Esme glances at Theon and notices how his eyes hardly leave Pandi. She smirks and sits down at the table.
"I'll whip up something a little later and leave it at the door for you in the morning," Divitia says.
"Thank you very much," Dau says.
Aliethia gives Divitia a peck on the cheek. "That's very sweet of you. Is my brother around, Arista?"
She nods, "Yeah, it's been pretty busy today. He's relaxing in the living room. Celine is playing with her toys and puppy in her room....I should start getting her ready for bed after she has her snack in another hour or so. I have some leftovers from lunch if you want anything. I practiced making so.e of the dishes I'll be making for your reception." Arista gives her sister a hug, "How are you feeling? Oh...I'm sorry I didn't introduce everyone."
Hearing the commotion from her room, Celine wanders into the kitchen with the puppy right behind her. Seeing her other aunts in the kitchen she runs up to Esme and holds her arms up, "I hold you?" She asks while smiling sweetly up at her auntie.
"You've got two other aunties and you choose me?" Esme chuckles, sweeping Celine up in her arms. "My, you're getting bigger every day."
"Tired," Aliethia sighs, returning the hug. "No need to apologize."
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Celine giggles, "I eat!" Wrapping her arms around Esme she squeezes her before kissing her cheek, "I biiiig sister. Waiting for my baby. Not here yet." She says sounding a little disappointed before seeing the sheets with cookie dough on them. Pointing at them she says, "Cookies? Cookies for me mommy?"
Giving Alethia a smile she says, "I know exactly what you mean. I've been feeling run down too lately." Hearing Celine she goes to where Esme holds Celine and looks at her daughter with a sigh, "The cookies are not just for you, you have to share."
Celine sticks her lower lip out and lays her head on Esme's shoulder, "Okay."
Arista starts baking off the cookies, "If you're a good girl, mommy will let you have a cookie and some milk before you go to bed."
"I'm good." Celine says in a pouty voice.
She nods, "Yes, you're a good girl, but you're also very tired."
"Let me go see Ally real quick and I'll be back," Aliethia says, going to the living room.
"Okay." She says while taking care of her cookies.
As the cookies start baking, Arista makes a cup of tea for Dau before and takes it to her along with the cream, sugar, honey, and lemon. "I wasn't sure how you liked it, so I brought a variety of things. Would anyone else like a cup of tea, or some coffee perhaps?"
Divitia shakes her head. "No, thank you, but I will have some of that leftover food you were talking about and some water."
"I'll take some food as well and some juice," Esme says, patting Celine's back gently.
Dau fixes her tea and slowly sips on it.
"Nothing for me, thanks."
"I'll take a little coffee," Theon says.
"Sure, no problem." Arista pulls the leftovers out and starts heating them up. She then makes some coffee for Theon. While the coffee is making, Arista switches out the cookies and then serves him his coffee as the stuff on the stove finishes warming up. Getting a couple of bowls, she serves Esme and Divitia some soup to start with before making them a plate of boar ribs, corn on the cob, slaw, and just a little chicken and vegetables. Taking it all over to the table she says, "There you go. I just gave you guys a little bit of everything so you could try it."
After serving them their food, Arista gets their drinks. Taking one of the freshly baked cookies, she puts it on a napkin and pours Celine a small glass of milk and sets it in the space next to Esme, "Celine, if you want your cookie and milk, you'll have to sit in the chair like a big girl. Then you can go get cleaned up and ready for bed. We'll do your bath tomorrow when it's as little warmer hopefully." She says sitting in a chair at the table with her friends and family for a few minutes before baking off the next batch of cookies. She made enough dough to make about sixty cookies so she only had to bake off a few more batches.
Celine lifts her head off Esme's shoulder, "Thank you auntie. I sit now." Climbing down out of her lap, she gets up into the chair next to Esme and has her cookie and milk.
Aliethia walks back into the kitchen. "Ally said he was going to head to bed, Arista. Something sure smells good."
"It's Arista's leftovers, Lili," Divitia says.
