Restless (Maddie)

[Arden Patricks]

There are only so many minutes you can spend hanging around at your house and staring at a baby, I’ve decided. I doubt this is a terribly profound realization, but its effect certainly has been.

I don’t think I’ve been to this house in about a year, though I was around often enough before that and I’ve seen both Ian and Maddie and their small giggle of kids on occasion. But I haven’t been to their house, and I’m not sure why. Possibly because I haven’t really liked to deliberately ruin into Ian for a while.

But today I’ve been taking care of Melody yet again, and all she really does is lie there and occasionally crawl or roll over or chew on things, and I can’t settle down to anything but can’t just go for a brisk walk either like I usually do when I’m restless… so instead I’m dropping by, unannounced, at a friend’s house. Luckily I’ve long since gotten over my old paralyzing conviction that I’m bothering people.

Or mostly gotten over, anyway. I take a deep breath, glancing down at Melody as I knock on the door a second time.

[Madeline Speare]

Alone time was something Maddie was not use to. Most of the time she would have her children, Ian or even one of her cousins with her. She wasn't use to being on her own, yes it was relaxing but at the same time it was unnerving.
She was just now beginning to realize that the house was too big, even for the five of them, and whoever else in the family who would occasionally spend the night.

She had been wandering around the house for some time now and she was already bored, so once she heard the door she jumped at the chance of speaking to someone else.
Pulling open the door, she grins slightly, blowing her bangs from her hair,"Hiya stranger,"

[Arden Patricks]

"Hey." I grin slightly, hoisting Melody up again as she blinks quietly at Maddie, and looking up into the house. "It's very quiet in there... should I be worried?"

[Madeline Speare]

"You should," Maddie nods seriously, closing the door behind both of them after ushering them inside."I'm freaking out as it is," She grins weakly,"Seems it's ditch-mum day."

[Arden Patricks]

"Ah." I laugh slightly. "And I've got the opposite. I do hope you know where they've all gone though."

[Madeline Speare]

Maddie grinned weakly,"Course I know."
It was a full lie, she knew where Ian and Abby were, it was Alex and Poppy that she had no clue where they had run off to.

[Arden Patricks]

I raise my eyebrows, not sure I believe that based on her less-than-confident smile, but shrug it off. "I hope you don't mind my intruding on your solitude again, but the small one here isn't very good company and I was going mad," I explain, inclining my head down at my still-staring niece.

[Madeline Speare]

"No, don't mind at all. You saved me actually," She nods seriously, jamming her hands into her pockets."I was about to start talking to myself, and I'd rather not get dragged off to the loony bin,"

[Arden Patricks]

"I'd rather you didn't either." I laugh slightly. "Because then there's no hope for the rest of us. So it seems a win-win situation all around, really. Except for yourself, if she had something interesting to say."

[Madeline Speare]

I grin weakly,"She doesn't talk yet?" I ask raising an eyebrow. "What's her name?"

[Arden Patricks]

I shake my head, mildly confused for a minute before realizing that's my fault because I was confusing in the first place. And there's nothing to argue about in her statement anyway, so I just smile down at my niece, turning her slightly to stare with that slightly worried look at Maddie rather than the wall.
"Melody Anne Patricks, and she's only ten months old, so... not too surprising she doesn't speak yet, is it?" I ask, frowning slightly. If so, my other niece is definitely abnormal.

[Madeline Speare]

I grin, recalling when Alex and Abby were that small. "Melody, pretty name," I say, gently pushing my hair back off my forehead"She's lovely, ah, she's at that age. The age where they don't talk and are sweet and innocent," I laugh.

[Arden Patricks]

"She's very lovely," I agree, nodding, then laughing slightly. "And sweet and innocent. Makes me wonder even more who her mother is, all things considered. Unless it's all my influence." I glance around then, trying to determine how strange it would be if I just sat down on the floor. A year ago I don't think I would have had a problem with it, but it has been a while since I was here.

[Madeline Speare]

I laugh softly, heading into the living room and plopping down on the floor. It was just a habit I had grown use to. Alex, Poppy and Abby could never sit still so making them sit on the couch was nearly impossible. "When she starts talking is when your going to regret having her around," I say, jokingly of course."But her first word will be the best," I grin,"Hope you get to hear it before her mum does."

[Arden Patricks]

"That won't be difficult," I say, shaking my head and sinking down cross-legged on the floor, setting Melody in my lap so she can face outward. "Whoever her mum is wants nothing to do with her, apparently, which is why she's always at my place." I lean down to brush my lips softly across the dark fuzz on top of her head, hating to say anything about her abandonment in her hearing without a gesture of the sort, even though she can't understand me yet.

[Madeline Speare]

"Oh," I murmur softly, her words finally sinking in."I'm sorry,"
I don't know how a parent can just abandon their own child, but I'm really not one to talk. Hell, I left Fin in Paris when he was three days old. "At least she's got someone looking out for her,"

[Arden Patricks]

"Yeah, there's that." I smile slightly. Even if her mother doesn't want her, and Fitzy doesn't seem to want her either, at least she's got me. Seeing as I've always wanted a child and all....
I shake my head, shrugging slightly. "So anyway... how are your lot, other than abandoning you today?"

[Madeline Speare]

Pushing my hair back off my forehead, I grin weakly,"They're alright as far as my children go," I grin wryly."Poppy's been blowing things up and sneaking out thinking we don't know, Alex is still being bitter towards Ian and blowing things up by stealing someone's wand, Abby's mute when she's around either me or Ian and likes jamming bugs in her mouth,"

[Arden Patricks]

"Sounds about right then," I nod, smiling slightly even though some of it's not that great. "I ran into Ian and Abby the other day, and she seemed to get along pretty well with my other niece even though neither of them said a word."

[Madeline Speare]

I smile,"That's my baby for you, won't say a word but she can make friends real easy,"

[Arden Patricks]

I laugh slightly. "We actually discussed the possibility they were speaking telepathically...."

[Madeline Speare]

"Hadn't thought about that before," I grin, moving into a better sitting position. "Well, maybe Claire's one,"

[Arden Patricks]

"Well, it wasn't entirely a serious suggestion," I shrug, letting Melody grab onto my fingers with the opposite hands. "But maybe. I mean, how do a pair of toddlers not get completely bored just looking at each other silently?"

[Madeline Speare]

"There's a good chance," I nod, absently tugging on a loose thread on the carpet."I mean, it could have been passed down."

[Arden Patricks]

"True...." I shrug. "But unless she starts mentioning reading your mind...."

[Madeline Speare]

"Then nevermind," I laugh,"I hope Abby just isn't mute, or a reader."

[Arden Patricks]

"I'd agree with both of those," I nod. "Though she does talk occasionally, so she can't be mute. She introduced herself to Isobel."

[Madeline Speare]

"Yes, I was told," I nod, glancing back at the little girl in her arms, remembering that Abby use to be that small,"Heard that she said her full name too, we're still trying to figure out who taught her that,"

[Arden Patricks]

"Could've been anyone who knows it, I suppose," I shrug slightly. "Maybe she just picked it up."

[Madeline Speare]

It was probably Liam. My stomach jolts at the thought of him.
"Probably someone taught it to her," I murmur.