The rain was falling as Jonathan parked Rick�s car close to London�s docks. As soon as he stopped the car, he along with Rick, and Alex gathered the luggage, while Evelyn took Heidi to a little shop not far from where she and Rick would board their ship.
�Want dis,� Heidi said as she clutched a fluffy brown teddy bear.
Evelyn smiled and took her hand, leading her to the cash register. When she tried to take the bear, Heidi protested.
�Not to worry, I know how much that bear costs,� said the sales woman as she rang up the total for the bear, as well as the book Evelyn had purchased.
As she was finishing paying for their items, Alex came with an umbrella. �Dad says you two need to hurry,� he said as he tried to take Heidi�s hand.
�Noo momma do,� she said clutching to Evelyn�s skirts.
Once Alex had her book and her satchel, Evie knelt down and picked her baby up, holding her close. She already missed her, and they hadn�t even boarded the ship. When they reached where Jonathan and Rick were standing, people were already beginning to board the ship, and Heidi clung tightly around her momma�s neck, seeming to know something was going on.
�Give daddy a hug baby,� Evelyn said as she kissed the top of her head.
Heidi let her daddy take her, then clung to him.
�Be a good girl for your Uncle Jon and Aunt Maggie,� Rick said as he hugged her.
The rain had subsided for the moment, and after coaxing Heidi into his arms, Jonathan pointed to the ship. �Thats where your momma and daddy will be living for a day,� he said, as Heidi watched her parents walking away.
�See momma,� she said as she began to struggle in his arms.
�Why don�t we go to the sweet shop? Would you like a lollipop?� he asked as she continued to struggle.
�Noooo, MOMMA,� she yelled, leaning her head back as she began to cry.
As they started to board the ship, Evelyn heard Heidi�s screams and turned seeing Jonathan and Alex leaving with her. She started to move away from the ramp, but Rick�s strong hand on hers stopped her.
�Jonathan will take good care of both of them,� he reassured, though hearing their daughter�s sorrowful cries tore at his heart.
Once they boarded the ship, they turned to see Jonathan slipping into the car, and then walked on to find their room.
~*~
When they arrived at the house, Maggie was there, and by then Heidi had calmed down, and was clutching her teddy bear in one arm and had her lollipop in the other.
�All right Pixie, are you ready to see Auntie Maggie?� Jonathan asked as he lifted her out of the car.
�Down, bid dirl.�
Jonathan smiled as he put her down and watched as she ran to Aunt Maggie who always spoiled her. He turned to find Alex still sitting in the car. �Not to worry partner, Heidi has her occupied,� he said, knowing that Alex wasn�t fond of her.
Alex watched as Heidi pulled his great Aunt into the house, thankful that she was distracted. Once they were gone, he got out of the car. �Is it all right if I go see Megan?� he asked. When Jonathan told him yes, he took off for the woods, hoping his Aunt would be gone by the time he would have to go home.
Inside, Jonathan found Maggie and Heidi having tea, and joined them when Heidi requested for him to do so. For a couple of minutes Heidi sat with them then walked a short distance away to her rockinig horse.
�Did she put up a fuss when they left?� Maggie asked as she sipped her tea.
�Very big fuss. I don�t think she�s going to like having them away for such a long time,� Jonathan said softly, not wanting to upset her again.
�Unc Jon here,� Heidi said.
Jonathan looked up to find that her dress was caught on the back of her horse, and quickly helped her get un-caught. Once she was free, she ran over to the Piano and started to bang on the keys.
�Heidi, play gentle,� Maggie said as she walked over to the bench. She settled beside Heidi and played a tune for her, making Heidi laugh.
�More,� Heidi said as her Aunt stopped playing.
�Oh darling, I would love to play more for you, but I have to visit my friend,� she said as she stood.
�No no go.� Heidi slipped off the bench, and grabbed on to the hem of her skirt.
�Pixie, Aunt Maggie will come to see you later,� Jonathan said as he knelt down.
