#she and jason are jumping up and down excited you cannot tell me otherwise

[ssparksflyy]

if you think youre excited for the wicked movie, just know that in another world there is a hazel levesque who is ten times more excited

[hndcrm]

There is actually something that jumps in my mind. Do you remember that sauna/spa/whatever in Hokkaido? Well, what about 47 is ordered to use that place to relive some muscle tension. And what happens when it's discoverd that he can't relax without some (someones) help?

It’s still a few days before Yamazaki should be checking into Gama, and Soders cannot be killed yet, if not for the risk of resulting in increased security, then for 47’s own ego. Diana seems to enjoy it when he flaunts his skills, after all.

He’s spent the last two days wandering around the facility, following Diana’s floorplans, checking for side entrances and hidden corridors, exploring as much as possible without changing disguises; unconscious staff suddenly being found after his appearance at the hospital and before the contract’s completion would be less than ideal. With no electronic key hackers to be found, his exploration was limited to creeping into corridors after staff members and hiding in closets along his path.

He spent this morning reading up on patient case files Diana somehow managed to acquire on the balcony of his suite, the cool wind on his face. A VIP patient, Jason Portman could be a good disguise to get into the hospital quarters, coincidentally checking in on the same day as Yamazaki. Portman is planning on getting plastic surgery to liken himself to a certain German high fashion model - the opportunity almost too perfect, he considers there must be a catch.

He eats breakfast at the restaurant, orders natto and an onsen tamago with green tea. It’s filling enough, and he leaves to take a walk up the mountain path near the facility, looking for potential exfiltration points or good sniping locations. The path is winding, but neither narrow or steep, and it’s far more pleasant than he anticipated, with birds chanting nearby. He walks back down, committing important locations to memory, though he doesn’t plan on using them. Sniping missions aren’t as exciting, and he cannot put on a particularly elaborate performance for Diana, so what’s the point?

He returns to his suite, and finds a missed call from Diana. He scolds himself, he should’ve brought his burner phone with him, what if something’s happened? Anxiously, he calls her back, and she picks up immediately.

“Diana, you called?”

“I did.” Her voice is steady, it seems she’s not in danger. “How are you feeling, 47?”

Strange.

“I’m well,” he responds, trying to anticipate the direction of this conversation. It’s aimless, Diana feels utterly unpredictable most times.

“Have you had a chance to relax at the spa? I hear the sauna’s top of the range.”

“I have not.” He answers evenly. “I’m here to prepare for a contract, not on holiday.” She hums in amusement, continuing.

“I’m afraid there’s been a change of plans, 47. Yamazaki’s arrival is being delayed. Only by a day, thankfully, but it does mean you have some downtime. I’ve extended your reservation so that you’ll still have a reasonable window of opportunity to ensure the mission’s completion. Until then, well,” he hears that note of mischief in her voice, “I suggest you relax.”

He knows better than to question her instructions, but a day off is the last thing he needs right now. There’s nothing for him to do, and he knows he can’t really relax - he’d be only pretending to, because with a career like his it’s crucial to be constantly on the lookout.

“You know I can’t relax,” he retorts, hoping she’ll understand, give him something to do; he’d gladly do any bland paperwork over this.

“You deserve a break, 47.” She insists. “Most agents take weeks off between each contract, and yet I’ve been working you to death. This is an order - one day off, that’s it.”

“Fine.”

“And remember, you’re there as Mr Rieper, not 47. Think of what Tobias would do, play the part. I doubt he’d pass up the chance for a massage.”

She’s right. He can pretend to be someone else, easily, and it’ll make his cover more convincing. In a way, this is just setup for the mission, he tells himself, and that makes it more bearable.

“Oh, and, 47?”

“Yes?”

“Bring your earpiece.” She hangs up.

He walks towards his drawer and retrieves the small, clear gadget. Popping it into his ear, he checks himself out in the mirror, and leaves for the spa.

It’s fairly busy, there are people meditating and practicing yoga outside, with rows of white-robed patients sitting in the hot springs. Inside, people are sitting in the massage chairs, staff members attending to them with care. He walks past them, entering the corridor that he recalls leads to a toilet and the sauna. An interesting opportunity for the contrac, should it arise. He pushes the wooden door open, and then removes his robe, staying in his briefs. Immediately, the heat surrounds him, clings to every inch of his skin invasively, and he regrets this.

“In the mood for some heat, 47?” Diana teases through the earpiece, and he’s not sure what to respond. He’s not in the mood for any of this.

He sits down on the wooden bench, and the whole room is torrid and sultry. He takes a breath in, in hopes of relaxing, but his muscles are tense, and he’s not sure what to do.

He thinks of Tobias Rieper, of what he might do in this situation. He leans back onto the wooden walls, lets his arms droop more than usual, and decides he looks like someone who is relaxing. The focus on appearing relaxed, however, keeps him tense, and he thinks that there is no way that it’s this hard for other people.

“You seem tense, 47.” Says Diana, and his head immediately snaps up to look for cameras. Nothing. Her methods are incomprehensible. “Would you like me to help you relax?”

He knows the kinds of things she might have in mind. This conversation isn’t being sent for review to the ICA, and Diana has used that to her advantage before. He thinks about the things Diana says to him in safehouses when she calls him up late and he picks up only to hear the slick sounds of her touching herself, whispering in her heavy, breathy tone of what she wants him to do. He’d like to do all those things one day, if Diana ever let him. It’s unlikely, this job is stressful and he imagines this is probably her way of coping with it, nothing more, but on indulgent nights he imagines what life could be if her calls really did mean something more, and if Diana really wanted him like this.

Still, he could never turn her down, and he knows it’s the only way he could ever really relax, so the answer is obvious.

“Yes.” It comes out guttural, and he hears the hum she makes when she smiles. He wonders for a second if he’s misunderstood, if Diana will play some looped jungle sound audio and talk him through a guided meditation instead, but the sound of a zip being undone on the other side would suggest otherwise.

There’s a rustle of fabric, the snap of panties being pulled down, and then her breaths, coming heavy and anticipant.

“I want to hear you touch yourself, 47. Can you do that?” She asks, and he turns to look out of the door instinctively. “I’ve locked the door to the corridor remotely, you’re alone for as long as you need.”

Encouraged by the sounds of her pleasure, he reaches down for his cock and begins to stroke himself. She must know, because he hears her hum approvingly.

