(14 years ago)
Royce
Grabbing a pot, I poured water inside and dumped the noodles inside, turning the stove on so it could boil. Next I grabbed six ziplock bags and six different food coloring. There was Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange and Purple.
I poured maybe 20 drops of food coloring into each bag and closed it and sat it down. The twins were in the living room playing with blocks and I was being a cook.
I never actually knew how to cook, but I could boil up some noodles. Not the roman noodle kinds but the spaghetti noodles.
After the noodles were done cooking, I took the pot off the stove and brought it over to the sink and poured the noodles into a strainer. Letting all the water drain out. The noodles were still hot, but it didn't matter to me.
I washed my hands already, so I grabbed a hand of noodles and divided them evenly into the bag of colors.
Making sure each of the noodles got some color, I shook them all up and sat them in the bag for about 3 minutes.
The noodles were still hot but they were going to cool off in a minute. Pouring each bag of noodles into the strainer, there was a lot of food coloring still left and If you ate it, you would feel the liquid on the noodles.
So I pour warm water over the noodles and mix it with my hand. Rinsing all the leftover food coloring off. Now I had a strainer full of rainbowed spaghetti.
Grabbing two plates, I divided the spaghetti evenly and brought it to the table. I had already set their seats up in the chairs so they could reach the table.
Walking over to them, I took the blocks out of their hands and picked them up, setting them each in their chairs. Travion kept putting his hands out for the blocks but once he got his food in front of him and stopped whining and started eating.
I've been teaching them their numbers and colors since they were 1.People say a child doesn't fully know all of their colors till 3 so I wanted to change that.
Travion picked up a noodle and I asked him what color it was. He totally wasn't listening to me because he shoved the noodle into his mouth.
Pitiful I tell you. Before he put another one in his mouth I held his hand. "What color is this?". Before answering he looked at the noodle and tried moving his hand from mine.
"No no. what color is this?". From his face, you could tell he was about to cry. "No, cut it out. What color is this and you can eat it", I promised.
"Bue" he replied. It's funny hearing him talk. I knew he was saying "Blue" but I wanted him to say it correctly.
"No, say Blue". Instead of him trying, he picked up another noodle. Kids I tell you. I let him have it.
He had already put the noodles in his mouth. It would be rude to snatch it out his mouth.
Trevon was just looking around eating his noodles. Literally, all his yellows were gone. I think he loves the color yellow.
I went over to the kitchen to clean out the pot and drainer from the colors it had on it and I felt like somebody was watching me.
I looked out the window and It was a shadow. I couldn't see who it was so I went out of the pack house and looked to the side and no one was there.
I walked over to where I saw the shadow coming from near some bushes and I felt weird.
Like a presence was here. There was no scent but I could feel a presence and it felt gravitating.
Going back inside the house, the twins were done with their food. Now the difference from their plates was that Trevon plate was empty and Travion plate still had purple noodles still left.
"Not a fan of purple?" ,I asked. To my surprise he shook his head no. Did not know he caught that.
Grabbing their plates, I put his leftover noodles inside a plastic bowl and put a top over it. Never know when he'll eat it.
Maybe Trevon will when he wakes up from his nap. I grabbed both of them and went back over to their blocks.
They had numbers on them and It was good for them to practice. Sitting down on the carpet, they went straight to the blocks. I just sat there and watched.
Being a dad sure did feel good, but it has its struggles. Trevon picked up a red block that had a 3 on it.
I grabbed it out of his hand and turned the block around so he could see the number. "What number is this?",I asked.
He stared at the block like "Fool I don't know". I looked over to Travion who was trying to put the block in his mouth.
He just ate and now he's trying to eat the blocks. I moved it away from his mouth and held the block up to his face. "What number is this?", I asked.
"Two," he replied. I understand if my finger was blocking the bottom of the 3 but this does not look like a two.
"No this is not two", I said laughing. "Three" he said but more so asked. "Yep this is a three". I turned around to Trevon who was picking up a blue block.
"Trevon, what number is this?", I asked , holding the red block to his face.
He just kept staring AGAIN. Is it so hard to say what number was on the block? It wasn't invisible, it was quite there.
I picked him up and sat him on my leg. "Trevon, what number is this?", Still no response.
Instead he put his finger in his mouth. I removed his finger and asked again. "Three" ,he responded but more so yelling.
"Who are you yelling at?", I laughed. "You". Did he really just say you? Who he thinks he is.
I laid him on the floor and tickled him. He was moving around so much and laughing. It was adorable to hear his laughs.
Nora walked in the pack house and had little Eliza. She was 1 years old.
A few months away from the twins. Her and Lucas were busier than I thought at the time.
I stopped tickling Trevon and got up walking to Nora. "Where are you guys coming from", I asked, taking Eliza out of her arms.
"A little walk in the forest. I need to exercise and get into shape. And Eliza keeps me company". I went over to the twins and sat Eliza down so she could play with some blocks.
Walking over to Nora in the kitchen, I took a seat by her at the kitchen island. "I saw something weird today", I said watching her sip some water. If I remember correctly she said walk, not run.
"Like?", she asked curiously. "A person. Well their shadow at least. They were so close to the house and when I went outside to catch them, they were gone.
No scent or nothing left behind. Although I could feel an attractive presence".
She put the top back on her bottle and closed it, sitting it on the counter and looked at me.
"Well, who do you think it is?". I don't know if I would sound crazy or not. "I think it's Iris" , I hesitantly responded.
And what Nora did, she laughed and I mean laughed, HARD" It's not funny. I swear. Witches can mask their scent right?
And her presence felt weird. Like a chill came across my body". I was speaking in a serious tone and Nora realized it and stopped laughing.
"Royce. Maybe it's because you miss her that you were seeing things or somebody was playing around. But it wasn't Iris. She's been gone for two years.
No one heard of her. No one saw her. Nothing of Iris has come up in two years. She's not coming back Royce".
After saying that, she got up and headed to the stairs. "What if you're wrong. What if it was Iris and she wants to know her sons".
I wasn't sure if this was true but I was 40% confident in the theory. Turning around she walked back to me. "Royce, If Iris wants to meet her sons or be in her children's life.
She would have been a long time ago. I know you miss her and so do I. Everyone does, but she's gone. We have to realize that and move on with our lives.
You have two kids now, you can't afford to go around and look for someone who may or may not be in this area. She may not even be alive. So let it go".
She turned around and headed upstairs. "I'm going to take a nap. Watch her for me?", she asked. I nodded my head yes and she went upstairs.