Six months apart (6)

After sitting next to Lavinia and holding her hand, Alexander and I decide to have dinner, all three of us together.

I'm looking forward to showing him how our daughter learned to use the spoon. We have a smaller one especially for her, and with three years of age, she's old enough to feed herself.

In the beginning, most of the soup would end up on the table, but little by little, she improved. I ordered the maids not to run around her in a hurry to clean everything and just let her have her meal in peace.

I wanted to order a set of forks as well, in case she'll one day need to use it. Here, her little fingers are more than enough to feed. But not the whole world has the same customs as Ethiro.

However, it's too soon to use pointy objects. I'll teach Lavinia in a few years.

As we sit down, Lavinia and Alexander exchange a few glances as if communicating through their mind.

«What's up?» I murmur while crossing my arms. I know they're planning something, and I won't be able to stop them regardless.

«Vinnie is too little to feed herself,» Alexander comments.

Instead of complaining, my daughter nods her head in agreement. She stretches her arms to Alexander, and he picks her up in his lap.

«Your daddy will help you.»

Oh, goodness. Does he think we didn't make any progress while he was away? For real?

Someone worked really hard in the hope to impress him.

«Lavinia, do you want your spoon?» I ask her, leaning back on the chair.

She nods again, remembering at the last moment she can't talk with gestures.

«Yes, I do, mother.»

Better.

I wave to the maids, and her special tableware is set next to them.

«I thought you wanted to show your father how much you grew up while he was away,» I continue. «Are you sure you want him to feed you?»

She purses her lips and stares at the bowl with soup as if it was the source of all her problems. Then, she takes the spoon and starts eating on her own.

I smile, proud, while Alexander observes with curiosity. She didn't move away from his lap, so there's no need to pretend to be more childish than she actually is.

My husband uses a napkin to clean Lavinia's chin, and the little one turns to him to help him. She's not frightened when he's the one interfering with her tasks, so I don't worry she'll forget how to eat.

If I did something like that, she would, most probably, start crying and act as if she made some mistake, hiding her eyes in shame and with her fingers trembling in some kind of fear.

It's not like I would scold her for that, by the way. I don't know why she reacts like that.

I reduced my interference to the minimum after the first couple of crises. Now, I leave my daughter free to make her mistakes and find a way to solve them.

Since she's growing up pretty well, I guess my method is working.

Yet, if Alexander is the one interfering, she doesn't mind. She's even happy he takes care of her like a baby! She scolded her maids once because they were cuddling her too much. She said she was old enough to do anything on her own.

Still, with her daddy, she's never old enough. And she doesn't fear acting spoiled even in front of me if he's nearby.

Lavinia drinks a few spoons of soup, and then she turns to check whether Alexander is looking. Since he doesn't move his eyes away, she returns eating, satisfied. Only to check again later.

It's funny, but I don't dare to chuckle. I don't want them to glare at me in synchrony. It's better if they focus on each other like this, for their expressions are so relaxed and content.

«You learned how to eat perfectly!» Alexander exclaims when the bowl is over. He didn't even eat his own. «You're ready to teach your little brother how to do it!»

«Vinnie doesn't have a little brother.»

«Not yet, but I'm working on a way to make your mother want one.»

«Oh...» she sighs.

She won't want a brother. This jealous little ball already is discontent about sharing her daddy with me. If there was another one to ask for his attention, oh... She wouldn't be happy about that.

«What do you think about a little brother, Vinnie?»

«I would prefer a sister. I can comb a sister's hair as Kate does with me.»

«Oh, that's right,» Alexander affirms. «A little sister would be perfect as well. But then again, we can't really choose whether it'll be a sister or a brother.»

«Daddy can't choose?»

«No, I can't.»

Lavinia turns to me, her eyes watery and her expression convincing. At least in her imagination. She's cuter when she doesn't know she's being funny.

«Mother, can you make me a sister? I want... ehm...»

She still struggles with formal language, and it's too soon to have a teacher for etiquette. The maids and Kate are doing enough for now. And I also have enough time to teach her something by myself.

I will do so with all the children. I'll teach them something so that they remember me for their whole lives.

«I would like to have a sister, mother.»

«What about both?» I offer, raising my brows.

If her mighty daddy can't ensure it, why does she think I have any chance?

«Oh, Vinnie likes to have a brother as well,» she then realises. «I can comb his hair too, right?»

«Why not?» Alexander shrugs.

After all, she already combed her daddy's hair quite a few times.

My child becomes smarter and more cunning every day that passes. I can tell she will soon be able to swindle me, not just her caretakers and her dear father.

«You will love your sibling, won't you?» Alexander continues.

Lavinia shrugs, unable to answer such a difficult question.