Page 30 of Love Me Forever

She didn’t look so intimidated, but she didn’t know Remus either, and while she was fine now, getting used to her new life wouldn’t happen overnight.

“You can spend the morning with me,” Sébastien told her.

She grinned and leaned over to fling her arms around his neck. Sébastien hugged her back with none of the leeriness or outright distrust he’d have if anyone else besides Remus attempted that.

“If you let me go now, I can ask my neighbor for a couple of things,” said Milly. “Her granddaughter has wings, and she’s growing like a weed. I’m sure she has a couple of things Éloïse could wear.”

“Would you ask her? Elira, I didn’t even think of what she’ll wear after a bath.”

They ate soup and bread in the dining room, although Éloïse’s was more broth. Sébastien tried to get her to sit nicely by him in a chair with a cushion so she could reach the table better.Instead, she got into his lap and refused to budge. Sébastien let her and told her to be careful with her mug.

Since Remus knew things about Sébastien that he’d never discuss in detail with others, it was obvious to him that he wasn’t cold although others had often viewed him like that. He also wasn’t surprised that Sébastien had rescued the girl and brought her in although he was still rather floored that they had a child all of a sudden.

He couldn’t pretend it wasn’t a little odd that his future husband had relented so quickly and let her sit in his lap. He’d also been quite at ease with her in the kitchen. Perhaps he was one of those people who are naturally better with children even though he hadn’t had much chance to show it yet.

Remus tried asking her some simple questions, and she answered, but she didn’t seem very interested in talking to him.

Milly returned when they were almost done, and Remus heard her footsteps upstairs. They had an unused bedroom, and after some more noises and footsteps, Milly called out.

“I’m leaving. I made the bed for her, and there are a few things she can wear.”

“Thanks,” called Remus and Sébastien.

“I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

Éloïse yawned. “I’m tired.”

“Do you think you could stay up a bit more so you can have a bath? You can’t go to sleep like that.”

“Yes, I can.”

Well, she had, but that wasn’t a good thing.

“You’ll feel better if you take a bath,” said Remus.

She didn’t look very convinced as Sébastien scooted her off of his lap so he could stand. “Remus, can you put the dishes in the kitchen so I can take her upstairs?”

***

Remus hesitantly entered the spare bedroom and called out. “Do you want me to run out and get anything? Is there anything she really needs right now?”

“You can come in.”

Éloïse was sitting on a footstool in the attached privy room and kicking her feet while Sébastien carefully combed her hair. He’d wetted it down and seemed to be checking near her scalp.

“Thank Elira she doesn’t have nits because I don’t know what to do for those. I don’t think we need anything urgently right now. I would like it if you could get the bath oil from our privy room so I can smooth her hair a bit. I need to comb out these knots before she bathes.”

Remus fetched it and figured he’d leave them be. In the morning, he could go out with a list. As a kid, he’d had nice clothes made by a tailor, although he’d hated being measured or told to pick out colors from swaths because he hadn’t cared what color coat he put on in the morning.

A little girl might like that sort of thing, and she needed clothes anyway. He could get a seamstress to come by later. Sébastien had one who’d made his wardrobe. Of course, all of his new clothes were dark, although at least not every single thing was black.

She’d probably love toys. All kids need toys to play with. Books too, if the family can afford at least a couple. What about a tutor? He sat on the bed trying to think of things to get her. The tutor could wait, but kids need a lot.

Sébastien called for Remus after a good twenty minutes, and he returned to the bedroom to find Sébastien sitting on the bed. Splashy noises came through the privy room door.

“Make sure you actually wash yourself and don’t just play in the water,” called Sébastien. “I think she knows how to bathe, but I told her anyway. It’s easy to forget things at that age, andI went through a short period when Mother practically had to force me into the tub.”

“Really?”

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