Chapter Text
Growing Up, Again
The familiar sounds of shuffling feet reached his ears and he looked up to the see their three children filing into the room, Alex looming over his petite sisters thanks to his recent growth spurt. He frowned when he realized that the three of them were unnaturally quiet; they never stopped talking unless they were upset. Then he noticed the way Alex refused to look at either girl, and a familiar scent in the air, and hid his smile as they all sat down, awkwardly staring at their hands.
The room was silent for a few minutes, just the cheerful noises of Nathaniel’s cooking covering the strange quiet, until he heard their bedroom door open and called out. “Anita.”
A moment later she appeared, still holding a towel to the ends of her wet hair, and looked at him quizzically. “I think you need to take the girls to the store today,” he stated with a gentle grin.
Anita looked confused until she saw the girls’ blushes, and noticed the same coppery scent he had. “Oh, right. We’ll make a day of it; maybe hit the bookstore, and that boutique you love so much?” she said questioningly, a hint of laughter in her voice, and both girls nodded, still blushing.
“Damn the Granolith, no one should have to go through puberty twice,” Liz muttered under her breath, earning a puzzled glance from all three adults in the room, but Tess just nodded fervently, a look of disgust twisting her delicate features.
“Three times for me.”
Liz shuddered and squeezed her arm commiseratingly before reaching for the carafe of orange juice on the table and pouring a glass for all three of them.
Anita exchanged a concerned and slightly bemused look with Micah, both of them wondering what a Granolith was, before she turned and headed back towards the bedroom, a light grin still teasing at her lips. At least the house had been empty; she could only imagine the reaction of the girls if the whole pard had been present.