Nodding her head she points at Derick, "Derick hurt me. Pulled hair, pinched, took ball. Derick very mean."
Arista feels her cheeks darken, "Celine...that's not why we came here. Don't you have something to say to Derick?"
Celine's eyes become tearful again as she tries really hard to make the words come out. With her hands fisted at her sides she looks angrily up into her tormentors face, "I sorry Derick. Sorry I kick you."
At hearing the little girl apologize, the tall man looks sternly at Derick. Shaking his head he says, "She is half your size son, what were you thinking? You know better than to pick on anyone, but especially little girls that are half your size." Looking at Arista he says, "We have been working with him on his behavior issues. He is still having trouble adjusting though. I am very sorry that this happened and assure you that it will never happen again."
He then gets down to Celines level and takes her little hand in his larger one, "I'm Gregor, Derick's daddy and I'm very very sorry he hurt you. I won't let him do it again okay? You never have to apologize for defending yourself. If he's ever mean to you again, you just let me know okay?" Before standing to his full height again he turns to his son and looks him in the eye, "You have something you need to say as well before I decide that you need a reminder of why it isn't okay to pick on anyone for any reason. Do I make myself clear?"
Derick gulps and nods, "Yes Sir." Turning towards Celine he says, "I'm sorry that I took your ball, pulled your hair, and for all the other times that I was mean to you for no reason. I promise not to do it again." He looks up at his father who nods and motions for him to go on back to what he was doing.
Looking at Arista as he stands fully again Gregor says, "I'm sorry that I didn't come by sooner with him to apologize, but I've been very busy working to try and support my family. You didn't have to make her apologize though. Derick was in the wrong and he knew it. His mother and I had already had several conversations with him about being mean to other kids. Please let me know if you have any other problems with him and I'll take care of it."
Arista's blush darkens, "Uhhh...okay,thank you. I know he hurt her first, but I don't want Celine to think that hurting someone just because they hurt you is the appropriate response to every situation. I wasn't trying to make her feel bad about defending herself."
Gregor nods again, "I know...I get what you were trying to teach her. I wasn't trying to butt in or anything, I'm sorry if that was out of line. Just know that you can come to me if there are any more problems."
Arista nods, "Okay, we will, and thank you."
Celine takes a step forward and tugs on the man's pants. When he lowers himself again to her level she walks up and gives him a hug after wiping her eyes, "Thank you Derick's daddy."
Patting her on the back he smiles, "That's okay Celine, you go have fun now. Derick won't bother you anymore."
Standing up, he goes back inside and shuts the door.
Celine just looks up at her mommy before turning around and walking away from her towards the park.
Arista just stands there for a moment dumbstruck before walking after her daughter. Looking back at Alethiro she says, "Well, I guess that went pretty well considering everything huh?" Rubbing her arms she says, "Except that I think she hates me now."
"I really doubt that," Alethiro says, holding Honey back from running after Celine.
"Are you sure?" She asks, seeming less sure of herself. What if she was doing everything wrong with Celine? She couldn't really even remember how her mother handled her younger years, and she knew she was a handful. This was different though, Celine was different, and she wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing or not anymore.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"She loves you the most," Alethiro says. "Then the dog, then me."
Arista laughs a little, despite herself. Giving her husband a brief kiss, she watches as Celine runs to the park, "I guess I just still have doubts sometimes about if I'm really doing okay at this whole mommy thing." She sighs, "I'm sorry love, it's probably just the hormone talking."
"It's alright," Alethiro says, putting his free arm around Arista.
Smiling at him she leans into his side as they catch up to Celine at the park, "Maybe I should sit down for a little bit while Celine and Honey play." Arista finds a bench and sits down as the enthusiastic puppy nearly leaps off of the leash to get to Celine. Turning around, the puppy puts her front paws on Alethiro's legs and whines before looking back at Celine and wagging her tail.
Alethiro lets Honey off the leash. "Off you go."
Honey yips happily before bounding off after Celine.
Alethiro lets out a tired sigh. "I'm thinking I need to find a regular job. We won't be able to live off the treasure from adventuring forever. And the temple doesn't pay a whole lot."
Arista sighs, "I know love, but maybe I can do something to help? I'm not sure what exactly, the only occupation I ever really had was destroying evil from the time I was old enough to leave home. I...I'll think of something though. I don't want you to have to give up working at the Temple, I know how much you love what you do, and how much they need you."
Elena chuckles. "That was meant for Kama, but I appreciate your support."
"Very much so beloved!" Kama says with a dazzling smile, taking Elena's hand and kissing it.
"They have plenty of help with Ulli, Ashram and Aliethia," Alethiro says. "Besides, I like being able to spend time with my family on a regular basis."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"I think I am too, but I am also very nervous," Elena says, smiling at Kama. "I just hope it all goes smoothly."
Arista smiles, "We like spending time with you too."
Rajni smiles back at her sisters as shed starts cleaning up the kitchen.
"I wasn't sure with our house being so crowded lately."
Arista playfully slaps his arm, "It's not always going to be so full, and I do like spending time with you. I'm sorry if I did anything that caused you to think I didn't." She says, taking his hand in hers as she watches Celine play with the puppy.