“That’s right, 47, just like that-” Her words are cut off by a particularly breathless moan, complimented by the continuous slipping of her fingers inside of her cunt, and it’s enough, he’s hard. He imagines what she might look like right now, slender legs up on her desk, heels ruffling the papers, her pencil skirt piled on the floor as she’s leaning into her desk chair, speaking such sultry obscenities through her headset. Every inch of him is dripping in sweat, he feels filthy, but continues, for an opportunity like this arises rarely, and he intends on stretching out every blissful millisecond.

He does wish this was being recorded for the ICA, so that he could intercept it and steal the recording for himself, have a reminder of Diana when she isn’t feeling this generous, for nights when he wants her so desperately that he contemplates initiating such a call himself.

“Tell me, what would you do if I was there with you?” She gasps out, and he’s too preoccupied by the heat and hormones and hunger for more to lie.

“I’d touch you,” he begins, his words punctuated with soft grunts, “I would kiss you, so much,” that’s what lovers do, after all. That’s the part he’s meant to be playing now, isn’t it? He hears her chuckle gently, and hopes it’s not at him. She doesn’t say anything, it’s all slick folds and breathy moans over the static, so he attempts to continue. There are many things he would like to do if she were here, but only if she would like him to. He’s worried about overstepping. Where does she draw the boundary? They’ll still have to work together after this, he’s never been the one detailing his fantasies over the phone, she was the expert.

“Is that all, 47?” She teases, and he loses his earlier confidence. “You’re this hard from the thought of just kissing me?”

“Yes,” he grunts out, and he can feel himself getting painfully close. She gets louder then, and he can hear her beginning to lose control, riding the waves of her orgasm endlessly. He imagines her hips bucking, her eyes shut tight and her lips parted, when he realises that she’s putting on a show for him, when he’s done nothing to deserve it. He comes then, hazy with the exquisite image of her carved into his head.

“You do seem far more relaxed now, 47. Perhaps I should do this more often?”

[virginlimbs]

On the film “Us” by Andrew Haworth

Us is the greatest movie of the decade and I have seen it five times so I figured I owed it a review.

When I saw Get Out, my audience was quiet and disturbed the entire runtime but cheered at the end. Us had people jumping and laughing the whole time, but when it got to the end: silence.

My sister turned to us and said, “I loved it until the ending.” I wasn’t sure what to think. The ending hit me like such a freight train that I was in denial. There was no way they were switched, that didn’t make any sense.

We talked for an hour outside the theater unpacking the implications of the ending. As we talked, we realized the ending not only worked, it made the movie even better.

The movie begged me to watch it again, and I obliged. I went to a different theater and saw it in Dolby Prime and told the person next to me to stop talking. I was not fucking around. This movie was a powerful object and it demanded respect and thought and patience.

Details that were cloudy the first time came into horrifying light on a rewatch. Red’s opening monologue, which at first seemed like scary gibberish, was now full of pathos and horror. I had seen what it was like down there. I knew the rules of the world. And now I had to picture a fully conscious woman performing her own C-section.

I saw the movie twice more in theaters. I was so drawn to it, like we were te-(glottal swallow)-ethered together. The week of its release, it was all I talked about with people. “Have you seen Us?” “It’s about capitalism.” “No, that theory’s bullshit.” There were people who were as shaken as I was, and as overjoyed that a movie this powerful and exciting and thought-provoking could exist and be released and make a bunch of money. And then there were people who wondered why there was an escalator in an amusement park.

None of their hole-poking diminished my enthusiasm for the movie. I knew I was being tested by God *looks up and cries* and it was their loss. But it was a frustrating and thankless task to try to convince them otherwise. We had seen the same movie. Unpacked the same ending. But they were hung up on details, questions left unanswered. They felt the movie was pretentious, alienating, and implied they were dumb for not getting it.

Us would only be condescending if it explained its world in full. Like Star Wars, it is so steeped in such a rich mythology that if you get on its wavelength, you will not worry about why certain things in the background are not explained. You will want to watch it again and again to figure it out, and the mystery will excite you. Us is ambiguous about certain things, but not others. The characters are clear. The family dynamic is clear. And the message is clear. For every “us”, there’s a “them”.

I get it. Us either REALLY works for you or it doesn’t. And I have no interest in trying to convince naysayers. I have a lot more fun talking with people who actually liked it. But when I turned it on this fifth time, wanting something I’d seen before as I digested a pint of ice cream after a long day of work, I was under its spell once more. And I couldn’t just sit there and let it wash over me. Every shot was full of meaning or an interesting idea and they bubbled up in my head until the idea of a relaxing evening was out the window and I was frantically taking notes on my phone. I’ve read a lot of articles about this movie. I’m in no way an expert, but I have a lot of thoughts about it and a lot of enthusiasm for it. It moves me and brings me so much joy and reminds me why I fell in love with making and watching movies.

On a technical level, it’s unsurpassable. Shots are poetic but never flashy, always in service of a story beat or character reveal. The shot compositions are in the tradition of classic Japanese movies, and the final shot even mirrors the ending of the great Sansho the Baillif (which I saw yesterday for the first time.)

There is not a score that is quite like the one in Us. The music feels like it has been around since the beginning of time. And the I Got Five on It remix? Come on.

I love every performance so much. Everyone understands their character so well. Everyone feels like a family member. You feel every awkward moment, every victory, every horrified stare. And Lupita Nyong’o gives the greatest performance(s) of all time.

The script is generous with its humor and its horror. And in any other movie, all of this would be plenty to make an enjoyable ride. But Us gives you so much more, so much you didn’t realize you needed. I’ll do my best to tie all of this together, but here’s what I noticed this time around.

Chronologically, Red and Adelaide meet as children. The tethered chokes her, pulls her down, handcuffs her to the bed, and waits for her to wake up so she can give an evil grin and rub it in her face that she gets to leave. This is not a quick, desperate act to get what she wants. It is malicious and sadistic.

Now Adelaide’s got a family. But she feels scared and maybe a little guilty, like most people who’ve committed a crime and have to keep running. She can only express this in half-truths to her husband, how she’s worried the “mirror girl” might come back. On our second viewing, we realize she’d be coming back for revenge.

Red’s parents were very lax with her which allowed her to wander off. Adelaide is protective and paranoid, like a drug dealer or the Irishman, someone who cannot enjoy to the fullest what she has fought so hard to win because she knows what’s out there. She knows what could happen to Jason if he gets curious about that funhouse.

