𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐘

multifarious

"Every little thing I do?" Hezekiah nodded, "like santa?"

"Just like Santa." Hezekiah chuckled, "except a black santa, a black santa with tattoos."

"Yeah cause you got lots of tattoos." They soon approached the daycare, "I want tattoos not tattoos like you though cause you got so many in weird places. I don't want no ones on my face, I want little pretty tattoos."

"Yuh nah a get nuh damn tattoos till mi sixty an dead." Hezekiah wouldn't allow that, he didn't want any part of his little sisters skin in any way blemished.
[Yuh nah a get nuh damn tattoos till mi sixty an dead = You're not getting any damn tattoos till i'm sixty and dead]

Kaia giggled at her brothers change in mood, "I-I want a butterfly, I want lots of butterflies all climbing up on my hands and arms." More giggled followed at her brothers scrunched up facial expression, "I-I like butterflies."

"You don't want a tattoo, they hurt so bad." Kaia's bottom lip quivered.

"Really?" She pouted, "h-how much?"

"So much I nearly cried," Hezekiah pretended, "I was like 'oh my god, oh no no no' 'stop stop stop just stop the tattoo' looked at the needle and I nearly vomited. The woman looked at her assistant and whispered 'he's such a wuss'." Kaia erupted into a fit of giggles at her brothers false experience.

"Hurt really bad?" They finally arrived inside the reception room of the daycare.

"So bad." Hezekiah nodded as he wrote down his name, Kaia's name and the time and date on the signing in sheet.

"Thank you, there is also an upcoming trip I'll need you to sign these please if you'd like Miss Alistair to join." Hezekiah hesitated not knowing if he wanted Kaia to go.

"You wanna go Kay?" Kaia pouted clasping her hands together and nodding frantically.

"Wanna go, pleasseee? Wanna go so bad, Zeke." And that was all the convincing he needed to let her go.

"Lemme see the letter an' shi- stuff." He nearly swore but stopped himself due to the glare from the receptionist.

He noticed Soraya not too far away talking to what he presumed to be a parent because he hadn't ever seen him before.

"Who's that?" Hezekiah whispered to Kaia nodding in the mans direction.

"That's Kayson, he looks after us. He gives us food lotsa times, yesterday we had pizza."

"It was two days ago." Jalen corrected unintentionally overhearing them. Soraya had told him to go and play however none of the people he spoke to or sat with had arrived yet so he refused to leave the reception.

"That's nice, Jalen you going on this trip?" Jalen shook his head no.

" No, how come?" Jalen just shrugged not wanting to disclose the reason why.

"You know who's going, Kay?" Kaia shook her head no. "Do you still want to go?" She nodded wordlessly. "Aight."

The kids would be going on a two hour journey to Tucson, Arizona for the Funtasticks Family Fun Park. They'd be leaving at ten and coming back at four thirty. The event would be happening on a saturday so that everyone could go and not miss kindergarten.

"I really wanna go on the water slides, bubba." Hezekiah rolled his eyes at her persuasion.

"I'm signing the form now, Kaia. As quick as this receptionist got it out I can scrunch it up and put it in that bin over there." Kaia quickly zipped her mouth tightly closed and looked behind herself at a quiet Jalen.

He stood in the corner looking at Soraya as she engaged in a conversation with now Nicki and Kayson.

"How comes you come with Miss Raya now Jalen?" Jalen shrugged.

He wasn't sure if he was allowed to reveal his living situation with the young girl, Soraya hadn't sat him down to discuss it meaning she hadn't told him that he was free to tell anyone they was living together however she hadn't clarified otherwise.

"Does he talk a lot?" Hezekiah asked the receptionist, to which she shook her head.

"He isn't a very open person, a very sweet boy however just not too communicative. Which is completely fine. Jalen, cherub, are you okay? You can go to Soraya if you want, we're gonna walk you over soon." Jalen nodded and ran off to Soraya wanting to be with his last final moments.

"Do you just work as the receptionist?" Metiche nodded her head observing Jalen making sure he was alright, "Finished it." Hezekiah slid the form back to her then held tightly onto Kaia's hand.

"Thank you the date is on June the 1st, please make sure Kaia has a bag full of sun cream, goggles, a pair of changeable clothes, dry clothes, a swimsuit, a lunch bag if you'd prefer her to have a packed lunch and any more specific details will be provided with a letter sent directly to you. That should be sent out by tonight." Hezekiah nodded in acknowledgement.

"Thank you for your time." Metiche smiled gently and Hezekiah sent her a head nod before walking further out into the main hall with Kaia by his side.

Kaia instantly noticed Hiromi and blushed shyly looking down at the floor, "aight I'ma come pick you up later, okay? and we can have like a movie night or sum okay." Kaia nodded happily. Hezekiah kneeled down so he was level with his baby sister and softly kissed her forehead.

"amo te tam multo." Kaia felt her smile widen as she nearly cried in happiness. She launched into her big brother causing him to lose stability for a second before he regained control of himself and wrapped his arms around his little sister.
[amo te tam multo = I love you so much]

"bubba te amo magis tu mihi omne te amo ita multo." Hezekiah felt wetness land on his shoulder and kissed his sisters hair lovingly tightening his arms around her, not caring about the staring unwavering eyes.
[bubba te amo magis tu mihi omne te amo ita multo = I love you more bubba you're my everything i love you so so much]

Hezekiah stood to his full height and spun his little sister around whilst wiping her tear stained cheeks, "non clamabit neque lacrymas fudit infantem reginae septingentae, quid autem nunc?" Kaia shook her head no resting her head on her brothers chest.
[non clamabit neque lacrymas fudit infantem reginae septingentae, quid autem nunc? = don't cry baby, princesses don't shed tears, do they now?]

"Ne lacrymas funderet." Hezekiah pressed a loving kiss to his sisters forehead.
[Ne lacrymas funderet = don't shed tears]

"Exactly so no need to be upset, don't cry mea principesa I'll see you again in no time."
[mea principesa = my princess]

"Smile for me, Kaia, before I leave. I don't want the last image of my little sister to be a teary face." Kaia gave her brother a crooked smile and he took what he got giving her one last gentle peck then setting her down on the floor.

"Bye bubba." Hezekiah squeezed her hand.

"I'll be back later, my saviour. Don't worry. I'm always here, in presence and absence. Praesentia et absentia." Kaia smiled weakly.
[praesentia et absentia = presence and absence]

"Praesentia et absentia." Kaia whispered to herself watching her brothers leaving figure.