Heidi didn�t have a tantrum, but she did cry. Jonathan picked her up and carried her over to the bookshelf where Evelyn had put a few of her favorite stories and selected The Three Little Bears.
Once he was settled on the couch, with her snuggled in his arms, he began the story and she quieted. Heidi instantly stuck her thumb in her mouth, and with her free hand held on to the book.
~*~
On board the ship, Rick and Evelyn were on the top deck enjoying the sunny weather. Evelyn had been quiet since boarding the ship, and Rick guessed that she was worried about their baby.
�I was thinking tonight we could take a moon lit walk,� Rick said as he took her hand in his.
�Hmm?� she asked as she looked up from the book she had been reading.
�Evie, she�s going to be fine,� Rick said as he stood from the lounge chair he was sitting in, and knelt down by hers.
After setting the book down on her lap, Evelyn shut her eyes. �What if she isn�t ready for us to be away for two weeks?� Evie asked.
Rick leaned up and lightly kissed her lips. �I know this won�t be easy for her, but we will be back, and if Jonathan thinks we need to return early then we will. Now lets go back to our cabin, and see if the two of us can fit into that little bath tub,� he said as he stood, and took her hand.
Evelyn didn�t pull away, and walked with her husband, putting behind her any worries or guilt she had over leaving Heidi at home with her brother.
~*~
Night fell over London, and with it, more tears for Heidi. Jonathan had easily given her a bath, and had read her a story. However when it came time for her to lay in her crib, she pitched another fit, screaming for Evelyn, and only calmed down when Jonathan went back to her room and took her out of the crib. He tried two more times to get her in her bed once she had gone to sleep, and on the third try gave up.
Now in Evelyn and Rick�s room he lay in their bed with Heidi cuddled against his chest, finally relaxed.
�Momma go?� Heidi asked through another yawn.
�She went with your daddy for a long boat ride,� Jonathan said as he rubbed his hand over her back.
�Momma home morrow?� Heidi asked as she lifted her head from Jonathan�s chest.
Jonathan kissed her little cheeks. �Not tomorrow, but soon,� he replied.
�Go see momma,� Heidi said as she sighed and once again rested her cheek against his chest.
�Shh, go to sleep,� he said shutting his eyes. It had been a long time since he had taken care of her for any longer than a few hours, and he had a feeling that this was going to be a long two weeks.
~*~
Downstairs, Alex and Megan were finishing a game of chess, and looked up as Jonathan came down the steps without Heidi.
�Did she go to sleep in her crib?� Alex asked as they set the board up for the next player.
�In your parent�s bed. I�m not going to fight her,� he said as he walked over to an over stuffed tan chair and sat down. As the two older children walked up stairs Jonathan told them to be mindful of Heidi then he fell asleep.
�So what do you want to do?� asked Alex as he plopped down on his bed. Megan was staying with he and Uncle Jon, until her father returned from his travels in a week.
In his desk chair, Megan took a seat and picked up one of his toy soldiers. �Not sure. Do you have any new models you want to build?� she asked.
�I need to go out and find more,� he admitted as he looked around his room to find something he could do. He looked up as his door pushed open and Heidi walked in with tears streaming down her cheek. Usually he wasn�t all that fond of his sister, but he knew she missed their parents and decided to be nice to her for this one time. �Do you want me and Megs to lie with you?� he asked as he stood up.
�Momma,� she said as she let him pick her up.
Megan followed Alex to the Master Room, and after slipping off her shoes she crawled in on one side of the bed, and then turned over as Alex put Heidi in the middle of the bed. �Do you want to hear a story?� she asked.
�Sing song,� Heidi said as her eyes fluttered shut.
Megan shut her eyes knowing that Alex would probably make faces, and began to sing her the Lullaby that Evie had always sung to she and Alex, to put her to sleep. She finished two verses then lifted her head finding Alex and Heidi asleep. From the bottom of the bed she pulled the quilt over all three of them, then fell asleep herself.