Enter Red. Adelaide’s worst nightmare. The girl she trapped down there finally found a way out, and she’s pissed. She moves like a ballerina, calculated and efficient.

The Wilson family dynamic is so well expressed through their actions and teamwork and love for each other in this scene. Adelaide grabs her kids, yanking them out of frame away from their tethereds, keeping them safe. She cares so much for them and just wants to survive.

In comparison, Red is unfeeling and sadistic. Her husband and children are her pets. She has trained them like dogs to move at her command: a horrifying hand gesture and clicking of the tongue. She even pets Pluto as he stands on all fours by the fire. They are tools, like scissors.

She hates her family because they are not her choice. They are horrifying reminders of the world she was dragged down into. And Adelaide’s family is a reminder of what she could’ve had, so she resents them as well. She doesn’t care if they die, she doesn’t see them as surrogate children, they are a “fuck you.”

But her outlook makes total sense. She was taken from her normal world and trapped in a nightmare. Forced to have sex, give birth, mimic the privileged actions of the girl up above with whatever surrogate was available underground.

“The shadow hated the girl.”

Gabe interrupts her monologue. He thinks we’re still in a weird home invasion movie. These are random dopplegangers, the only ones, and they’re just crazy. But Adelaide knew this was going to happen all along.

“You want ME, right?”

The family is split up to fend for themselves. But apart from Red, the other tethereds are just under orders from up top. They have no personal stake in this, they just like killing. Red is the only one who has a score to settle. She wants to take her time, rub it in Adelaide’s face just like it was rubbed in hers.

Jason realizes early on in the closet that he can control Pluto, but Pluto cannot control him. Pluto has to move Jason’s arms up and down physically to mirror his. This is frustrating for Pluto. Jason saves this information for later.

Everyone escapes their tethereds, for now. They hop on the boat, their previous laughing stock, now their life raft, and head to the only other house they know. As the boat drives away, Jason is the one we hold on as Red stares at him. She is getting the idea to kidnap him to lure Adelaide to her. This is the advantage she has over Adelaide, how untethered she is to emotional baggage. Jason is just a tool for her to manipulate how much Adelaide cares for her children.

“They look like us.”

“They don’t even know that yet.”

Earlier in the film, Adelaide tells Zora to turn her phone off and go to bed. Zora waits for her mom to leave the room to secretly use her phone under the covers. Later, when Adelaide needs Zora’s phone to call the police, Zora pretends like she doesn’t have it to avoid getting in trouble, but Adelaide knows she does. Adelaide’s not dumb, she’s just a mom stuck between trying to raise her kid well and letting her have fun. These are sweet games we play with our parents and the subtext is “I love you.”

The white family, on the other hand, is full of hate. Their kids do not play these cute games. “Just because we’re in our rooms doesn’t mean we’re sleeping.” They are filthy rich with a backup generator and they are miserable and they die the quickest. This, even more so than Get Out, is perhaps Jordan Peele’s ultimate comment on white horror films. Their characters last for less than ten minutes while the Wilsons survive the whole movie. And when Elisabeth Moss asks Ophelia to call the police and it plays “Fuck Da Police” as her tethered slits her throat, it’s a master filmmaker taking back years of stereotypes and tropes, stomping on them and proclaiming that there is a new era of horror underway, horror so full of ideas that you (like me) will have to watch the movies 5 times.

The murder of the white family is the most hardcore scene in any horror movie of the decade. It is truly shocking how matter of fact it is.

The Wilsons arrive and Adelaide is taken captive. The kids go in to save their mom.

Jason puts on his mask as he grabs a weapon to make his first kill as if that will absolve him of what he is about to do, rather than accepting his ability to kill as part of himself. Zora, not wearing a mask, rolls her eyes. She’s accepting who she is. Jason immediately removes his mask after killing Elisabeth Moss.

Jason watches Zora kill the second twin and beat her way past being dead. She is her mother’s daughter. Jason’s arc is beginning to illuminate: he is slowly noticing how violent his family is. Could that be inside him as well?

“We’re Americans.”

Weapons used in the film:

Golf club

Baseball Bat

Flare gun

Scissors

Boat motor

Geode

The stick you use to move logs in fire

Once they’re in the fancy house, Gabe wants to settle down. They’ve made it. But Adelaide knows they have to keep running. Capitalism! But everyone’s excited to drive the fancy car.

Jason sees his mom kill one of the twins.

Umbrae hops on the car and Zora slams on the breaks, sending her flying into the trees. Adelaide leaves under the guise of making sure she’s dead. But when she sees defenseless Umbrae, hanging upside down from a tree, laughing but clearly bleeding to death, Adelaide does nothing.

She sees herself in Umbrae, ruthless, doing anything to survive and get ahead. But she also sees the daughter she would’ve had if she had stayed down there. This is also why she’s so upset about Pluto dying. They are all her children. She has grown up and matured in real society with real parents. She is a mother and her heart is full. But Red has the heart and mind and priorities of a 9 year old. She doesn’t want kids. She wants parents.

Jason backing up to kill Pluto is like in the Matrix Revolutions when it’s revealed that Neo has powers outside of the Matrix. It is a great, haunting, ambiguous moment that I’m sure made a lot of people frustrated in the theater, just like the Matrix Revolutions.

Then Red naps him. Her gamble worked, and Adelaide was distracted by caring about all these kids.

Adelaide goes after him. The shot on the beach when she sees the line for the first time? COME ON!!!

Us is very biblical. Abraham. 11:11. “God is testing me.” Jason holding up his arms like Jesus on the cross as he backs Pluto into the fire. Red becoming a religious figure to the tethereds. Red has CREATED a mythology for the tethered, but of course neither her nor Adelaide know what really created them. Humans play God in her theory about government experiments. And “God brought us together that night.”

Adelaide has spent her whole life trying to forget the tunnels. Red has been forced to spend her life trying to make sense of it. Her social learning ended at 9 years old. Her theories about government experiments seem based on sci fi movies she probably caught on TV as a kid, right before she was pulled down there.

No one was there to guide her. She became tethered long after the “experiment” had been abandoned. She believes in God because her parents probably took her to church and she’s latching onto any explanation. But the situation is unexplainable. Does it matter if it’s a government experiment? There are many aspects of the film that imply it might be supernatural. We can only see it how she sees it: God testing her as she becomes the savior of the tethereds.

