merriment

noun

1. gaiety and fun.

2. activities that are enjoyable or amusing.

Grant, JacJac's driver, was carrying a load of bags and was chatting with building security about the Yorkie puppy having escaped again.

"Bring Waffle in, JacJac." I held the door opened wide as the both moved inside, closed the door and helped Grant unload his armful.

"Flaffle? His name is Flaffle?" JacJac asked as he carried the puppy in as it licked his face. He giggled and put it down on the settee in the lounge.

"Waffle, and yes, and Waffle likes you very much, JacJac." I rubbed his head and then spent some time teaching my little brother about how to hold the little puppy dog, keeping his neck free from stranglings.

"Can we gives him a barf?" JacJac was curious about the puppy, gently pinching its ears, rubbing its fur and trying to catch the wagging tail. The little Yorkie was thrilled at his new play mate and tried to jump up to lick my brother's face. I carefully curbed that behaviour as I didn't want the dog to think it was OK.

"You will have to ask Mrs Morisse if Waffle can stay for a visit. He might need to go home to his Mama."

"Oooh, but I wants Waffle to stays wiff me." JacJac pouted, much like he does at his own parents when he's trying to his own way.

"Selling meng isn't going to work, Buddy. Angels and puppy dogs need to behave, learn to get on well together, play and have fun, but then they need to go home to their Mommies and Daddies. You don't want Waffle to get sad from missing his Mama do you?" Emotional black mail, yes it is a thing and works really well on meng selling four year olds.

A knock on my door had me leaving them both with Grant as I dealt with my security guys at the door. They informed me that Mrs Morisse was out of the building but was on her way home. She would be another hour before she could come and collect her little Furbutt. That was plenty of time for my two cuties to bathe and have fun with water play.

"Grant? Can you continue to watch these guys while I got set up things upstairs?" I asked after seeing the security guys off. I tried not to mention 'baths' or 'water play' while JacJac was in the same room. I would be loads easier to run the bath water and set the heating in the bathroom before they arrived. I found a pair of swimming trunks in JacJac's collection of bags and a large fluffy towel or two and placed them all in the bathroom. Then I went to the kitchen and found a few plastic jugs and funnels, a sponge and sieve that JacJac could play with.

Coming out of the kitchen, JacJac's curious and inquisitive eyes latched on and he carefully held the Yorkie off the lounge settee and trailed after me towards the stairs.

"What doing, Liwlee?" He asked. Waffle barked.

"I've been setting up a water play date for you and Waffle in the upstairs bathroom. Wanna come check it out?" I asked him.

"Weawly?" He asked, his cute little eyes full of excitement. I loved this the most about this little brother of mine. He was so expressive, so happy and lovely. I hoped that he will always stay this way and never change.

My heart gave a pang of sadness when I remember all that I missed in my last lifetime after the huge house fire that took this little guy's life. I took a calming breath, reminding myself that he's alive and well now, right here in front of me. What ever fate or the gods or some cosmic miracle that brought me back this time so keep this gorgeous son of heaven alive, I am forever grateful.

Pre-schooler, puppies and water play, caaarayzeeee! Water everywhere. They were both in the bath tub, playing, splashing, squealing and barking. An hour later I had them both wrapped up in towels before my double sided gas fire place in the lounge. I was on drying duty while Grant was sent up to the bathroom on clean up duty. I felt so guilty for the mess that he had volunteered to clean up. Between the Yorkie puppy dog and the four year old, most of the bath water ended up everywhere else but the bath tub.

"The water was fun! Liwlee, can we do it again?" JacJac asked, happy as he helped me dry off the soggy Furbutt.

"How about another day, yeah?" I quickly came up with an excuse to halt any more messes.

"Can we have bowbles next tiwme?" He turned around to look up at me, his eyes emulating the puppy's eyes in his arms. I shook my head gently.

"Baby doggies have sensitive skin, so we can't use human bubble bath or soap products on them or it could hurt them, you see?"

"How abowt doggy bubbles?" He asked.

"What is healthy for doggy skin would be bad for JacJac's skin. So we can't use bubbles. How about we set you up with a bubble bath next time and Waffle can watch?" The suggestion sounded like a good idea until I realised that the puppy would just jump into the bubble bath anyway.

JacJac nodded his head just as the door bell rang.

"That will me Mrs Morrise, JacJac, Waffle's Mommy, come to take him home." I stood up and picked them both up off the floor rug and turned the gas fire off now that these two were dry and warm.

"Liwlee?" JacJac looked really sad for a moment. He held a tired Waffle in his arms and then looked up at me. "Does Waffle wearwly have to goes home?"

"Yes, Waffle really has to go home." Oh, my breaking heart, I almost gave in and told the little Angel that he could keep the puppy forever, until I came back to reality and put the crazy-thinking breaks on. "His Mommy will miss him very much. Will you come and play with him again next time?"

"Next time?" Both the kid and the puppy tilted their heads to the same side, thinking about my new idea.

"Why don't we ask Mrs Morrise, Waffle's Mommy, if we can puppy-sit next you come over to play?"

"Wearwly? Yay! Next time, next time!" He raced to the door as Grant made his way downstairs, jumping up and down on the spot, yelling, "Next time, next time!"

I smiled at Grant as he check the security display and opened up the door.

Mrs Morrise was a lovely, dignified and elegant elder woman full of poise and grace. She wore a high-necked pencil dress with capped sleeves and a large high-end felted shawl over the top. She looked very matter-of-fact, until she saw us open the door and find her Yorkie puppy in my little brother's arms.

"Oh, my goodness, what a pair you two are." She rubbed JacJac on his curly head and gently pinched the puppy's ears.

"Mrs Morrise, pleased to meet you. I am Lily Twice, this is my brother, JacJac Overmeyer and my assistant, Grant Hepburn. Would you care to come in?" I asked, inviting her in. I wanted to discuss the problem of her doggie always escaping her apartment. It would be a shame if the Yorkie were to escape the building as was injured or lost permanently.

"I won't intrude, but please accept my sincerest apologies." She handed me a small box of gourmet grapes with a thank you card with both her hands then proceeded to outline the measures she was putting in place to ensure the Waffle didn't escape her apartment and the building again. We spoke in the lobby outside my penthouse apartment, while JacJac said his goodbyes. I waved the lovely lady and her puppy off, then spent more time explaining to JacJac why Waffle couldn't be adopted into our family as we didn't actually own him.

He really didn't get it. If his Daddy can own "evewyfing" then why couldn't we own Waffle too? I video taped it, his confused demands for world domination at aged four, sent the video to Wallace and mum, with a message about 'How To Train Your World-Dominating-Toddler', then went to cook everyone lunch.

The afternoon was spent studying uni stuff while watching kids movies with my brother, more messes (dinner cooking) in the kitchen and cleaning spaghetti from all over the dining room floor. That kid can make such messes. And because Grant had left me just before dinner, I was on clean up all by myself this time. I quickly rethought the idea of employing a house maid of my own.

By the time bedtime rolled around, I was totally exhausted and realised that being a full-time mother was not for the weak of heart.