TRAPPED

32

MANY YEARS AGO
Adrien

I walk into Léo's bedroom, pausing in the doorway when I see him on the floor, legs crossed with Celine sitting on his lap. I smile as he directs his baby sisters little hand over to a flat piece of LEGO, helping her connect the pieces.

     "There you go, CeCe." Léo says quietly. Celine giggles and leans back on him, her gummy grin remaining long after her laughs end.

     I continue to watch them, heart warming and how gentle Léo is with her. Then I walk over to them, and it's only now that my son notices me. He smiles. "Hi dad."

     "Hey, buddy." I whisper as I sit down on the edge of his bed, looking down at them as Celine grabs fistfuls of LEGO pieces. I ruffle his hair, and he crinkles his nose.

     Celine looks at me and gasps, then erupts into another fit of giggles. My lips tilt up at the corners. "You surprised to see me? I live here." I say. She giggles again and climbs off her older brothers lap, crawling over to me.

     She plops herself down by my feet and looks up at me. "Up." She demands, pouting.

     My smile widens as I lift her up and set her onto my lap. She stands on my thighs, wrapping her short arms around my neck and leaning on me.

     "Daddy." She whines.

     "What, baby?"

     Léo continues playing with his LEGO's as Celine sticks her tongue out. Then she grabs my face and says: "gotcha!"

     I laugh as I pull her little hands away. "I think somebody's overdue for her nap."

     "Not me." She says, crawling off my lap and trying to jump off the bed. I scoop her back up and stand, and she starts kicking her little legs.

     "Can I come with you?" Léo asks me.

     I smile. "'Course you can, baby. Come on." I hold my hand out for him, moving Celine onto my hip, and he stands quickly to hold it. Then I take them both into Celine's bedroom, but when I go to put my little girl down in her cot she starts crying.

     "No!"

     "You need to sleep, sweetheart." I whisper, rubbing my hand up and down her little back. She shakes her head, then leans it on my shoulder and sniffles. I sigh. "Why don't you come in my room and nap?"

She nods quickly. I smile and take them into the bedroom I share with their mother instead. I'm not sure where Isabel has gotten off too, but I never really ask anymore. She's barely at home, and while I feel like I know what she's doing, I'm not sure I could bring myself to care even if I tried my hardest.

"Come on." I whisper, sitting down on the bed. Léo sits beside me, and I pull the covers up for him. He crawls under and lays down, and I go beside him, bundling my daughter up in one of her favourite blankets. I wrap my arm around Léo's shoulders, and he closes his eyes. He doesn't need to take naps anymore, but he always does.

I kiss Celine's little forehead and close my eyes.

PRESENT DAY
Adrien