But the important detail she skips past because she really doesn’t have any proof of it until this past night is that the tethereds are not monsters. They are products of a nightmarish environment. If given a chance in society, they can learn to talk and function normally and dance. The film doesn’t even imply that there is a good twin or a bad twin. Both are capable of violence and vulnerability.

Red steals the word “tethered” from the Hands Across America commercial at the beginning.

Cutting between the tethered stuff mirroring the above ground stuff? Pure cinema. Get the fuck out of here. Adelaide having a whole stage to dance on while Red is forced to run into walls is the perfect visual metaphor for every idea the movie is throwing at you.

“If it weren’t for you I never would’ve danced at all.”

Red hugs Adelaide as she plunges the stick into her.

You are forced to remember Red has the mind of a nine year old as she whistles a mouth-full-of-blood rendition of itsy bitsy spider. Then Adelaide strangles her to death.

Adelaide laughs with relief when Red is dead because now she is free to enjoy the life she had always imagined without looking over her shoulder. Their tethereds are all dead. Jason can run free.

“The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout

Down came the rain and washed the spider out”

Jason puts on the mask at the end, keeping Adelaide’s secret. He’s horrified by the realization about his mother. Earlier she told him, “Stick with me and I’ll keep you safe.” Now she smiles. They’re driving through a post apocalyptic wasteland. He doesn’t really have a choice. He’s sticking with her.

[starfaring-princelotor]

Lotor Gets a New Home - Lotor's Day With Science and Stars

Good evening, most gracious Emperor!  I’m so pleased to see you’re still here!  I was inspired to write another chapter to the little Lotor story you inspired.  I do hope you enjoy it! (Side note, I kept trying to insert a “read below” line but nothing was coming up.)

Lotor was fitting in nicely here.  My cats, Binx and Mr. Davidson’s Nightmare (Mister for short), were starting to get used to Kova.  She kept trying to break into the boys’ club, but they were cautious.

We started working in Lotor’s bedroom.  It was going to be redecorated and painted just for him, and I had a special surprise in store.  We needed to leave the house for a day, so it could be prepared for him without him finding out.  He was so inquisitive I wouldn’t be able to keep him away otherwise!

“Lotor!  It’s time to get ready!” I called from the porch.  He was playing in the orchard again, climbing trees.  He was so content just sitting in the branches and listening to the birds, I knew I could find him there most of the time.  Just the other day I walked out to find him fast asleep in the fork of one of the trees, a smile on his sweet face, a look of peace and bliss.

“Coming Miss Annie!” he shouted, and I saw him sprint towards me.  When he was about ten feet away, he launched himself at me and I caught him, spinning him around while he laughed with his eyes closed in delight. 

I kissed him all over his face, and he became a typical boy.

“Aww, come on!” he said, shaking his head.  “One is enough!”

“Never, my butter bean.  You deserve all of the best kisses in the world,” I said, touching my forehead to his.

He looked up at me and grinned happily, wrapping his little arms around my neck for a hug.

I picked him up and settled him on my hip.  We walked up the stairs to the porch where I had lemonade waiting for us.  His eyes lit up when he spied it.

“Oh, I love that drink!  It’s yummy, but it makes my cheeks hurt sometimes,” he said.

“I know, me, too!” I said.  “When you make me laugh it does the same thing to me.”

“Why does it do that?” he asked?

“I don’t know, sweetheart,” I answered honestly, while I poured him some and handed him a shortbread cookie.

He sat down on the porch swing and munched away happily, enjoying the light snack.  I took my glass and sat down next to him and began to slowly rock the swing.  We sat in the sunshine, listening to the sounds of the country, and drinking our lemonade.  I wondered if he ever had times like this wherever he had come from.

“Miss Annie?” he asked, looking up at me with those expressive blue eyes.  “Could I please have some more to drink?” He held his little cup out to me, looking hopeful.

“Of course, my dear!  Why, that’s the exact reason I brought out an entire pitcher, just in case,” I said, getting up and filling the cup again.

His smile lit up his entire face when I handed the cup back to him and he took a loud slurping sip.  I ruffled his hair, and he shook his head, making a disapproving sound.

“Silly little bean,” I said, affectionately.  I took his face in my hand and brought my eyes to his.  “I want to tell you something serious, Lotor, and I don’t want you to ever forget it.”

He focused all of his attention on me, looking a little frightened.

“You are special, my darling, and I am here for you,” I said, nodding.  “If you ever want to talk about anything you can come to me.  You will not be in trouble, and I will always come for you, no matter what.”

He looked so serious, not breaking his gaze, he nodded.  I smiled warmly at him which made him break into a grin, knowing that the serious talk was over.

“It’s time to go,” I said.  “We’re going on a special trip today.”

“Could you please tell me where?” he asked, turning towards you, using his innocent eyes like a weapon.

“No way, sir.  You cannot use those beautiful eyes on me to make me tell!”  He giggled.  “I know your little tricks too well!”  I said, getting up from the swing.  I took our glasses back into the house while Lotor followed, trying to carry the pitcher as carefully as he could.  I noticed his struggling and took it from him and placed it in the refrigerator. 

“Thanks for your help!  I’m so glad you carried that all the way inside for me.  That would have been a long walk if I had to go back out for it,” I said, putting my hand on his shoulder.  He stood taller, trying to look impressive.

“I knew you needed me to help,” he said, knowingly.

“Come on,” I said, fishing my car keys out of the basket by the door.  “We have a very important appointment.”

*********************************************************

Lotor was very excited to see where we were going.  He loved riding in the car, putting the windows down and letting the wind blow around the interior.  When I would hit a bump, he would laugh and demand I do it again.  I knew today was going to be a special day for him.

We pulled into the parking lot and Lotor was trying to figure out where we were.  He didn’t know the language yet, although we were practicing at home every day, so I know he couldn’t read the sign.  He was retaining knowledge at an astonishing rate, so I knew today would be something he wouldn’t forget for a long time.

“Miss Annie?  Where are we?” he asked, cautiously.

“This is called a museum.  There are all different kinds of museums but this one is a type they call Natural History,” I explained.  “You will be able to learn all about life here that goes back thousands of years.”

Lotor couldn’t quite grasp what I was talking about, so I decided to show him.  I got out of the car while he climbed over the seat to jump out after me.  He slipped his hand in mine as we walked to the front doors.  Lotor was never too comfortable being away from the farm.  He would constantly be on high alert and never would wander away.  He always wanted to be close to me, and I would let him.  Even though he was such a young boy I knew a day would come when he would walk out the door and into a new life.

