The morning dawned bright and clear. And unseasonably warm.
Jamie stretched slowly and untangled himself from his wife. She’d come back to bed after calming Henry and picked up where they left off. She’d quickly aroused him again with her mouth and tongue, and Jamie made certain they’d finished before the wee terror interrupted them again.
It was early, and he wondered what his chances would be for Round Two, The Morning Edition when he heard a small voice asking, “Is anyone awake?”
He smiled. They were usually up by now, getting ready for school and work. Clearly Bree’s internal alarm was functioning properly, but like a good girl she wouldn’t get out of bed without permission. He nudged Claire awake.
“What?” she mumbled.
He loved that. After fourteen and a half years, he still loved how she said ‘Wot’ in that English accent of hers.He patted her arse.
“Come, Woman. Adventure awaits.” He kissed her lips and rolled his naked body out of bed.
“But what are we doing?” she mumbled, pulling the duvet up higher over her bare shoulders. “We never decided.”
“Leave it to me,” Jamie announced. He slipped on his sleep pants, grabbed a t-shirt and headed out the bedroom door calling to Bree. “Okay, We’en, up and at ‘em!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Sweetie and Sunshine??” Bree squealed, “That’s what their names mean?” She threw her head back and laughed out loud as the sun caught the reddish gold strands in her high pony tail.
“Aye,” Jamie said, chuckling. “And they’re the only Giant Pandas in the UK.”
With 18 month old Henry in his arms, and 8 and a half year old Bree standing on the railing in front of him, Jamie’s heart was full.
The Edinburgh Zoo. That was their adventure. He smiled over at Claire as she stood behind the stroller, trying to fit everyone in the frame, along with the Pandas.
“Smile, everyone!” Claire shouted. Bree turned and immediately grinned. Jamie juggled Henry, trying to get him to cooperate. She took the picture. Trying for another she called “Henry!” trying to get him to look at the camera, as well as cajole a smile out of him.
Henry looked everywhere but at his mother.
That’s when Bree snapped. “Henry, look at Mum!” Her voice was harsh.
Claire clicked the picture, and sighed.
Most of the day had been great. Bree was overjoyed at the news they were going to the zoo for the day, until it took too long to get ready and packed up. Thinking quickly Jamie enlisted her help in the kitchen to make up a picnic for them while Claire got Henry and the diaper bag ready, and that seemed to help with Bree’s mood.
But as the day progressed little things annoyed her. Henry fussing when being put in the stroller. Having to stop to change a diaper. Having him shout “Up!” and interrupting her conversations with Claire or Jamie. The little looks Claire and Jamie passed between them meant that Bree’s temper was not going unnoticed.
But it was after their picnic when things really exploded. Henry was tired, and needed a nap. Bree wanted to move on to other exhibits.
“Oh, WHY didna we just LEAVE him wi’ Mrs. Fitz?” Bree shouted when she was told it would be a bit before they could move on. Jamie froze in the act of rubbing Henry’s back and swaying rhythmically, trying to lull him to sleep.
“Breeeeanna,” he started, saying her name in that Gaelic way which usually meant trouble. Claire shot him a look that made him snap his lips closed.
“Bree, come sit by me,” Claire said gently. “I want to show you something.”
Bree plopped herself in her Mum’s lap. Claire’s arms came around her as she held the cell phone in front of them both. “Look, darling. Look at these pictures I took today.”
Bree took the phone and swiped through them. There were quite a few. Some were just of animals, some were of her, Da, and Henry, and some were of all of them. Claire slipped a hand in and swiped back a couple of pictures.
“What do you notice about these ones?” she asked, moving through them slowly.
“That Henry ruined them. He isna paying attention. Like he never does,” Bree said.
“Well, yes, but what’s he looking at?” Claire rested her chin on her daughter’s head, arms coming around her middle.
“I dinna ken,” Bree said sharply.
“Look again, darling.”
Bree looked at the pictures closely. She swiped back a few. Then forward to more. Claire felt her little body tighten as she finally saw what Claire wanted her to see.
“Is he looking at me?” Bree twisted around to look her mother in the face.
Claire smiled. “He is. He loves you, you know. Very much. He watches everything you do. He copies you all the time. You are his favourite.”
