Chapter 39 - Trouble With Cael

Cael was a handful, to be honest. 

"Hey! Get down, get down!" I screamed as a naked and wet Cael charged at me. "Eek! Faustine-"

"Cael," Faustine said sternly. "How bad can you be? Sit down so Ashli could pour water over you or you'll get soap in your eyes."

Cael refused to sit still and ran around the little bathroom with his toy-horse, splashing me and Faustine in the process. At this point I was so drenched already, I started to not care. I let the water splashes hit my face helplessly as Cael laughed and Faustine shrieked. 

"Cael Lionel Dryden," Faustine said as she stood up off the bathroom floor. "Enough is enough. You've been giving me so much trouble since yesterday, God knows why. Give me that god-forsaken toy. Now."

Cael stopped in his tracks. "But why momma?" He pouted. "I'm not gonna give you my horse."

She gave him the stink-eye which frightened even me. "Cael!"

Reluctantly, Cael handed her his beloved toy and flopped down on the floor next to me. For a moment, I just sat there, tight-lipped, not knowing what to do, then I realized it'd be best if we could get this all over with quickly so I started pouring the cups of water on Cael's head, afraid that he'll object again. 

He didn't say anything as we got done with his bath and Faustine wrapped him up in a towel.

"There!" she said, after he had been fully dressed. "Look how quickly the bath got over with once you settled down Here," she thrusted a hand towards him, "you can have your horse back now."

His face suddenly broke out in a huge grin and he grabbed his toy and went into the living room to play again. 

"He's a simple kid," I said, chuckling. 

"Isn't he," Faustine laughed as well but when her eyes turned to me, her little gasp made me look her way. "Love, you're drenched! And so am I. Do you have any spare clothes?"

I shook my head.

"Not to worry," she said reassuringly. "I'll lend you a dress of mine in the meantime. I'll ask Reynard to go get your garments from your home once he returns."

I followed Faustine into her room. It was the first time I was stepping through the little door next to mine. Her room was identical to the one I was assigned, though slightly larger. Against the main wall was a fairly large double bed which was neatly made, along with a bedside table on one side. There was a window similar to mine and a lean wooden cupboard with brass handles. There was a rectangular worn out carpet on the floor and a few scraps of paper with kid's drawings on it. It felt like a very homely room.

Faustine walked over the carpet towards the cupboard and opened it with a flourish. Displayed inside were a few dresses, some in good condition and some sad ones with patches and threads coming out. Faustine hummed as she fingered the dresses and picked out a long, puffy sleeved brown dress with a very large waist. 

"This'll do," she said as she handed me the dress. "Is it long enough?"

"Um..." It was long enough according to Faustine as she was a bit on the short side, but it only stretched out to the middle of my legs. It was a bit inappropriate for me if we took the standards of this day and age in to account, but it's no comparison to the flashy attires of the 21st century. Martha would most certainly faint if she saw them. The mere thought made me chuckle.

"Why are you laughing, love?" Faustine said as she smiled, confused. 

"Oh, no matter," I said, quickly composing myself. "The dress is fine, Faustine, though it's a tad bit on the shorter side."

Her expression became worried.

"Though that won't be much of a problem!" I said quickly. "Do you have any long pants?"

She tilted her head in confusion. "Are you proposing that you wear gents' pants?"

"Can I not?"

She glanced at me worriedly. "That isn't exceptional behavior from a lovely lady like yourself..."   

"Never said I was a lady," I pointed out, smiling.

She gave me a disapproving look but then started laughing. "Sure, I like that. Let's get you fitted in a pair of Lennard's old pants, because that's all we can manage right now."

I cringed but nonetheless I still waited for her to fetch them from where they were stored. Soon she hobbled back in with a pair of folded grey pants with checkered patches on the knees. 

I slipped them on along with the dress, making sure the bonnet remained unmoved.

"There," Faustine said when I had changed into the dry garments. "You look a comic!"

"Haha," I chuckled lamely, peering down at myself. Zoie's felt shoes had already worn out and when Faustine noticed, she opened her cupboard again and brandished a couple of leather peep-toe flats.

"Here, slip these on," she said as she handed me the pair. 

I did so and finally sighed with relief to no longer be wearing dripping clothes.

"Mind taking off your bonnet?" Faustine said suddenly, pointing onwards my head. "That's quite wet too. Give it here so I could dry everything off for you."

"Um...no thank you!" I said, inching backwards. "I'd prefer keeping it on."

I knew that Faustine wanted to ask further questions but she shrugged and left through the door of her room after telling me that I should rest for a bit.

Sighing, I went to my assigned room and after I had made sure the door was tightly shut, I took off the hat and let my slightly wet hair free. It felt so much better now that the heavy weight had been let down. 

I went up to the window and opened it so that some natural air could be let in. I hung the limp bonnet on the sill and settled back in Lennard's crinkling pants. I noticed that my skin was showing through the several holes along the poorly sewn patches. I unconsciously poked my knee through the tiny holes while I waited for the bonnet to dry.

I must've not heard the door open when it did, but I felt someone pat my leg a moment later. Startled, I turned around and panicked when I saw Cael standing there accompanied by his toy horse.

"Woah..." he mumbled as his eyes swept over my hair. 

"Cael-" The word choked on me.

He gaped at me in all my glory, my hair sweeping back and forth because of the oncoming spells of wind.

"You've got unicorn hair..." he muttered after a while. "Shiny. Like a unicorn."

"Ah, yes about that," I said desperately, thinking about unsuspicious excuses. "This isn't my real hair. It's fake. Yeah, that's right, it's all fake."

"It doesn't look fake."

"But it is!" I said as I crouched in front of him. "Cael, listen to me. You mustn't ever tell anyone about my hair, okay? You mustn't."

He tilted his head innocently, his large eyes glistening. "But why?"

"It's a surprise!" I said, my eyes darting towards the door. "It's a surprise for Reynard. You know Reynard, right? It's a surprise for him. He loves this color so I got my hair colored like this to surprise him. So don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Or else it'll ruin the surprise?"

I sighed with relief. "Yes! Exactly. So you must keep it a secret."

"What do I get?" he asked suddenly.

I flinched. "What?"

"What do I get for keeping your secret?"

Somewhere, I felt a nerve popping. Was this kid seriously bargaining with me? 

"What do you want?"

He looked left and right before leaning in close and whispering, "TWO horse toys."

"Deal."

He gave me a small thumbs up with his tiny, chubby hand and silently escaped through the door.

I flopped back on the bed with a thumping heart, the sweat on my face making my hair stick to my face. I put a hand over my heart to calm it down while I nervously kept an eye on the door.

Good God…

"That could've gone very wrong," I mumbled.

I was starting to calm down when the door opened again.