"Where are yer, poppet?" Parker asked as he tried to find me under his overloaded stock of towels for bathing in the ocean with. Underneath the pink towel, he heard my muffled giggles. He pulled it away, and I squealed with delight. "Aaaaahhh," he cooed, and he grabbed me in his arms and cuddled me playfully. How I laughed!
When Lady Penelope feels quite ill and can’t look after me, Parker takes over parenting duties for my toddler self and has a fun, cheeky way of taking care of me.
Lady Penelope relaxes in a quiet part of the mansion garden, surrounded by beautiful roses. She cradles my toddler self to sleep and, in a hushed voice, whispers a soft, gentle lullaby.
Deep in a cool, soft-hearted jungle lives a freedom-filled young woman, whose name is Tin Tin Kyrano.
She loved to go to the lake every day and shower under the waterfall. Given the chance, she would bathe in the crystal clear lake.
But what made her days more fun was when I, a 3 year old named Sybil, would run away from my tribe to play with her.
When she saw me running towards her, she would giggle as I leapt into the water, squealing with joy.
She loved me more than my mother Lady Penelope would love me in her tribe, and her skin was so satiny soft and smooth - it felt like touching nothing at all.
She would watch as I tried learning to swim in the water.
Often, she taught me how to.
She knew the water very well. It was like she was born to enjoy it.
She played with me in the water every day I visited her too.
She would lie on her back and lift me high into the air, while I squealed in joy.
We would splash each other, and we’d play tag amongst the cool water.
Sometimes, we would visit a part of the forest that Tin Tin loves to visit.
It has lots of lovebirds sitting in the trees, looking very silent and coloured green and orange, like the Caribbean.
But when we entered, me safe in Tin Tin’s arms, our aura spread to the birds in the branches. They started squawking loudly and rubbing their beaks against each other.
Tin Tin told me that it takes a wild, beautiful, natural woman like her to fill the jungle with love and kindness - and someday, I’ll be just like her.
Tin Tin and I are quite alike - smooth skin, a love of nature and a never ending sense of happiness upon us.
We love cuddling in the softest, leaf-covered part of the jungle, where Tin Tin loves to sleep.
Given the chance, Tin Tin would hold me close as she went to sleep and sing me a lullaby in a hushed voice.
She was like my second mother. I could never have another protector like her.
Our love for one another is endless - it’s like we’re both sisters, born to bond with each other.
The jungle has known it in its heart, as did everyone else who knew of my friendship with her.
I have shared lots of moments of love and laughter with Tin Tin. She loves me, and I love her too.
We share kisses, cuddles, hugs and snuggles, and our friendship is ever lasting…
And now, as an adult with responsibilities of protecting my tribe, I still remember my friendship with Tin Tin.
Thanks, Tin Tin. I’ll always remember you.
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One night, I was all snuggled beside Mummy in her big soft bed, and everything felt warm. The blankets were like hugs, and Mummy—my beautiful Mummy Lady Penelope—smelled like flowers and sleepy tea. I could hear her breathing gently, her arm curved just enough to hold me close. I was so happy she was with me, not going anywhere, just here, stretched out beside me.
But then, Mummy let out a big grown-up sigh and stretched. Her arms reached far, her legs too, and she groaned like how I do when I pretend to be a lion. I rolled all the way over to the edge of the bed like a little log. My head popped up from under the covers, and I blinked. Sherbet, our silly pink-nosed pug, had been shoved to the side. He was half-under a pillow, with his soft round bottom sticking right up in the air.
I blinked again. That would not do.
So I crawled across the blankets—carefully, very carefully—and gave Sherbet a little nudge. “Down,” I whispered like Mummy sometimes says to me. I gently pushed his bum down till he was lying like a proper sleepy pug, his squishy face smooshed into the bed. Then I slid myself back under the blankets like a sneaky worm, tucking myself in with a big sigh. All fixed.
But Mummy started to hum.
It was soft at first, like the lullabies she sings sometimes, but then her voice got dreamier, and I could tell she wasn’t awake. She was singing in her sleep.
I scooted closer and then slipped all the way under the covers, my head poking near her tummy. It was warm and dark under there, like a little tent. I could feel her body move with her breathing, and then… she started dreaming.
In her dream, she was on a big, shiny stage. I could see it, like magic. Lights flashing, a huge crowd cheering. Mummy had sparkly clothes on, and she was singing loud, dancing like she was floating. “Oooooh, baby, ooooooh!” she sang, tossing her hair.
And then, just when everyone screamed with happiness, she flew off the stage, arms open wide—and crashed into the crowd!
But the crowd wasn’t there.
Mummy hit the floor with a thud.
I poked my head out from under the blanket. She was lying on the bedroom carpet, her hair a little messy and her nightdress all twisted. She opened one eye and groaned.
I giggled.
She smiled and raised one eyebrow. “Oh ho…” she whispered. “Where are you?”
She started crawling toward the bed on her hands and knees. “Sherbet,” she called softly, “go find our little nighttime explorer.”
Sherbet perked up and snuffled his way under the blankets.
I knew he found me because I could feel his soft bum pressing right into my face.
“BOO!” I yelled, and Sherbet turned around so fast he flopped right onto my lap. I grabbed him and gave him a big cuddle, both of us squashed together like two peas under a duvet.
Then the covers lifted, and Mummy peeked in. Her eyes twinkled. “Peek-a…” she whispered.
“BOO!” I squealed.
She scooped me up in one big cuddle and kissed my cheek. I curled into her arms, all small and safe.
Sherbet made a little whuff, and Mummy looked down at him with a grin. “Oh, we can’t forget you, darling.”
She wrapped one arm around Sherbet too, pulling him into the cuddle. Now we were all three tangled up, warm and safe in our nighttime snuggle.
Suddenly, there was a grumble from the bed next to ours.
“Is there a reason for all this commotion?” came Parker’s sleepy voice.
Mummy blinked and tried not to laugh. “She just doesn’t want to go to bed, Parker,” she said with a soft smile. “She still wants to play.”
And I did.
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