Moving in... Kinda

Colouring was boring as far as Fauve was concerned. She didn’t like it at all and wanted to play with her papa. She jumped off of the chair and left the kitchen. She walked upstairs and picked up one of the kittens before walking back downstairs with the other on her heels. She pushed the door of the living room open and jumped inside, her little feet hitting the plush carpet. Fauve looked up at Eli and held the kitten up for him to take. “Papa I’m bored!” she complained. “Khaat will you play with me? Papa doesn’t like playing house.”

"Well, that's because playing house doesn't usually interest guys a whole lot. That is more of a girl thing. Let's go upstairs to my closet and play dress up. You can play in my high heels and my jewelry all you want. I bet that's something you don't get to do with Papa." Khaat laughed. She gave Eli a mischievious glance before adding, "Maybe I'll even dress up your kitties too. I bet they would like that!"

"No." Fauve shook her head. "I don't think kitties like playing dress up. I do though! Papa lets his girlfriends play dress up with me. They were very pretty but Pappy had lots, didn't you?" Fauve asked innocently, her doe eyes turning on Eli. He rolled his eyes and patted her on the head before leaving the room. "I think Papa should get a new girlfriend!" Fauve told Khaat enthusiastically. "He is awfully lonely."

"I think we'll let your papa pick his own girlfriends," Khaat said to Fauve softly, almost like it was a secret just between the two of them alone. "Come on. I'll show you the way. Unless you know it by now. Can you find my room? Do you remember?" Khaat got up and started walking towards her room. Then she had an idea. She used nonverbal magic to conjure a pretty little tea party in her room to be waiting when Fauve got there, to add to the dress up. Dress up wasn't nearly as fun as it was when you had some place to go once you got dressed up. She added some of the colorful sparkling creatures like they had at Sparks, that would be flitting around up near the ceiling in pretty colors and in all kinds of different child friendly shapes. On her way upstairs, she was thinking of how she could perhaps harness this concept as a nightlight for Abbey once she was born. It sounded like a good idea.

"Nuh-uh." Fauve shook her head. "Papa is rubbish at things like that! He makes mistakes!" she picked up the other kitten and followed Khaat upstairs. "Do you think Papa will take me to his house one day, Khaat? I want to go but he says I can't." she sighed and her bottom lip jutted out and her lips formed a pout. "Do you think it is because his mummy doesn't like me?"

"I don't know, Fauve," Khaat said, "It can't be you because she's never met you, and you're wonderful. Sometimes grownups just dont' get on together like they should. I'm betting its a grownup thing between her and your papa. We need to let them work that out for themselves. The more we muck around in someone else's stuff, the more trouble we get into, if we don't have their permission. And that comes to handling problems too. But if you want to meet someone who could be a wonderful grandma and grandpa for you, maybe your papa would let me introduce you to my mom and dad. They have a big farm with a lot of magical animals. You'd like that. And so many rooms in the house, you could explore for a week." She laughed. "Ok,here's the room. You go first," She said, stepping back, wanting Fauve to see the tea party and the beautiful sparkle-creatures up near the ceiling.

“Papa doesn’t like her. He says nasty things about her but I think he is right. Grownup thing or not, he’s my daddy and it’s my job to look after him if no one else will.” Fauve said firmly. She had an incredibly resolve for someone so young. She was serious for a moment and a smile was back on her face the next as she bounced into her bedroom. She went to her trunk and rooted around inside for a few teddies that Eli had put in there. The bears lined the edge and bottom of the trunk so there was no way that she could say she didn’t have enough toys. “Papa was talking about a girl once. To one of his friends. She goes to Hogwarts. Do you know her?” Fauve asked.

"I don't know. Maybe. Who is she?" Khaat asked. She watched Fauve drawing out teddies out of her trunk. She had to smile. The child was certainly well provided for. Eli clearly doted on her and spared no expense to make sure she had not only what she needed but pretty much anything she wanted too, within as much as he had the power to give her. "And, maybe you need a growunp to help your papa look out for himself. Actually, he is a ver strong capable person. But if you like, I'll help him whenever he needs it so that you don't have to work so hard at it. I think you're very good at taking care of your papa, but if you ever need my help, I'm here. Fair enough?"

"Amelia." Fauve said, pulling out a giant teddy bear that was bigger than her. She dropped it down onto the floor and grinned at Khaat. "I don't know what her last name is but Nachash was moaning about her, saying she was a liabi... liabili ... well, something. I don't know what she meant." Fauve put her head back in her trunk and grabbed a sketchbook. She opened it up and held it up to Khaat. "Look! It's me, see? Papa used to spend a long time drawing me. I don't know why but he said he liked it. He hasn't painted me though. Not yet. He likes the drawings more. He said that I look good in black and white. I don't understand though because I'm pink! See?" Fauve held up her arm for Khaat to see and shook her head. "Papa is silly."

Khaat looked at the sketches. They were truly amazing. And his renderings showed just how much he loved her. He had captured not only Fauve's true likeness, but her amazing spirit that made her so special. "These are beautiful, Fauve," she said softly. "You papa is very, very good at what he does. I'm sure he will paint you someday, but I can see what he likes the so very much. I do too. And as far as Amelia goes, your papa is very, very smart. If Nachash does not like her, she will tell your papa what she thinks, and probably has. Then its up to your papa to make his own choices. I know its hard, but we can't make choices for grownups. They have to make their own. Just like someday you'll have to." Khaat wasn't going to render an opinion one way or the other about Amelia. It wasn't appropriate to do that and come between father and daughter or to talk about Eli's relationships w/ his child. "Come on, I thought we were going to play dress up in my room. You don't know. There might be all kinds of surprises in there. "