Board Thread:Roleplay/@comment-28530195-20161023045437/@comment-28358106-20161027021400

It's long after the girls have gone to bed. Regina and I get ready ourselves, mostly in silence. I sot down on the bed and she turns and looks at me. We say nothing for several moments.

"Thomas, those girls..."

I nod "Yes, yes, I know.  Believe me, I know. I -"

There is a soft knock at the door. After a moment, Aegis pokes her head in.

"...Daddy?" She whimpers. Tears are on her face.

We both look up. I stand. "What, hon?  What's wrong?  What happened?  Are you all right?"



She comes in and walks over and buries her head into Regina's nightgown. Regina holds her, confused. "What is it, sweetheart?  Tell us what's wrong!"

She pulls back and looks up at Regina. When she's upset like this, it reminds me just how young she really is. Her voice is shaky as she talks, and the words come in a stream. She sobs quietly.

"I...I couldn't sleep.  Those girls, Mommy, they...they've never been in a bed before!  They were so hungry...did you see how they ate?  And...and they just...just curl up on the floor, like they've never known anything else...they don't have any parents..."

Reina strokes her head. "Shhhhh, it's all right, sweetheart.  They're staying with us.  It'll be all right."

"But only for a few days!  And then they gotta go back out there, and nobody will like 'em, like they said, and they gotta go hungry again...and...and..."

Regina looks up at me. I step forward and gently pull Aegis back and look at her.

"Hon, listen.  I know we've talked about opening our home as a foster home.  And after a day or two, I'm going to ask them if they want to stay here.  But I can't make them.  If there is something they're looking for, I can't keep them from it.  But I'll open our home to them.  Just don't say anything to them about it yet, or you might make them nervous.  Okay?"

Aegis wipes her eyes with her wing and nods. We both hug her goodnight and she leaves, but stops at the door.

"Promise? "

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"We promise."

<p style="font-weight:normal;">After she leaves, I sigh and sit down on the bed. Regina sits beside me and puts her head on my shoulder while pulling me close.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"Your heart is too big, babycakes."

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"No, it's not big enough.  I just hope we can manage it.  That's six daughters and five foster kids."

<p style="font-weight:normal;">She kisses me on the ear. "Do you know how amazing you are?" She smiles.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">"I'm already convinced, you know.  But feel free to continue." I smile back as I reach over amd turn out the light.