“Hey, Annie!” a male voice called out as we walked inside.  Lotor froze with a terrified look on his face.  I leaned down to reassure him.

“It’s ok, honey,” I said.  “That’s my friend, Mr. Jason.  He works here.  He is a Docent.  That is a person who knows all about the museum and can tell you anything you want to know.”

“He, he is a friend?” he said, hesitating.

“Yes, and I trust him completely,” I said, nodding my head.  Lotor didn’t look very reassured but walked forward with me.

“Hi Mr. Jason!  This is Lotor and he is staying with me.  He is the smartest boy I ever met, and I know he will have a lot of questions for you today.”  Mr. Jason beamed down at him.

“Hello, Lotor!  I’m very glad to be your personal guide today,” he said, extending his hand.  Lotor looked up at me and I smiled.  He slowly put his hand out and let Mr. Jason shake it warmly.

“I arranged for him to be with us all afternoon, so you have a special tour,” I said.

“That’s true.  I’m at your command,” he said, releasing Lotor’s hand and giving him a salute.  Lotor put his fist across his chest and gave a slight bow in response.  I quirked my eyebrow at that.  He had never done that before.

“Come on, let’s go look at the dinosaurs,” Mr. Jason prompted. 

“What’s a dino, dinor…” Lotor tried to say the foreign word.

“Dinosaur.  It’s Latin for ‘Terrible Lizard’ but they weren’t really lizards at all…” Mr. Jason said and pointed Lotor towards the Hall of Giants.  Lotor walked beside him, hands clasped behind his back, listening intently and asking questions.  I walked behind the two, knowing Lotor would be profoundly uncomfortable if I wasn’t in sight.

They wandered all over the museum for hours talking about airplanes and electricity, extinct animals like dinosaurs and mastodons, but he was most excited about the planetarium.  We got our own private show, which made Lotor’s eyes shine with excitement.  He was overwhelmed by everything but wanted to keep asking more and more questions.  Eventually we had to call it a day.  Lotor was dragging his feet with exhaustion, and Mr. Jason was losing his voice.

“Lotor, I have to tell you, son, it was my pleasure to spend today with you,” Mr. Jason said, clasping his hand.  “You are one very bright young man and I’m just astonished at the questions you had for me.”

Lotor smiled an embarrassed smile, looking down at his shoes.  He was truly humbled by Mr. Jason’s words.

“Thanks again, so much for today,” I said, giving Mr. Jason a hug.  “It was so nice to see you.”

“Likewise, Annie.  You’ve got yourself an amazing little companion here,” he said, nodding.

“Come, Lotor, it’s time to go home,” I said, taking his hand.  He looked up at me with very tired eyes.

“When can we come back again?” he asked.

 ******************************************************************

We walked in the door and he stopped at the threshold, wrinkling his nose.

“What is it, sweetheart?” I asked.

“It smells different in here,” he said.  “I don’t know what that smell is.”

“I don’t smell anything, dear,” I said with a secretive grin.  “It’s time to get washed up for supper.”

We washed our hands and I made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, sliced apples, and cups of milk to drink.  We sat at the table with the radio on in the background.

“So, what was your favorite part about today?” I asked.

“Oh, Miss Annie, I don’t think I could pick a favorite part!” he said, excitedly.  “I loved the dinosaurs, and the paintings and sculptures, and the mummies, and…”

“Slow down!” I said, laughing.  “I can’t follow you when you go that quickly!”

“It was all so fun, I can’t pick a favorite part,” he said, matter of factly.

“I’m so glad.  Did you know there are a lot of different museums all around the planet?”  His eyes got wide and his smile got bigger and bigger.

“Can we go to them?  Please?  I want to see them all!” he jumped up in his chair. 

“Lotor, please sit down,” I said gently.  “You don’t want to fall and get hurt.”

He looked abashed at that and plunked himself back into his seat.  His little ears flopped down at the tips and he ducked his head down.

“Honey, please, you’re ok,” I said, rubbing his arm to reassure him.  “It would just break my heart if you hurt yourself.”

“I’m sorry,” he said in a very small voice.

I pushed my chair back and got up.  He needed some reassurance and love right now.  I moved his chair and picked him up in a hug.

“Lotor, love,” I said, “You are beyond a doubt the smartest and funnest boy I have ever known.”  He looked up at me with unshed tears in his eyes.  “You just have to be a little more careful.  You mean the world to me, little butter bean.”  He reached out and threw his arms around my neck.

“I promise I’ll listen better, Miss Annie,” he said, burying his head in my shoulder.

“Good.  Now, dry those tears,” I said.  “I have a surprise for you.”

He lifted his head and looked at me curiously.  His eyes were shining but he wasn’t crying.  I carried him up the stairs to the bedrooms.

“Now, I need you to close your eyes for me.  Would you do that?” I said playfully.  He nodded and immediately shut his eyes tight.  “I’m going to put you down now, and I’ll take your hand to guide you.”

He reached out for me the second his feet touched the floor.  I placed his hand in mine and slowly pulled him towards his bedroom.  Once we reached the center of it, I let go.

“OK!  Open your eyes!” I said.

He did and looked around, searching the sky-blue walls. 

“I don’t see anything.  Is something different?” he asked, feeling like he was missing something big.  I walked back to the light switch and turned the lights off.

Immediately his room illuminated with painted stars and constellations.  I had hired a special painter to come in and add the effects with glow in the dark paint.  That’s why Lotor thought the house smelled funny because it smelled like the special paint.

“Oh, Miss Annie!  Look at all the stars!” he whispered.  “It’s beautiful!”

I walked over to him and kneeled down. 

“I’m so very glad you like it, Lotor,” I said.

He kept gazing all around the room.  “There’s even stars up on top!” he said, pointing to the ceiling.

“Yes, there are.  All for you,” I said.

He turned and threw himself at me, giving me a big hug.

“I love you, Miss Annie,” he said, making my heart soar.

“I love you, too, my baby,” I answered.

[makeup-wonder-woman]

A Soulmate To Remember chap 8

A/N- Hey guys! Just wanted you to know that my request box is open and empty

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7

Tags: @welcometothecity, @miss-nerdalots,@marvelsimaginess, @naturalnation123 , @suavehayes (let me know if I missed you/you want to be tagged) so I can add you to the list! Hope you enjoyed!

