Y/n descends from the stairs.
"Y/n catch!"Jim throws a paper roll at her, and she catches it.
The brothers high-fived to this and giggled that their future sister-in-law got some sportsman skills.
"What are we going to do with it?" Y/n asks in a puzzled tone looking at every possible eyes in the room.
"Like this." Liz and Daisy show little paper flowers to her while they submit that to Neh.
"How do I do this?" Y/n questions holding the paper roll.
"I'm pretty good at origami you know." Sam steps forward. He takes the paper roll and teaches her step by step how to get a perfect handmade flower by a paper roll.
The flowers that they made were of various sizes.
Jo brought in fresh flowers from the garden along with the wild leaves. Jo brings the peonies, marigold, daisies, tulips and puts them together. She begins to arrange the flowers with the leaves. They come to appear like tiny bouquets. After she arranged them, she then binded them with a ribbon and decorated the stairs with it.
"Would you let me help you?" Jake approaches Jo.
"Yeah sure." Jo beams getting a helping hand. "You're going to put two flowers each with these little stems, got it?"
"That's easy." Jake chuckles.
"I bet nothing has been hard on you." Jo teases.
"On you too." Jack replies arranging the flowers and arranging them together.
"How can you be sure about that?" Jo bites her lower lip and looks at him.
"I heard you play piano at the vanity fair." He looks at her. "And you were exceptional." He ends the sentence, picks the stem up and attaches it with a flower.
"Then sir, I'm quite bad at it." Laughs Jo.
"No, you're good." Jake says.
"No I suck." Jo teases him again.
"You're good believe me." Jake enforces her to believe and she just laughs at his expression.
Sam, John and Jim were noticing these two while Neh, Joseph and Y/n were doing the work perfectly as a team.
"I told you, to make your move first." John looks at Jim handing the paper flowers to him.
"Easy there, it's not like she's the only girl in the entire England." Jim laughs it out.
Sam overhears them and gives out his judgment on this. "No-one is stealing nobody, we are all siblings and they're just friends." John and Jim make faces at his statement and continue to wind up their hands.
Just after this, footsteps is being heard from upstairs.
They all shift their eyes to the stairs, it was the Duke that was climbing down the stairs. He halts at the last step.
"Ah Brother! Thanks heavens you're here."Jake whispers and goes up to him while the others resume their work.
Jake and Tim come and sit at the couch near Jo and Y/n. Tim arranges the little bouquets in no time.
"Ah! You're good at it." Jo puts in gleefully. Tim chuckles at this.
"Why?" he asks taking the tiny rosemary branch and focusing on the flower.
"Because Y/n was slow at this." Jake expresses teasing Y/n a little and winking at her. Y/n looks at him furiously.
"Well, I'm better at certain things than your sister." He looks at Jo, and Jo assures him nodding and giving him her teethy smile. Y/n elbows Jo hard at this.
"Ow!" Jo shrieks.
"What happened?" asks Daisy looking at her. All look at her out of concern.
Y/n clears her throat. "It's almost time, we all must hurry." She stands up from her seat keeps the flower down and walks towards the kitchen. Tim looks her up sideways and kind of admires her for tolerating his taunts but still abhors her a little more.
The decoration is almost done.
The cook comes and places the drink on the table. Adults would have wine and the youngsters are going to have orange punch. Only drinks and cake is going to be served because its midnight and no one desires to have mouthfuls again at late night. So, the food is going to be light. The main hall looks pretty with the handmade paper flowers and the little bouquets pinned around the table asking one to take a double take and look at them. The lilac and white coloured balloons made the hall look more like a bubble soap room. Everything was just decent and the presence of the Duke and his brothers made it more worth to stare at. The maids and man-servants lined up near the table. They all stood near the table, mama picked up little Louie in her arms and brings her near the table. The last one who enters the room was Liz, she cautiously places the candle lit cake. Mama wokes Louie by shaking her up a little. Louie rubs her eyes, opening them frowning a bit, but the frown vanishes when she notices a candle lit plum cake in-front of her.
"A cake!" she exclaims happily looking at mama and papa, puzzly looking at the rest of them. They all smiled at this expression of her. What makes a child more happy rather than cakes, chocolates and candies. She is tiny and she is not aware of birthday and surprises yet. And the innocence painted all round her face makes her look like a little cherub.
The viscount and the viscountess kissed her cheeks as they wished her. The sister kissed little Louie on her cheeks wishing her a blessed birthday. The brothers, including the Duke patted her head and wished her. The maid and manservants bowed her. She accepted all their wishes, "Thank you!" she cries happily.
The viscount starts Our father God in heaven, thank you for everything that you provide us. Thank you for this day that is filled with your blessings. Thank you for protecting us from all the evil. We have gathered here today as our Louie turns 5. Give her strength and wisdom. Guide her in every path and let her know you and let her be thankful to you everyday. Make her differentiate between the right and wrong things. Talk with her and be her best friend. I keep my daughters under your care. Bless the duke and his brothers and always be with them, whether in sickness and in health. And to my wife and the people who are under the surveillance of the house when I am gone, be with them and be their strength. Bless all of us who are present in this room, in Jesus' name we pray AMEN.
They all opened their eyes.
Jo started the birthday song, and all joined her
Happy Birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday little Louie
Happy birthday to you.
While they were singing this Louie was constantly looking at the cake and the presents. All of them sensed this and ended the song in a hurry.
She blows out the candles, mama takes the candle out and helps her to cut the cake.
Mama helps Louisa to cut the cake into smaller portions. Louisa makes everyone in the room eat a piece of cake from her tiny hands starting from the viscount. The room is filled with blessings towards her, and as she tosses the presents, she yawns softly. Noticing her tiredness, mama carries her to bed while the Viscount asks the Duke and his brothers to take rest, because the night will be long. After the midnight the hall seems empty, the candlelight seems dull.
And off they go to bed, after a long hard day.
Author's note-
Hello my little butterflies, you must hate me for updating late but I had loads in my plate, I hope you understand.🦋🥺 I hope you all aren't sick taking much care of yourself, and completing your homeworks,🤍🌼
I believe in all of you and you can do anything. 💜
Keep shining.🌼🤍