“I’m WHAT?” Bree was incredulous.
“His favourite,” Claire reiterated. “See this one? This is the one where he wouldn’t look at the camera until you told him to.”
Bree sat silently looking through the pictures. She’d never thought about that. That her brother would love her. That didn’t make him less annoying though.
“If he loved me he wouldna have chewed my Good Night, Moon book.”
Claire looked over at Jamie. He was a few feet away, walking in a slow circle with a light blanket over half of Henry’s face. She could hear his voice reciting Burns, low and speaking in Gaelic, soothing their son to sleep.
“Bree. He’s only a year and a half old. He doesn’t know any better. And I know that’s hard for you to understand but it’s the truth. It’s like the time you grabbed Daddy’s picture of Faith from his wallet and got syrup all over it. You just didn’t realize how special it was.”
“I did that?” Bree asked.
“You did. And it made Daddy very upset because that picture was special to him. But he didn’t want to stick you with Mrs. Fitz over it.”
Bree’s eyes were wide, searching Claire’s, trying to understand.
“Henry is part of our family, Brianna. Daddy and I never wanted you to grow up alone. We wanted you to have a brother or a sister. I never had one, you know. And I hated it. Hated being alone with no one to play with. Daddy had Aunt Jenny, and even though they used to fight sometimes he would tell you he was glad to have her.”
“Da’s like me,” Bree said. “One brother died, and one sister lived. I’m the opposite. My sister died and my brother lived.”
Claire smiled sadly, ran a hand down Bree’s leg to tickle an ankle.
“Yep,” Claire nodded. “And now he and Aunt Jenny work together. And they’re best friends.”
Bree looked over at her Da as he tried to settle a sleeping Henry in the stroller. She hopped up and bounded over to him. Jamie lifted his head as Bree took the blanket from his shoulder and stood by. When Jamie laid the boy down, she covered him loosely with it, placing the flannel up near his cheek the way Henry liked it.
She watched Jamie ruffle Bree’s fringe, then get behind the stroller to push it. Claire rolled to her knees and began gathering their things.
She hoped they’d cleared at least one hurdle today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Baths were done, kids were in bed, and Jamie was feeling particularly proud of himself for their excursion. In the kitchen he poured two fingers, neat, of Fraser Distillery’s finest for himself, and one finger on the rocks for Claire.
He sauntered up the fire escape to where Claire was standing, looking out over Edinburgh.
“It was a really good day,” she said, hearing his footsteps on the metal.
“Aye,” he agreed. Jamie handed her a glass and placed his lips on her neck. He let his teeth graze just behind her ear, then flicked his tongue over the spot to soothe it.
“She loves that game you play,” Claire sighed with pleasure, taking a sip of her drink. She felt Jamie’s chuckle as she leaned back against his chest.
After showering Bree always called for her dad to help dry her hair. Jamie would put the towel over his daughter’s freshly washed head and rub vigorously, causing her to wobble back and forth and lose her balance, only to mock admonish her to “stand still fer the love of St. Michael!” Bree would giggle and grab at Jamie’s legs trying to balance.
“Giggles every time,” he said, smiling into his wife’s hair. “When she was having her snack she asked me why I didna do that to Henry. I told her he was too wee. Said maybe that’s just something I’d keep for the two of us. That maybe, when he was older, Henry and I, we would have our own game.”
“That made her happy?” Claire asked.
“Aye. Surprised her, too, it did.” Jamie pressed against his wife’s fine arse and took a drink himself. He wanted her to feel his growing need. Claire leaned back and rubbed against him. The feel of her through the denim hurt so good.
“Ken what would make me happy?” his voice, hushed, low, and sexy in her ear.
“I’ve a fair idea,” Claire’s breath hitched as her husband’s hand slowly popped the button on her jeans, and drew down the zipper. He slipped his hand down her stomach, fingers seeking the warmth between her legs.
“Two nights in a row,” Claire whispered, leaning her head back on his shoulder, turning her face into his strong neck, “we haven’t been this spoiled in a long time.”
“Mmmmhmmm,” Jamie’s mouth came down on hers, fingers stroking, arousing, teasing.
“Excuse me!” the tiny voice asked.
Jamie and Claire jumped apart. Whisky sloshed over Jamie’s hand.