TW: Churches? Otherwise, none

Y/N- Your name

L/N- Last Name

Word count: 1,631

 Steph broke into a huge grin,"Look at that! Your a regular Prince Charming, Kid,"Steph herded us into the nursery,"You two can work in here today, I'll get Sara and Marie, when she gets here, to work the preschool room."

  You smiled and sat in the tiny red chairs around the tiny table,"Well, this is a nice surprise. Thank you for volunteering as Tribute."

Jason gave you a sheepish smile,"It can't be that bad."

 "That’ll depend on what kinda day it is."

  Just as everyone got settled, with Jason standing by the bookshelf and Yourself going over basic Nursery 101 with him while kicking back in the tiny chair. Steph greeted a parent and brought the little one back to you,"Here we go right on time baby Percy!"

 Percy's mother was the child choir director, so he was usually early. He was only about eight months old, standing and pulling himself up using a self and little teeth peeking up and down from his gum lines. He had fair hair, brown eyes and the chubbiest cheeks ever.

"Percy," You cheered and jumped up to take him from Steph so she could check his Dad in,"Hi buddy. It's been a whole week since I've seen you."

 Percy just stared at you, and You turned to Jason,"Percy, this is Jason."

 Jason just kinda stared at the two of you for a moment before Percy reached out for him. You mocked being hurt,"What? I'm not good enough for you?" You walked closer to Jason with Percy kept reaching out for him in a borderline fascination. Jason just looked a bit terrified. Percy let out a whine and Jason held out his arms begrudgingly,"There we go,"You cooed,"That's not so bad Mr. Jason."

Percy clung onto Jason and checked him over, finding anything he could chew or get spittle on. Making you laugh and start to set up Percy favorite toy, a bright pink bumbo to sit in and a toy with light up stars and sang a bunch of songs to him. Percy and Jason locked in a staring competition, and You smiled at the cuteness of it. Steph interrupted with another kiddo, Jack, who took Jason being there in stride.

 "Miss. Y/N," he squealed excitedly, entering with his backpack on as usual. You knelt so he tackle you in a big hug.

"Jack-Jack! How's my best buddy?"

"Good!" He pointed to his forehead which had a bandaid on it,"Look! I got a boo boo."

You winced,"Ow! You're such a big boy, Getting some big boo boos now."

 He nodded and sat down at the table talking about his week. Steph leaned in the window of the door,"Mom said he fell cause he wanted to save the dog from falling of a chair."

   You smiled down at him, shaking you head,"Jack Jack, you wanna color?"

 He beamed,"YES!"

  You pulled out a superhero book and grabbed some crayons. You set it down so he could decide for himself. You looked over at Jason and Percy, who weren't having the staring contest but instead were watching you. You smiled at the both of them, and Percy reached back out for you. Jason glanced at him and then you, before offering you the baby,"I think he got bored."

  You chuckled and took Percy,"Wanna play with your stars?"

 Percy signed the word please and you set him in the bumbo. Then he started whining,"What's up buddy?"

 Steph popped in with another regular, Harry, and said,"Percy's Dad said that he's been really hungry and he could have his lunch before nap time if he was fussy."

  "Let's see if he'll eat. What's on the menu today?"

"A bottle, strawberry chunks in one container and puréed black beans in the other."

You grimminced at half of the food but took the small containers and the plastic bottle from her regardless,"At least they aren't mixed this time."

 Jason winced,"That sounds ... disgusting."

 Harry, holding his kangaroo, walked up to Jason as You settled down to feed Percy. The three year old was clutching it to his chest while sucking his thumb and looking up at Jason expectantly. Jason cocked his head,"What's up little man?"

 Harry held up his arms. Jason didn't know what that meant, so You looked over from opening the baby food,"Pst." Jason glanced over and You made the motion of picking something up.

 Jason made the oohhhh face and lifted Harry into his arms,"Wow! You're a big guy huh?" Harry nodded and Jason smiled,"You're pretty quiet. I like that." Harry smiled and then pointed at the table,"Listen Squirt,"Jason told Harry,"There's no way I'm gonna fit in that tiny chair, but I'll sit on the ground next you, okay?"

 Harry nodded and the three boys sat at the table. Percy becoming angry that You had taken your attention off of feeding him as he sat in the bumbo and whined while signing please. You laughed and fed him another bite.

  Percy had worked his way through the beans and was on the strawberries, when Jake looked up and stopped coloring for a moment to ask,"Miss. Y/N, will you come color with me?"

"I would buddy but I'm feeding Percy."

Jake's lip jutted out,"Please?"

 Jason smirked,"I'll trade you."

Jake cheered and You handed off the last of the strawberries to him,"Here. Feed him these and then sit in the rocker in the corner to give him his bottle. That way he can eat it easier."

 Jason nodded and acted like he was about to preform open heart surgery for the first time, but Percy didn't care as long as he got food. The earliest service was always super slow. You colored a picture of a puppy while Harry and Jake both worked on pictures from the Bible- namely Noah's Ark and Moses parting the sea- as they found the superheroes boring as they had colored most of them by now.

You watched from the corner of my eye as Percy polished off the strawberries and demanded the bottle. Jason smirked, picked Percy up and carried him over to the rocking chair and settled in. Percy could basically hold the bottle on his own, but couldn't quite hold it up high enough. Percy settled into the crock of Jason's arm and just focused on eating. Jason smiled down at him and I smiled watching them. It was cute, and heart warming.

 Jack tugged on your sleeve and You turned back to him.

 The next service was easier, Sara, an amazing food making/caterer by day and mom with kids in high school by night and Marie, a quiet teacher who's a single parent to a lovely third grader, both made it on time and quickly rushed down to the preschool room. Several other children came in, and Steph swapped you places so she could teach the lesson for the day (basically reading a story) while You took Percy into the separate room where a crib awaited the tired baby. Jason could see you through the doorway and You felt his eyes on you as you rocked Percy back and forth in your arms. You prepared his little nap-swing. You clipped him in and then put a blanket over him. Percy fussed a little but when you turned on the music and rocking function, and sat in front of him, he slowly drifted off to sleep.

   You entered right when Steph had finished the story and the kids were excited for the craft that Jason and You started doing with the kids.

