onto their toothbrushes.

"Wait!" Anita stopped her. She held her little hand out for the toothpaste tube. "I want to do it!"

Deserey and Darryl shared an apprehensive look with one another, each sure that this could only lead to a massive mess in their bathroom. But the little girl was persistent.

"I know how," she said. "They teached us at preschool."

"Okay," Deserey relented, handing her daughter the tube. "Be careful."

Anita squeezed the toothpaste on to her toothbrush and then proceeded to do the same with her brother's. Deserey nervously hovered for the entire process, but thankfully any messes that might have been were avoided.

"Good job!" Deserey told her proudly.

Anita grinned as her mother took the toothpaste from her and gently placed it back on the sink where it belonged. "I told you I can do it!"

"Yes you did," Deserey nodded, laughing lightly along with her. "You're such a big girl now."

Anita grinned happily at the praise and began brushing her teeth. Daren started brushing right after, moving is tiny hand in small, circular motions.

Deserey and Darryl watched over their children while they brushed, making sure they didn't accidentally choke themselves or drop their brushes.

Once the kids had finished brushing, the kids rinsed off their brushes with their parents' assistance; then Darryl and Deserey each carried a child to their bed rooms.

Deserey took her daughter to her room, which happened to be the one at the end of the hall with the green camouflage bed sheets and toy trucks thrown all across the floor.

Meanwhile, Darryl carried Daren to the room with pink and purple wallpaper and fluffy princess bedspread.

It was something a lot of folks deemed backwards or even immoral in some cases. Though Deserey had always thought it was funny when they had guests over and they had trouble figuring out who's room was who's.

She and Darryl had been given more than a few funny looks from strangers as they caught them buying "girly" toys for their son.

It didn't happen as often when they bought Anita a "boy-ish" toy, but it did occur every now and again.

Some annoying bastard would click their tongue against their teeth, shaking their head with disapproval. Muttering under their breath how they were, "just confusing those poor children."

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