“Holy Christ Child in the Cradle!”
Jamie shook the droplets off his hand and looked at his daughter whose head was stuck through window, “Why …. are… you… out… of…. bed?” he said through clenched teeth.
“Ye were kissing,” she said, eyeing up the situation. “Why do I have to go to bed at the same time as Henry?”
“Aye, we were,” Jamie said. “And ye go tae bed when we say.”
“Well, yes,” Bree started, ignoring her father’s tone and the impending trouble she may be in. In true Fraser fashion negotiation was first and foremost on her mind. She climbed out onto the fire escape, her young coltish legs getting tangled in her nightgown. “But he’s one and I’m eight. Eight and a half, really. So,” she sat on the sill, “I shouldna go tae bed at the same time as a bairn. I should get to stay up later.”
Claire, finally put together, hoping her face wasn’t flushed red, turned to face her daughter. “You’re right.”
Jamie sputtered, his aroused body rejecting what he’d just heard. “Say again, Claire?”
“She’s right.” Claire stated, trying not to laugh at her husband’s face. “Henry goes at 7:30. You can start going to bed at 8:30. One hour later. Fair?”
“Fair,” Bree grinned.
“Now, back to bed,” Claire looked at her watch. “It’s 8:35 which is now after your new bedtime. But,” she held up a hand at the protest that was to come, “you can look at a book for a bit, and then turn off the lamp and go to sleep. Ten minutes.”
Bree swung her legs around through the upstairs window, and walked off to bed satisfied with her outcome.
Claire downed the last of her whisky, handed Jamie her glass, and placed a quick kiss on his lips. “Meet me in the bedroom in fifteen minutes.”
“Christ, Sassenach, we’ll be back to having sex in the car when the next bairns come, just for the privacy,” Jamie laughed.
“Oh, there won’t be any more babies,” Claire laughed, then disappeared into the house.
Jamie stood frozen in place.
No more bairns?
He turned to walk down the stairs, trying hard to remember the conversation between them when this had been decided.
Brianna has such a perfect voice — exasperating, mature without losing her actual age, funny, heartwarming. Bah. ⚔️👑
The morning dawned bright and clear. And unseasonably warm.
Jamie stretched slowly and untangled himself from his wife. She’d come back to bed after calming Henry and picked up where they left off. She’d quickly aroused him again with her mouth and tongue, and Jamie made certain they’d finished before the wee terror interrupted them again.
It was early, and he wondered what his chances would be for Round Two, The Morning Edition when he heard a small voice asking, “Is anyone awake?”
He smiled. They were usually up by now, getting ready for school and work. Clearly Bree’s internal alarm was functioning properly, but like a good girl she wouldn’t get out of bed without permission. He nudged Claire awake.
“What?” she mumbled.
He loved that. After fourteen and a half years, he still loved how she said ‘Wot’ in that English accent of hers.He patted her arse.
“Come, Woman. Adventure awaits.” He kissed her lips and rolled his naked body out of bed.
“But what are we doing?” she mumbled, pulling the duvet up higher over her bare shoulders. “We never decided.”
“Leave it to me,” Jamie announced. He slipped on his sleep pants, grabbed a t-shirt and headed out the bedroom door calling to Bree. “Okay, We’en, up and at ‘em!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Sweetie and Sunshine??” Bree squealed, “That’s what their names mean?” She threw her head back and laughed out loud as the sun caught the reddish gold strands in her high pony tail.
“Aye,” Jamie said, chuckling. “And they’re the only Giant Pandas in the UK.”
With 18 month old Henry in his arms, and 8 and a half year old Bree standing on the railing in front of him, Jamie’s heart was full.
The Edinburgh Zoo. That was their adventure. He smiled over at Claire as she stood behind the stroller, trying to fit everyone in the frame, along with the Pandas.
“Smile, everyone!” Claire shouted. Bree turned and immediately grinned. Jamie juggled Henry, trying to get him to cooperate. She took the picture. Trying for another she called “Henry!” trying to get him to look at the camera, as well as cajole a smile out of him.
Henry looked everywhere but at his mother.
That’s when Bree snapped. “Henry, look at Mum!” Her voice was harsh.
Claire clicked the picture, and sighed.