 The service went by fast, and soon you soon found yourself swapping in and out a few kids but mostly handing them back over to happy parents. There were only a few children left when you got a surprise, as Paster Howard. He was a kind man, but still outgoing and always smiling with graying hair and a somewhat casual look to him. Paster Howard stood at the nursery window and looked in with his usual large smile,"Good Morning everyone. I heard we had a guest helping out today, I thought I'd come by."

Jason straightened from helping Jack with his backpack (a Batman backpack) and slipped into an not so obvious fake smile. He approached the window and held out his hand,"Hello, I'm Jason Todd-Wayne."

 Pastor Howard took his hand with vigor and clasped it in his other as he shook it,"I know, such a pleasure to have you here. May I ask why you've come to our humble parish?"

  Steph cut in by placing her hand on his shoulder,"Oh, the same reason a young man does anything really. A girl."

  Your face went red, Jason just laughed,"Now, it's not quite like that."

 Steph smirked,"You're right, you did find your soul mate."

  Pastor Howard broke into a grin,"Congratulations are in order, young man. May I ask who the lucky person is?"

  You popped your head in the room,"That would be me!"

  Pastor Howard smiled,"Ah, Miss. L/N, I cannot tell you how my heart is overflowing with joy. This will have to go to the prayer circle."

  You were blushing, then stuttering, why does he have to make a big deal out of it? Sara and Marie took this moment to enter with the cart,"No more kiddies for eleven," Sara announced,"How's it in here-" She paused at your face and smiled,"Poor Y/N, always getting picked on," she cooed.

 Pastor Howard continued,"Why don't the two of you come to the last service this morning. I think you'll like it."

Jason fidgeted uncomfortably, You came to his rescue,"We would Pastor Howard but there are-"

 Sara and Marie both exchanged glanced and Marie said,"No! You two go, we've got the kids."

   You could have glared at them, if your Pastor since childhood wasn't in the room. You huffed and grabbed your bag,"Fine. But I'm changing first."

Thank you for reading, please reblog!

[motheroflittlelions]

Lotor Gets A New Home - Lotor’s Day With Science and Stars

Like?  Check me out on AO3 as The_Cat_Whisperer! 

https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Cat_Whisperer/works

Lotor was fitting in nicely here.  My cats, Binx and Mr. Davidson’s Nightmare (Mister for short), were starting to get used to Kova.  She kept trying to break into the boys’ club, but they were cautious.

We started working in Lotor’s bedroom.  It was going to be redecorated and painted just for him, and I had a special surprise in store.  We needed to leave the house for a day, so it could be prepared for him without him finding out.  He was so inquisitive I wouldn’t be able to keep him away otherwise!

“Lotor!  It’s time to get ready!” I called from the porch.  He was playing in the orchard again, climbing trees.  He was so content just sitting in the branches and listening to the birds, I knew I could find him there most of the time.  Just the other day I walked out to find him fast asleep in the fork of one of the trees, a smile on his sweet face, a look of peace and bliss.

“Coming Miss Annie!” he shouted, and I saw him sprint towards me.  When he was about ten feet away, he launched himself at me and I caught him, spinning him around while he laughed with his eyes closed in delight.

I kissed him all over his face, and he became a typical boy.

“Aww, come on!” he said, shaking his head.  “One is enough!”

“Never, my butter bean. You deserve all of the best kisses in the world,” I said, touching my forehead to his.

He looked up at me and grinned happily, wrapping his little arms around my neck for a hug.

I picked him up and settled him on my hip.  We walked up the stairs to the porch where I had lemonade waiting for us.  His eyes lit up when he spied it.

“Oh, I love that drink! It’s yummy, but it makes my cheeks hurt sometimes,” he said.

“I know, me, too!” I said. “When you make me laugh it does the same thing to me.”

“Why does it do that?” he asked?

“I don’t know, sweetheart,” I answered honestly, while I poured him some and handed him a shortbread cookie.

He sat down on the porch swing and munched away happily, enjoying the light snack.  I took my glass and sat down next to him and began to slowly rock the swing.  We sat in the sunshine, listening to the sounds of the country, and drinking our lemonade.  I wondered if he ever had times like this wherever he had come from.

“Miss Annie?” he asked, looking up at me with those expressive blue eyes.  “Could I please have some more to drink?” He held his little cup out to me, looking hopeful.

“Of course, my dear! Why, that’s the exact reason I brought out an entire pitcher, just in case,” I said, getting up and filling the cup again.

His smile lit up his entire face when I handed the cup back to him and he took a loud slurping sip. I ruffled his hair, and he shook his head, making a disapproving sound.

“Silly little bean,” I said, affectionately.  I took his face in my hand and brought my eyes to his.  “I want to tell you something serious, Lotor, and I don’t want you to ever forget it.”

He focused all of his attention on me, looking a little frightened.

“You are special, my darling, and I am here for you,” I said, nodding.  “If you ever want to talk about anything you can come to me.  You will not be in trouble, and I will always come for you, no matter what.”

He looked so serious, not breaking his gaze, he nodded.  I smiled warmly at him which made him break into a grin, knowing that the serious talk was over.

“It’s time to go,” I said. “We’re going on a special trip today.”

“Could you please tell me where?” he asked, turning towards you, using his innocent eyes like a weapon.

“No way, sir.  You cannot use those beautiful eyes on me to make me tell!”  He giggled. “I know your little tricks too well!” I said, getting up from the swing. I took our glasses back into the house while Lotor followed, trying to carry the pitcher as carefully as he could. I noticed his struggling and took it from him and placed it in the refrigerator.  

“Thanks for your help! I’m so glad you carried that all the way inside for me.  That would have been a long walk if I had to go back out for it,” I said, putting my hand on his shoulder.  He stood taller, trying to look impressive.

“I knew you needed me to help,” he said, knowingly.

“Come on,” I said, fishing my car keys out of the basket by the door.  “We have a very important appointment.”

*********************************************************

Lotor was very excited to see where we were going.  He loved riding in the car, putting the windows down and letting the wind blow around the interior.  When I would hit a bump, he would laugh and demand I do it again.  I knew today was going to be a special day for him.

We pulled into the parking lot and Lotor was trying to figure out where we were.  He didn’t know the language yet, although we were practicing at home every day, so I know he couldn’t read the sign.  He was retaining knowledge at an astonishing rate, so I knew today would be something he wouldn’t forget for a long time.

“Miss Annie?  Where are we?” he asked, cautiously.

“This is called a museum. There are all different kinds of museums but this one is a type they call Natural History,” I explained.  “You will be able to learn all about life here that goes back thousands of years.”

