Snow Fun

The morning came with everyone busy going on their own business. Ana and the aunts are preparing food for tonight's feast with Leila. Rayana and the girls are decorating the New Year's tree. The rest wandered around, giving a hand to those who need assistance or distract the working people like what Lana is doing.

I decided to busy myself in the studio after breakfast. At about 10 o'clock, I took a quick break to the kitchen. Ana was making samsa and she cooked several pieces in the oven for me. I decided to take it back to the studio.

On my way up the winding stairs, Lana intercepted me. She came running out of the family room then latched onto my right leg.

"Hey baby. You're quite heavy for me to carry on one leg up these stairs," I greeted her.

"Can you play with me aga? I don't see Dionna taté anywhere," she said with her adorable pleading face.

I hesitated.

"Well.. uhm.. Okay. But I'm eating first."

"Yey!" she squealed and held my hand, about to drag me towards the family room.

"Dionna taté!" she squealed.

Ms. McCrae emerged from the bend in the hallway and she smiled at Lana.

"Hey Lana," she greeted back and approached us.

"Are you busy taté?" Lana asked her.

"Oh well, I was told to stay from the kitchen," she answered.

"Then you're not busy! Come play with us," Lana exclaimed, bouncing up and down.

"Okay," she smiled.

The three of us entered into the family room. Rayana and the girls are still decorating the family tree. It looks festive.

"Did you have a snack yet girls?" I asked them as I settled myself in one of the plush sofa.

"Not yet koké," Raya responded, looking up to me.

"That reminds me to get some for us."

She set aside the crystal balls she's holding and stood up.

"I'll be back with something to eat girls," she announced then walked off.

"I'll be eating ahead," I told Diana and the others and took a bite of the samsa.

"You are doing well with the decorating," Ms. McCrae told them as she stood at the side, admiring the New Year's tree.

"Raya and I already had plans months prior about what to do with the New Year's tree so we came prepared," Diana responded to her with a smile.

"Lana please be careful. You might break the glass figurines," Ayaru said to Lana who is rummaging through a box.

"Can I play with one taté?" she asked Ayaru with her pleading face.

"Okay. But be careful not to break it," Ayaru answered her.

Lana beamed and run to her, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Ayaru smiled.

Ms. McCrae sat beside me on the sofa.

"I hope to have someone as sweet as Lana," she said.

I looked her way in mild surprise. That came out of nowhere.

"You mean your own child?"

She nodded.

"Someday, I mean."

I just nodded.

"Do you want one?" I offered her the samsa.

"No Sir. Thank you," she answered me.

I finished my food after a few minutes and Lana came to me as soon as I was done. It seemed like she is keeping a close eye on when I'll be finished.

"Can we go see the swimming pool aga? There must be lots of snow in the pool."

I wrinkled my forehead at her.

"Are you sure? It will be cold."

"Then, we won't take long aga. Please?"

There she goes with her adorable pleading eyes again.

"Well... Sure. Okay. But we won't take long okay? About five minutes because it's very cold."

"Five minutes?" she pouted.

"Ten?"

"Ten!" she grinned widely.

"Will you be coming Dionna taté?" she turned to Ms. McCrae.

"Sure. I didn't know there is a pool here," Ms. McCrae responded, expectant.

Hm. Going there will not be a bad idea after all. Ms. McCrae will be able to see the pool.

Lana grabbed both of our hands and led us to the gym room. We walked a little further to the end and I opened the door to the pool. Soft, white snow greeted us.

"Wow!" Ms. McCrae said in an amazed whisper.

"The snow just stopped pouring, giving us this new flurry snow," I said to her.

"How about a snowball fight in the pool aga?" Lana looked up to me, excited.

"Er. Sure."

The pool is quite big. It's about 20 feet wide and 60 feet long. I love taking long swims especially at night. Not during winter, of course.

"Dionna taté and I will be a team," she said as she took Ms. McCrae's hands and they walked ahead to the other side. They both jumped down to the soft snow in the shallow part of the pool.

I don't have a choice but to go with it.

I jumped on the side opposite them and grabbed a handful of snow. They also grab theirs then we made it into a ball. Minutes later we were laughing and huffing as we throw snowballs back and forth to each other.

I was about to throw one at Lana again but Ms. McCrae saw me and she ran to her. She tripped over her feet however, and fell face down to the snow. With mild shock, Lana and I both ran to her side.

"Are you okay?"

I held both of her hands and flipped her carefully on her backside.

"Ow," she grimaced.

"Are you hurt?" I frowned as I inspected her legs.

"Uh it's nothing Sir."

She stood up and shook off the snow off her clothes.

"Are you really okay taté?" Lana asked, worry etched all over her face.

Ms. McCrae nodded at her and smiled with her dimple lines.

"I think we played enough baby. Shall we go in now?" I said to Lana.

She nodded without a word.

The three of us headed straight to the kitchen and drank something warm. Ms. McCrae and I both opted for tea while Lana had a cup of hot choco.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked Ms. McCrae as we sip our hot drinks.

She nodded.

"But I saw you limping a bit," I pressed.

"It's really nothing Sir. It will be okay," she responded.

"Is it your sprain?"

She nodded.

"I will put an ice pack on it later and it will be good as new."

"Hm. Okay."

She will be fine I guess. She survived the Continental Divide Trail after all.

A few minutes later we were back in the family room to see the progress of the New Year's tree.

It looks pretty grand. The four girls did well with the decoration.

I ended up lounging around in the family room and played the guitar with Lana. Ms. McCrae left and she came back when it was about lunch time.

"Ms. Rakhym said everyone should go to the dining room for lunch," she announced.

Lana ran to her and grasped her hand.

"Can we sit together taté?"

She smiled down to her and nodded. They went off hand in hand while the girls and I walked after them.

"Lana sticks around Dionna a lot," Ayaru commented.

"Indeed," I shrugged.

"I wonder why. She doesn't usually stick with anyone. She just goes off wherever and does whatever she feels like doing."

"Well, Lana says she's pretty and kind."

I looked at them when they turned silent.

"What?"

"Oh nothing," Rayana said, eyeing me playfully.

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