Most of the day had been great. Bree was overjoyed at the news they were going to the zoo for the day, until it took too long to get ready and packed up. Thinking quickly Jamie enlisted her help in the kitchen to make up a picnic for them while Claire got Henry and the diaper bag ready, and that seemed to help with Bree’s mood.
But as the day progressed little things annoyed her. Henry fussing when being put in the stroller. Having to stop to change a diaper. Having him shout “Up!” and interrupting her conversations with Claire or Jamie. The little looks Claire and Jamie passed between them meant that Bree’s temper was not going unnoticed.
But it was after their picnic when things really exploded. Henry was tired, and needed a nap. Bree wanted to move on to other exhibits.
“Oh, WHY didna we just LEAVE him wi’ Mrs. Fitz?” Bree shouted when she was told it would be a bit before they could move on. Jamie froze in the act of rubbing Henry’s back and swaying rhythmically, trying to lull him to sleep.
“Breeeeanna,” he started, saying her name in that Gaelic way which usually meant trouble. Claire shot him a look that made him snap his lips closed.
“Bree, come sit by me,” Claire said gently. “I want to show you something.”
Bree plopped herself in her Mum’s lap. Claire’s arms came around her as she held the cell phone in front of them both. “Look, darling. Look at these pictures I took today.”
Bree took the phone and swiped through them. There were quite a few. Some were just of animals, some were of her, Da, and Henry, and some were of all of them. Claire slipped a hand in and swiped back a couple of pictures.
“What do you notice about these ones?” she asked, moving through them slowly.
“That Henry ruined them. He isna paying attention. Like he never does,” Bree said.
“Well, yes, but what’s he looking at?” Claire rested her chin on her daughter’s head, arms coming around her middle.
“I dinna ken,” Bree said sharply.
“Look again, darling.”
Bree looked at the pictures closely. She swiped back a few. Then forward to more. Claire felt her little body tighten as she finally saw what Claire wanted her to see.
“Is he looking at me?” Bree twisted around to look her mother in the face.
Claire smiled. “He is. He loves you, you know. Very much. He watches everything you do. He copies you all the time. You are his favourite.”
“I’m WHAT?” Bree was incredulous.
“His favourite,” Claire reiterated. “See this one? This is the one where he wouldn’t look at the camera until you told him to.”
Bree sat silently looking through the pictures. She’d never thought about that. That her brother would love her. That didn’t make him less annoying though.
“If he loved me he wouldna have chewed my Good Night, Moon book.”
Claire looked over at Jamie. He was a few feet away, walking in a slow circle with a light blanket over half of Henry’s face. She could hear his voice reciting Burns, low and speaking in Gaelic, soothing their son to sleep.
“Bree. He’s only a year and a half old. He doesn’t know any better. And I know that’s hard for you to understand but it’s the truth. It’s like the time you grabbed Daddy’s picture of Faith from his wallet and got syrup all over it. You just didn’t realize how special it was.”
“I did that?” Bree asked.
“You did. And it made Daddy very upset because that picture was special to him. But he didn’t want to stick you with Mrs. Fitz over it.”
Bree’s eyes were wide, searching Claire’s, trying to understand.
“Henry is part of our family, Brianna. Daddy and I never wanted you to grow up alone. We wanted you to have a brother or a sister. I never had one, you know. And I hated it. Hated being alone with no one to play with. Daddy had Aunt Jenny, and even though they used to fight sometimes he would tell you he was glad to have her.”
“Da’s like me,” Bree said. “One brother died, and one sister lived. I’m the opposite. My sister died and my brother lived.”
Claire smiled sadly, ran a hand down Bree’s leg to tickle an ankle.
“Yep,” Claire nodded. “And now he and Aunt Jenny work together. And they’re best friends.”
Bree looked over at her Da as he tried to settle a sleeping Henry in the stroller. She hopped up and bounded over to him. Jamie lifted his head as Bree took the blanket from his shoulder and stood by. When Jamie laid the boy down, she covered him loosely with it, placing the flannel up near his cheek the way Henry liked it.
She watched Jamie ruffle Bree’s fringe, then get behind the stroller to push it. Claire rolled to her knees and began gathering their things.