"Oh, may I have some, Arista?" Aliethia asks. "If it's no trouble, of course. I know you're busy with the cookies and all."
She shakes her head, "It's no trouble at all. Just have a seat and relax." After switching out cookie batches, Arista gives her sister a bowl of the soup and plate of small portions of all the dishes they had made. Arista then gets whatever Aletghia wanted to drink for her to haved with dinner.
After finally pullijng put the last batch, shed sets the cookies out to cool before washing thed bowl, utensils she used to mix thed ingredients, and pans, before gettikng her own cup of tea and joining them at the table to relax after putting the last of thed leftovers away.
Aliethia tries a few bites. "If this is what you're making for the wedding, it'll be a smashing success."
Divitia nods in agreement. "It's very delicious."
Theon yawns. "I think I'm going to hit the sack, Ari. Where do you want me to sleep tonight?"
Giving her sisters a smile she says, "Good, I'm glad you like it. Yeah...I thought I would give people some choice as to what they wanted to eat, in case not everyone liked chicken."
Thinking for a moment she looks at her brother, "Well...I was going to say Celine's room, but there's quite a bit of furniture in there. I guess you could all fit in the living room. I think you should let one of the girls have the couch though and take the floor. I can get some extra bedding stuff out, so you all are comfortable enough. The hearth in there should keep things nice and toasty anyways. Does that sound alright to you?"
Celine finishes her milk and cookie and puts her dishes in the sink. She goes to the bathroom and uses the potty, washes her hands and face, and cleans her teeth.
Once she's all cleaned up, Celine goes to her room and puts on the warm pajamas that were laying on her bed. Grabbing her bear she goes back to the kitchen. Tugging on mommy's skirt to get her attention she says, "I ready mommy. Honey go outside?"
"Sure, I'll let Pandi and Dau figure out who wants the couch," Theon says with a yawn.
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"I'll let Pandi take the couch," Dau says, finishing her tea. "I don't want to wake up to anything...untoward."
Pandi shakes her head. "Yeah...sure."
Looking around for a moment she puts a hand to her head, "No Celine, I will let Honey out. It's too cold for you to go outside with her. Let me get things set up in the living room and then I'll come see you in your room and read you a story before you go to sleep okay?"
As her mommy starts getting up she makes a whining noise and shakes her head, "No...no story mommy. Aunt Lili sing me please?"
Arista sighs and rubs her temple, "Let me take Honey out. If you want a song instead of a story, you need to ask your Auntie and be nice Celine."
Looking at Alethia she sighs and gives her an apologetic look, "I'm sorry...whenever anyone else is around, I guess I'm not good enough. Excuse me for a moment while I let the puppy out real quick."
Heading towards the door, Arista calls the puppy who comes to her quickly and goes outside as Arista opens the door.
Aliethia laughs. "Okay, Celine. Let me finish my food and then I'll sing for you."
Going to Aliethia she stretches up and kisses her auntie's cheek, "Thank you auntie. I love you."
Looking around and seeing that almost everyone in the kitchen was busy eating, Celine goes to her uncle and holds up the arm that doesn't have the bear in it, "I hold you please?"
Theon scoops Celine in his arms. "Okay, we'll wait for Auntie Aliethia to finish up."
Celine nods and lays her head on his shoulder.
Aliethia finishes eating and washes her hands face before taking Celine from Theon. As she walks back to the toddler's room, she begins singing a soft elven lullaby for her niece.
After letting the puppy back in and drying her off, Arista goes back to the kitchen to finish her cup of tea.
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"I'm gonna get changed for bed," Pandi says with a smile. She looks at Theon. "No peeking."
Celine smiles and even as Aliethia starts walking her back to her room, Celine's eyes start looking heavy with sleep as she lays her head on her auntie's shoulder.
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Theon puts up his hands defensively. "I had no intention to do so."
Arista mouths a silent "thank you" to Aliethia as she takes the tired tot off to her room. Arista really hoped that Celine would allow her to sleep in a little bit in the morning. Today was the first day that she didn't feel totally exhausted, but she still felt pretty tired after everything.