Lotor couldn’t quite grasp what I was talking about, so I decided to show him.  I got out of the car while he climbed over the seat to jump out after me.  He slipped his hand in mine as we walked to the front doors.  Lotor was never too comfortable being away from the farm.  He would constantly be on high alert and never would wander away.  He always wanted to be close to me, and I would let him.  Even though he was such a young boy I knew a day would come when he would walk out the door and into a new life.

“Hey, Annie!” a male voice called out as we walked inside.  Lotor froze with a terrified look on his face.  I leaned down to reassure him.

“It’s ok, honey,” I said. “That’s my friend, Mr. Jason.  He works here.  He is a Docent.  That is a person who knows all about the museum and can tell you anything you want to know.”

“He, he is a friend?” he said, hesitating.

“Yes, and I trust him completely,” I said, nodding my head.  Lotor didn’t look very reassured but walked forward with me.

“Hi Mr. Jason!  This is Lotor and he is staying with me.  He is the smartest boy I ever met, and I know he will have a lot of questions for you today.”  Mr. Jason beamed down at him.

“Hello, Lotor!  I’m very glad to be your personal guide today,” he said, extending his hand.  Lotor looked up at me and I smiled.  He slowly put his hand out and let Mr. Jason shake it warmly.

“I arranged for him to be with us all afternoon, so you have a special tour,” I said.

“That’s true.  I’m at your command,” he said, releasing Lotor’s hand and giving him a salute.  Lotor put his fist across his chest and gave a slight bow in response.  I quirked my eyebrow at that.  He had never done that before.

“Come on, let’s go look at the dinosaurs,” Mr. Jason prompted.  

“What’s a dino, dinor…” Lotor tried to say the foreign word.

“Dinosaur.  It’s Latin for ‘Terrible Lizard’ but they weren’t really lizards at all…” Mr. Jason said and pointed Lotor towards the Hall of Giants. Lotor walked beside him, hands clasped behind his back, listening intently and asking questions.  I walked behind the two, knowing Lotor would be profoundly uncomfortable if I wasn’t in sight.

They wandered all over the museum for hours talking about airplanes and electricity, extinct animals like dinosaurs and mastodons, but he was most excited about the planetarium. We got our own private show, which made Lotor’s eyes shine with excitement.  He was overwhelmed by everything but wanted to keep asking more and more questions.  Eventually we had to call it a day.  Lotor was dragging his feet with exhaustion, and Mr. Jason was losing his voice.

“Lotor, I have to tell you, son, it was my pleasure to spend today with you,” Mr. Jason said, clasping his hand.  “You are one very bright young man and I’m just astonished at the questions you had for me.”

Lotor smiled an embarrassed smile, looking down at his shoes.  He was truly humbled by Mr. Jason’s words.

“Thanks again, so much for today,” I said, giving Mr. Jason a hug.  “It was so nice to see you.”

“Likewise, Annie. You’ve got yourself an amazing little companion here,” he said, nodding.

“Come, Lotor, it’s time to go home,” I said, taking his hand.  He looked up at me with very tired eyes.

“When can we come back again?” he asked.

******************************************************************

We walked in the door and he stopped at the threshold, wrinkling his nose.

“What is it, sweetheart?” I asked.

“It smells different in here,” he said.  “I don’t know what that smell is.”

“I don’t smell anything, dear,” I said with a secretive grin.  “It’s time to get washed up for supper.”

We washed our hands and I made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, sliced apples, and cups of milk to drink.  We sat at the table with the radio on in the background.

“So, what was your favorite part about today?” I asked.

“Oh, Miss Annie, I don’t think I could pick a favorite part!” he said, excitedly.  “I loved the dinosaurs, and the paintings and sculptures, and the mummies, and…”

“Slow down!” I said, laughing.  “I can’t follow you when you go that quickly!”

“It was all so fun, I can’t pick a favorite part,” he said, matter of factly.

“I’m so glad.  Did you know there are a lot of different museums all around the planet?”  His eyes got wide and his smile got bigger and bigger.

“Can we go to them?  Please?  I want to see them all!” he jumped up in his chair.  

“Lotor, please sit down,” I said gently.  “You don’t want to fall and get hurt.”

He looked abashed at that and plunked himself back into his seat.  His little ears flopped down at the tips and he ducked his head down.

“Honey, please, you’re ok,” I said, rubbing his arm to reassure him.  “It would just break my heart if you hurt yourself.”

“I’m sorry,” he said in a very small voice.

I pushed my chair back and got up.  He needed some reassurance and love right now.  I moved his chair and picked him up in a hug.

“Lotor, love,” I said, “You are beyond a doubt the smartest and funnest boy I have ever known.”  He looked up at me with unshed tears in his eyes. “You just have to be a little more careful.  You mean the world to me, little butter bean.”  He reached out and threw his arms around my neck.

“I promise I’ll listen better, Miss Annie,” he said, burying his head in my shoulder.

“Good.  Now, dry those tears,” I said.  “I have a surprise for you.”

He lifted his head and looked at me curiously.  His eyes were shining but he wasn’t crying.  I carried him up the stairs to the bedrooms.

“Now, I need you to close your eyes for me.  Would you do that?” I said playfully.  He nodded and immediately shut his eyes tight.  “I’m going to put you down now, and I’ll take your hand to guide you.”

He reached out for me the second his feet touched the floor.  I placed his hand in mine and slowly pulled him towards his bedroom. Once we reached the center of it, I let go.

“OK!  Open your eyes!” I said.

He did and looked around, searching the sky-blue walls.  

“I don’t see anything.  Is something different?” he asked, feeling like he was missing something big.  I walked back to the light switch and turned the lights off.

Immediately his room illuminated with painted stars and constellations.  I had hired a special painter to come in and add the effects with glow in the dark paint.  That’s why Lotor thought the house smelled funny because it smelled like the special paint.

“Oh, Miss Annie!  Look at all the stars!” he whispered.  “It’s beautiful!”

I walked over to him and kneeled down.  

“I’m so very glad you like it, Lotor,” I said.

He kept gazing all around the room.  “There’s even stars up on top!” he said, pointing to the ceiling.

“Yes, there are.  All for you,” I said.

He turned and threw himself at me, giving me a big hug.

“I love you, Miss Annie,” he said, making my heart soar.

“I love you, too, my baby,” I answered.