Zarek and Elianda meet Bielo and Laura after kids birth (Confinement writing)
This is a short story to help me build my characters profiles. I tend to do this when I want to know how a character might react for example. As I am writing my first book, 'A deck of cards', I've been thinking about Zarek's first meeting with Anissa. I've changed it a couple of times until this version, which I feel fits the best. In this short story, Zarek and Elianda are with baby William and go over to Bielo's house to see the two new babies in the family.
Zarek holds Elianda's hand protectively in his, his other arm casually on his knife handle. Elianda carries their son on her back, the strapping made especially for such endeavours. Elianda laughed at him when he saw the thing. His face must has shown his distrust. His animal side was not reassured either. His son, however, oblivious to the tense moment, fell asleep against the warmth of his mother's body.
They walk past the fence of Bielo's house when they hear it: the cries of two babies crying in the otherwise silent day. He knows that Bielo's wife is not handling things too well, and who could blame her?
He looks down at his wife, love shining in his eyes.
I am so lucky to have her.
The thought isn't new. He knows that he will feel this way in two day or two decades. She is his everything. Going up the few steps of the front porch, Zarek is about to knock when Bielo opens the door, bare chested and knife in hand.
'Who is...? Oh, it's you! Come on in, come in. Elianda, how are you?'
Bielo puts the knife away and leans in to give Elianda a hug when his eyes catch sight of the little bundle.
'Oh!' He moves his hand forward when a voice shouts from beyond the corridor.
'Bielo? What are you doing?!? Come an' give me a hand! Quickly!'
Zarek's best friend jumps back and runs off to his room, where his wife is currently looking after the two babies they now have.
'Can I...' Zarek asks after him, still holding his wife's hand.
Bielo stops and turns around, eyes wide.
'Let me... Let me make sure she's decent...' he stutters.
Bielo disappears behind the door, leaving Zarek and Elianda in the corridor before the two bedrooms.
Elianda looks over and Zarek knows what she is thinking. She doesn't approve of Bielo's wife, feels very protective of him. Because Bielo matters to Zarek and Zarek is hers. As much as she is his. Now Zarek shakes his head once: not here and definitely not now. Her lips purse in that way she has when she wants to argue.
The door opens to Bielo's form holding a little baby in his arms and a goofy smile on his face. His wife, Laura, walks out behind him with another baby cradled against her chest. Her hair is messy and it looks like she has not had a minute to herself since the boy's birth last week.
Zarek frowns, wondering what he is missing. Everyone sits down in the living room, Elianda with their son leaning back against her belly now, her arms protectively around him as the boy looks around quietly. Just a few weeks old, William is very curious already. Zarek looks at Bielo, currently holding a little girl that he named Anissa.
'Can I hold her?'Zarek asks with a fond smile.
Bielo smiles and stands up, already peeling her off his chest. Angry little fist moves quickly while an angry shout leaves Anissa's tiny mouth. Laura stands up quickly, whispering something under her breath as she rushes out of the room, her hand cupping her son's ears protectively. Meanwhile, the little girls screams stop as soon as Zarek settles her against him. His animal hums softly inside. Elianda and William both look at them, in awe.
Bielo settles his back against the seat, with a heavy sigh.
'I'm sorry,' Bielo says, closing his eyes. 'Laura's worried that Axel will wake up and she just managed to put him to sleep. She's not sleeping much, what with feeding and looking after them both non stop.'
Elianda smiles kindly.
'It's okay Bielo, we understand. If you guys want some time off, drop them over, okay?'
'You'd do that?'
'Of course. It's no bother. Already, look at how comfortable your daughter is.'
Zarek looks down at the little fists holding his chest hair and kneading his skin. William does the same thing, he thinks to himself. Zarek smiles.
'It's no bother. We'll look after her as if she was our own. Axel too.'
Bielo tries to hide his wince before he says:
'We'll see. I'll let you know, but thank you.'
Zarek looks down at the small baby against him, feeling the joy of family and friendship inside him. This is what matters. This is what happiness is: the people that matter to him, in the same room and caring for each other. Family.
They walk past the fence of Bielo's house when they hear it: the cries of two babies crying in the otherwise silent day. He knows that Bielo's wife is not handling things too well, and who could blame her?
He looks down at his wife, love shining in his eyes.
I am so lucky to have her.
The thought isn't new. He knows that he will feel this way in two day or two decades. She is his everything. Going up the few steps of the front porch, Zarek is about to knock when Bielo opens the door, bare chested and knife in hand.
'Who is...? Oh, it's you! Come on in, come in. Elianda, how are you?'
Bielo puts the knife away and leans in to give Elianda a hug when his eyes catch sight of the little bundle.
'Oh!' He moves his hand forward when a voice shouts from beyond the corridor.
'Bielo? What are you doing?!? Come an' give me a hand! Quickly!'
Zarek's best friend jumps back and runs off to his room, where his wife is currently looking after the two babies they now have.
'Can I...' Zarek asks after him, still holding his wife's hand.
Bielo stops and turns around, eyes wide.
'Let me... Let me make sure she's decent...' he stutters.
Bielo disappears behind the door, leaving Zarek and Elianda in the corridor before the two bedrooms.
Elianda looks over and Zarek knows what she is thinking. She doesn't approve of Bielo's wife, feels very protective of him. Because Bielo matters to Zarek and Zarek is hers. As much as she is his. Now Zarek shakes his head once: not here and definitely not now. Her lips purse in that way she has when she wants to argue.
The door opens to Bielo's form holding a little baby in his arms and a goofy smile on his face. His wife, Laura, walks out behind him with another baby cradled against her chest. Her hair is messy and it looks like she has not had a minute to herself since the boy's birth last week.
Zarek frowns, wondering what he is missing. Everyone sits down in the living room, Elianda with their son leaning back against her belly now, her arms protectively around him as the boy looks around quietly. Just a few weeks old, William is very curious already. Zarek looks at Bielo, currently holding a little girl that he named Anissa.
'Can I hold her?'Zarek asks with a fond smile.
Bielo smiles and stands up, already peeling her off his chest. Angry little fist moves quickly while an angry shout leaves Anissa's tiny mouth. Laura stands up quickly, whispering something under her breath as she rushes out of the room, her hand cupping her son's ears protectively. Meanwhile, the little girls screams stop as soon as Zarek settles her against him. His animal hums softly inside. Elianda and William both look at them, in awe.
Bielo settles his back against the seat, with a heavy sigh.
'I'm sorry,' Bielo says, closing his eyes. 'Laura's worried that Axel will wake up and she just managed to put him to sleep. She's not sleeping much, what with feeding and looking after them both non stop.'
Elianda smiles kindly.
'It's okay Bielo, we understand. If you guys want some time off, drop them over, okay?'
'You'd do that?'
'Of course. It's no bother. Already, look at how comfortable your daughter is.'
Zarek looks down at the little fists holding his chest hair and kneading his skin. William does the same thing, he thinks to himself. Zarek smiles.
'It's no bother. We'll look after her as if she was our own. Axel too.'
Bielo tries to hide his wince before he says:
'We'll see. I'll let you know, but thank you.'
Zarek looks down at the small baby against him, feeling the joy of family and friendship inside him. This is what matters. This is what happiness is: the people that matter to him, in the same room and caring for each other. Family.
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