Alethiro smiles slightly. "Theon's return was expected...but not right then, I think."
She nods, "Yes....I know what you mean, but I can't see him staying for very long at his little sister's house. He's going to want a life of his own with someone of his own at some point I'm sure....I mean..you know, eventually he's going to want to move on and find a place here and everything I'm sure. I'm sorry if his unexpected return caught you off guard or made you feel less important to me."
Feeling secure in her daughter's safety at the park with her puppy, Arista turns to look into her husband's eyes, "We will not always have so many people in our home....at least not for a few more months, and then we'll have to get used to that adjustment as well. But....you and Celine...you are my life and mean everything to me and I'm sorry if I did anything that made you feel like you were somehow less important." She says, while trying to swallow down the emotion she feels bubbling up inside of herself.
Alethiro shakes his head. "You didn't do anything. I've just been feeling like a wallflower, I guess."
Putting her arms around him she lays her head on his shoulder, "Okay....and I know things have been strange since he came back, but he's just my brother, you're my husband. You can talk to any of us anytime okay? Who knows....maybe him and Pandi will hit it off." She kind of shrugs her shoulders before shifting her gaze to look out across the park at Celine and the puppy who are still playing chase.
"You sound as if that isn't what you really wanted," Alethiro says. "They had survived practically the same thing...so it gives them a lot of common ground."
Arista nods, "Yeah....I know, and I get it. I know it sounds silly, but Ij just want him to be happy...I want everyone to be okay, and be happy and find someone that makes them feel happy, loved, and safe....no matter thed circumstances."
"Especially Esmerelda, huh?"
Arista simply blushes and looks over at Celine and the puppy again, "Of course I want her to be happy....but with someone that can appreciate her for who she is, and if it's what she wants as well. It's not like I intentionally try to set people up. It just happens when it happens." She says with an innocent shrug.
"Uh huh."
"What?" She asks, a completely innocent look on her angelic face.
"Admit it...you think about her being aaaaall alone after Divitia and Aliethia get married and you're worried about her," Alethiro says.
Arista sighs and looks down, "Maayyyybe.....just a little, but...but she'll figure things out, and she's not alone, not really. Esme will be a sister through marriage, and she pretty much adopted me as a sister almost right after we met....except for that whole Drago awkwardness bit....but...but if they had ended up together she would have been my sister for realsies. Phila....well, we really didn't get along. Actually, she was always snarky and selfish, and I could never stand her, and you saw the mess I made when we ran into....I don't even know what to call her. My replacement....my other sister? Anyways, it hardly matters now after all the horrible things I said to her....."
Starting to feel a little emotional, Arista looks away and wipes her eyes before looking back up at her husband with a miserable expression on her face, "I'm sorry...I just...I just wanted my family back. I just hope Sadhana remembers to give her that letter. I won't blame her if she doesn't forgive me after how I acted. Seeing her was a shock, and then finding out about my parents like that....I guess I just didn't react well. Then....finding out about my parents made me miss Theon even more....I'm just really really sorry if I made you feel bad. I didn't mean to." Arista wraps her arms around her husband, and lays her head on his shoulder as she starts to cry.
"It's alright," Alethiro says. "I'm just glad you're unburdening yourself."
She shrugs while sniffling, "For all thed good that does." Arista looks up ikn time to see Hjorr and Magnus arriving at the park. She smiles a little as she sees Celine run to her friend.
"I think Celine can sense the stress you are under," Alethiro says. "So, yes, unburdening yourself once in a while does help."
Arista sighs and sniffles a little, "I'm sorry...I guess I wasn't thinking about it like that. I just...I don't know honey. I don't know why I bottle stuff up all the time. I guess I just don't always know how to talk about stuff." With her head on his shoulder, Arista watches as Hjorr and Celine take turns throwing the ball for Honey.
"I think I am too, but I am also very nervous," Elena says, smiling at Kama. "I just hope it all goes smoothly."
"As do I beloved." Kama says returning the smile.
Alethiro silently supports his wife as they wait for Celine to either tire herself out or become hungry enough to stop playing.
"We better get ourselves put together, Elena says, giving Kama a quick kiss.
After a few more moments of play, Magnus and his son head off and Celine and the puppy wander over. Both Celine and the pup look worn out, "Mommy...I hungry now. Can I have a sammich? Honey need food too."
Arista nods, "Of course sweetheart, let's go back to the house." Giving her husband a soft kiss, Arista pushes herself up off of the bench and takes Celine's hand as they start to head home.
Alethiro puts Honey back on the leash and follows Arista and Celine back to the house.
Beaming, Kāma also heads to get prepared for the wedding.
Elena heads upstairs to wash her face before getting ready for the wedding.
Arista has Celine hold her hand as they head back home. This evening was going to be Kama and Elena's wedding, so she really should try to have Celine take a nap after lunch so she wouldn't be cranky for the ceremony. As they head home, Arista looks around the town that has almost tripled in size since she first arrived at was little more than an outpost.
As soon as they walk in the house, Alethiro lets Honey off the leash. "Is there anything you need me to do to help with lunch?"
Theon walks into where Arista and the others are. "I was wondering where everyone went."