She hoped they’d cleared at least one hurdle today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Baths were done, kids were in bed, and Jamie was feeling particularly proud of himself for their excursion. In the kitchen he poured two fingers, neat, of Fraser Distillery’s finest for himself, and one finger on the rocks for Claire.
He sauntered up the fire escape to where Claire was standing, looking out over Edinburgh.
“It was a really good day,” she said, hearing his footsteps on the metal.
“Aye,” he agreed. Jamie handed her a glass and placed his lips on her neck. He let his teeth graze just behind her ear, then flicked his tongue over the spot to soothe it.
“She loves that game you play,” Claire sighed with pleasure, taking a sip of her drink. She felt Jamie’s chuckle as she leaned back against his chest.
After showering Bree always called for her dad to help dry her hair. Jamie would put the towel over his daughter’s freshly washed head and rub vigorously, causing her to wobble back and forth and lose her balance, only to mock admonish her to “stand still fer the love of St. Michael!” Bree would giggle and grab at Jamie’s legs trying to balance.
“Giggles every time,” he said, smiling into his wife’s hair. “When she was having her snack she asked me why I didna do that to Henry. I told her he was too wee. Said maybe that’s just something I’d keep for the two of us. That maybe, when he was older, Henry and I, we would have our own game.”
“That made her happy?” Claire asked.
“Aye. Surprised her, too, it did.” Jamie pressed against his wife’s fine arse and took a drink himself. He wanted her to feel his growing need. Claire leaned back and rubbed against him. The feel of her through the denim hurt so good.
“Ken what would make me happy?” his voice, hushed, low, and sexy in her ear.
“I’ve a fair idea,” Claire’s breath hitched as her husband’s hand slowly popped the button on her jeans, and drew down the zipper. He slipped his hand down her stomach, fingers seeking the warmth between her legs.
“Two nights in a row,” Claire whispered, leaning her head back on his shoulder, turning her face into his strong neck, “we haven’t been this spoiled in a long time.”
“Mmmmhmmm,” Jamie’s mouth came down on hers, fingers stroking, arousing, teasing.
“Excuse me!” the tiny voice asked.
Jamie and Claire jumped apart. Whisky sloshed over Jamie’s hand.
“Holy Christ Child in the Cradle!”
Jamie shook the droplets off his hand and looked at his daughter whose head was stuck through window, “Why …. are… you… out… of…. bed?” he said through clenched teeth.
“Ye were kissing,” she said, eyeing up the situation. “Why do I have to go to bed at the same time as Henry?”
“Aye, we were,” Jamie said. “And ye go tae bed when we say.”
“Well, yes,” Bree started, ignoring her father’s tone and the impending trouble she may be in. In true Fraser fashion negotiation was first and foremost on her mind. She climbed out onto the fire escape, her young coltish legs getting tangled in her nightgown. “But he’s one and I’m eight. Eight and a half, really. So,” she sat on the sill, “I shouldna go tae bed at the same time as a bairn. I should get to stay up later.”
Claire, finally put together, hoping her face wasn’t flushed red, turned to face her daughter. “You’re right.”
Jamie sputtered, his aroused body rejecting what he’d just heard. “Say again, Claire?”
“She’s right.” Claire stated, trying not to laugh at her husband’s face. “Henry goes at 7:30. You can start going to bed at 8:30. One hour later. Fair?”
“Fair,” Bree grinned.
“Now, back to bed,” Claire looked at her watch. “It’s 8:35 which is now after your new bedtime. But,” she held up a hand at the protest that was to come, “you can look at a book for a bit, and then turn off the lamp and go to sleep. Ten minutes.”
Bree swung her legs around through the upstairs window, and walked off to bed satisfied with her outcome.
Claire downed the last of her whisky, handed Jamie her glass, and placed a quick kiss on his lips. “Meet me in the bedroom in fifteen minutes.”
“Christ, Sassenach, we’ll be back to having sex in the car when the next bairns come, just for the privacy,” Jamie laughed.
“Oh, there won’t be any more babies,” Claire laughed, then disappeared into the house.
Jamie stood frozen in place.
No more bairns?
He turned to walk down the stairs, trying hard to remember the conversation between them when this had been decided.
Brianna has such a perfect voice — exasperating, mature without losing her actual age, funny, heartwarming. Bah. ⚔️👑
Tori