Brithingday Picnic Surprise

Writers: Rochelle
Date Posted: 31st January 2008

Characters: Eleada
Description: Eleada's family decides to surprise her with a picnic on her birthday.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 8, day 17 of Turn 4

Eleada had just climbed out of her bathing pool and was reaching for the towel when she heard the knocking on the door to her weyr. Shards! She must have miscalculated...

"Just a moment!" She called, wrapping the towel around her hair and snatching up her clothes. She wiggled into them and gave her hair a half hearted rub with the towel before raking her fingers through to straighten out the curls. Her mother would fry her if she knew she'd fallen asleep in the bathing pool when she was supposed to be getting ready for her son's visit.

She hopped on each foot while she put on the slippers she'd chosen to go with the nice trousers and shirt. It was her birthingday, so of course her mother had insisted she have her sons when she finished with drills. That way, her mother had said practically, she could see them in the day before their bedtime, and then have the evening free to do as she liked, with who she liked. Eleada had a different outfit laid out for the evening, but knew better than to wear a nice dress when chasing twin eight turn olds.

The knocking came again as she was crossing the floor. "Coming! Just a second!"

She reached the door, and as soon as she turned the handle, felt it be pushed farther open and something slipping past her legs. She blinked at the crowd outside the door, and looked down to see her youngest nephew clinging to her leg, to her son's annoyance.

"Surprise!" The kids said in ragged chorus, and she saw her brother C'radan and his weyrmate looking sheepish in the back of the crowd.

"Happy Birthingday mommy!" Eleadan chirped, not to be outdone. SHe saw that his twin Eleaxol was holding something, and trying to half hide it behind her mother.

"Oh, uh. Wow!" She said after a moment, smiling her appreciation. "I didn't expect a party! Come in!"

She backed up a few steps, dragging her nephew along until her brother leaned down and scooped him up. "Sorry." He apologized quietly as his kids streamed past. "It was Nesily's idea to do a party."

"It wasn't just Nesily's idea." Her mother Dyrada cut across the conversation, eyeing her daughter critically as she set a large basket on the table. "It was a joint effort. The boys wanted to do something special for you, and decided on a picnic. Go finish drying your hair or you'll freeze /between/."

"A picnic?" She asked in surprise, hugging Adaric when he stopped in front of her. "I love picnics." She said warmly, watching her son's face brighten at the confirmation that the idea had been a good one. "Where are we going?"

"Ah, now that is a secret." C'radan admitted, looking amused when Eleada's three boys and a few of his children suddenly looked panicked. Eleada had to struggle not to giggle at the expressions on their faces. "Nesily and I know a spot, and we decided to make it a family outing. Happy birthingday."

"Thanks." She said, watching as Nesily started chasing one of her nieces out from under the couch. Three of C'radan's kids had corned Arieoss, and the feline was hissing warningly at them. "I..."

"You'd better dry your hair while you still have a chance." Her mother interrupted. "I know you have plans tonight, but we have plans now. So get dry, and then we'll do the gifts, and _then_ we'll take you on a picnic."

Eleada laughed, and slipped back into the bathing room, where she'd dropped her towel. It wasn't a totally unexpected surprise, but it was certainly a welcome one!

Last updated on the February 2nd 2008

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Brithingday Picnic Surprise