Chapter 9: Infancy is cruel, and diapers are eternal
"He's so cute!!" A pink-haired lady uttered at the peak of her vocal cords as she hauled a baby around.
'I hate this lady,' Alistair was disgruntled because, by the time he woke, a wonderful view welcomed him – until it wasn't.
What was it, you ask?
Well… his aunt!
Alistair was reminded of how annoying family dynamics can be, particularly with aunts who always struggle with respecting social boundaries.
Despite feeling frustrated, he tried to remain patient and understanding. He thought of his father's family member, Rebecca, who had many admirable qualities, although she could be a bit touchy at times.
"Please, I beg of you!" Alistair tried to speak, but the words that came out of his mouth were baby chuckles. "Let me go; I yield!"
"Do you like your aunty? Yes, you do, yes you do!" Aunty Rebecca jested as her crimson-red nose made contact with Alistair's white one.
Although Alistair looked like he was laughing, inside he seethed. His lack of power to stop the insufferable woman angered him.
Penelope, who watched the two from the sides, laughed before she said, "You sure do adore babies, Rebecca,"
Penelope looked at them with worry; worried that Rebecca might slip up while she carried Alistair. If she moved any faster, Penelope would snatch Alistair from her instantly.
"Yes, they're such little angels!" Rebecca answered with barely hidden excitement.
'I am no angel, so can I be dropped now?!' Alistair thought, but as always, no one heard him, so it added nothing to the conversation.
"They are… also as someone that's experienced in taking care of children," Penelope asked the question that gave her sleepless nights and chronic anxiety. "Do you have any advice for us; it's important!"
"Oh, well, my advice is simple, one: follow your guts; it will hold when all else fails. Two: put yourself in their shoes!" Rebecca advised as she waved a free hand in the air. "Three: every child is different. So you will learn as you go."
'Wow, that is good advice,' thought Alistair as he contemplated the words. It added points to the negative number he assigned to her.
"Ahh, I understand," Penelope said, not convinced that her guts would do anything in this scenario.
"Trust me, Penelope, when have I ever been wrong?" Rebecca said, but she saw that Penelope was about to answer the question.
She felt the answer was contradictory to hers. "Don't answer that," she said.
Penelope swallowed the words that almost came out.
"But I am right this time, trust me!" Rebecca said sheepishly with a grin. Thus, Penelope didn't delve into it, only massaging her forehead at the antics of her in-law.
"Also, where is Revan?" asked Rebecca, she did not see her older brother around. She was annoyed that the man did not even stay to greet her — the nerve of him.
However, Rebecca took it as time to get some stuff off her chest. "Is he still being an all-work no-play, pain in the ass!" she said.
"No, he's not, he went out to prepare the necessary arrangements and plan out certain stuff," Penelope answered. "Plus, he even rejected the offer to Axiest; he's really serious about this, and I sometimes feel like I am not doing as much as he is… You know!"
Rebecca rolled her eyes at what Penelope said, "You're so naive... someone like Revan can't change," Rebecca said,
Her tone reeked of disdain for her older sibling. "There was this birthday I once had, and that brother of mine called REVAN, rejected the invitation so rudely. Let me show you how he said it."
Rebecca cleared her throat, " 'Your 'special day' is not as important as innocent lives, so sister, please do not expect me to leave my post to accompany you, thank you. "
Rebecca imitated with a deep voice that sounded similar to Revan's, but the imitation looked nothing like him. But Penelope knew what he was like in the past, so she did not doubt Rebecca.
"Rebecca, I trust my husband," said Penelope while looking into Rebecca's eyes. "I know he won't go behind my back, and neither is he one to go back on his words.
"Well, if you say so," Rebecca said before she squeezed her face and rolled her eyes, but she had no reason to keep on, even if she expected the worst
She put down the enraged Alistair back into the crib. Thus, Alistair thanked any higher entity in this world; if they existed that is.
"I don't know why, but I have the striking urge he will be an Etherist," said Rebecca as she tilted her head while looking at Alistair.
"Etherist?" Alistair's brows raised as he heard the unfamiliar word. "What is that?"
"I thought you would say the opposite," Penelope walked around while she put the room in order, even if it already was. "Especially, since his father chose that, the opposite I mean!"
"Yes, but his eyes are different," Rebecca scrutinized Alistair, then looked at Penelope. "Like those mad men at the citadel."
"Did you just compare my child to mad people?" Penelope paused as she looked at her friend and in-law in shock and annoyance."I think you have long overstayed your welcome."
"YES!" Alistair thought as he knew what would soon come. "Wait, at least let her explain what she means by Etherist!"
"Wait, no, I'm sorry," Rebecca defended herself as Penelope led her through the door, and Rebecca's white gown dragged across the ground. "I meant the overly enthusiastic set of special individuals at the citadel."
However, her 'correction' only made Penelope send her out faster, and they walked down the halls.
"Ok, now I hear it, it sounds worse than it is, but can you tell Revan I stopped by?" Rebecca said as they came down the stairs, feeling delighted she didn't wear heels, or she would have fallen by now.
"Yes, I will!" Penelope agreed as they neared the door. Rebecca got out and said, "Tell Alistair not to forget his favorite aunty!"
"I will!"
Penelope closed the door on her.
On Alistair's side, he was thinking. 'What could she mean by Etherist,' Alistair pondered.
He had racked his brain to connect the lines and the words she emphasized. 'Etherist, mad men, Citadel… is it something related to magic, is it… magic!'
"Son, don't mind your Aunty. You are not mad in any way; you are a healthy and sane boy, sweety," Penelope said whilst opening the door. She wasn't superstitious or anything, but she believed that babies had some form of understanding of words— if only she knew how right she was.
'Penelope, I worked a 24/7 office job… willingly,' Alistair thought with disgust. "I know I am mad; your logic fails you!"
As Alistair mocked his family from the depths of his mind, a strange scene occurred.
"Oh, what's that smell?" Penelope said, and Alistair's eyes widened, he knew where the smell came from, and he wasn't pleased in the slightest bit!
'Penelope, don't do this! It will be bad for both of us!' Alistair begged internally, but Penelope had to complete her job as a mother, and Alistair as a defenseless child, so as the scene zoomed out of the house. Alistair mentally screamed.
'ARRHHHH!'
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