A Tidy House is a Happy House

Writers: Ames, Heather
Date Posted: 18th March 2019

Characters: Lisadi, Westyn, Dareera, Wesla, Gaesyn, Gesylle
Description: Lisadi supervises Westyn's family and stays for dinner
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 9, day 11 of Turn 9

*******

"Girls, come on, we need to do _some_ housekeeping," Lisadi said,
moving around the dollhouse the girls had been exploring. She had
allowed them some time to enjoy each other's company the past few
days, but now that she'd agreed to stay on and watch them until Westyn
returned each night, she felt it was time they took more
responsibility for their quarters.

Dareera immediately stopped and looked up at her mom, "Can we play a
few more minutes, mom? Wesla's dollhouse is amazing!" Dareera had
already helped redesign a few of the dollhouse rooms. It was by far
the largest dollhouse Dareera had ever seen. While not a jealous child
at all, Dareera wished she could have one like Wesla's, but she would
never ask. It simply was not her nature.

"I think it's time to clean up for today. I've allowed you plenty of
time to play these past few days. Today we need to start a schedule
for cleaning the quarters. I promise you can have some playtime each
day, but only if we do our chores first. So let's get things cleaned
up," Lisadi replied, standing beside the dollhouse, waiting for the
girls.

Wesla's bottom lip immediately came out into a pout. She wasn't used
to the structure and order that Lisadi wanted to impose. The seven
Turn-old knew she got whatever she wanted from her father the moment
she whined a little. "But I'm not ready to quit playing!"

"If you do nothing buy play all the time, then the duties and chores
that need done don't get done. You can play again when we finish.
Let's go." Lisadi didn't doubt they would follow here. She turned and
headed towards the dining area of the quarters.

"Gesylle, time to put your book away and join us," Lisadid called out,
reaching for the broom and pan. "We'll begin with sweeping the floor
and dusting down the surfaces." When she turned around and saw only
Dareera standing, looking between her mother and her friend, Lisadi's
voice said more firmly, "Come now, let's show your father what a few
minutes of work can do to your quarters. Don't you _want_ him to be
impressed?"

Wesla's brow furrowed. "Why? What does 'impressed' mean?"

Gesylle rolled her eyes and peered over her book. "It means that he
would be pleasantly surprised if the room was clean."

"But we never clean," Wesla's was looking at Lisadi as if she'd grown
another head.

"Thank you for explaining the word, Gesylle," Lisadi remarked. "Well,
starting today, we _will_ be cleaning. Some areas need cleaned _every_
day, others we can rotate through on a cycle. A tidy house is a happy
house."

Gesylle raise an eyebrow, she'd never heard that phrase before.

"But how can a house be happy?" Wesla asked.

Lisadi suppressed a sigh and a chuckle. "The _house_ refers to all
those who live within it. Think about how all the dust and clutter
makes everyone living here feel? Gee, I alone feel I could sneeze just
from the thought of all the dust." To emphasize her point, she ran a
finger along one of the lesser used counters and held it up to show
all the girls how much dust had gathered. "Come now, let's tidy up and
impress your father when he returns."

"Okay!" Wesla shouted enthusiastically, now excited about the prospect
of having a "happy house" for her father.

Gesylle didn't buy in as easily, but she did close her book and set it
aside in favor of picking up some of the scattered toys and other
things that littered their living quarters.

"We're back," Gaesyn announced as he and Trewlin came through the door.

Lisadi looked up when the boys entered. It was later than they
thought. She glanced around. They had made _some_ progress, but the
quarters still needed work. She would tackle more with them tomorrow.
"Let's just pick up those last few toys here in the living space and I
think your father will be very impressed. Then, let's divide up the
jobs for setting the table. The tray of food I requested for you
should arrive shortly." Lisadi pointed out the different dishes and
requested each of the children to help with the table settings.

When everything was in place, she clapped her hands with pleasure.
There were five place settings arranged on the table. Not quite as
_neat_ as when she did it herself but she was pleased that the
children had helped and even added some touches of their own.

When Westyn entered the living quarters he did so with the same
apology on his lips that he always entered with, "I'm so sorry for
running behind" but the words died out after "I'm so" because his eyes
caught on the spic-and-span condition of his living quarters. His
living quarters _never_ looked this neat. Then his eyes traveled to
the set table and there were all of his children, minus Waylle.
**Probably with that boy,** he thought with a flare of annoyance.

"It looks amazing in here," he said. He'd noticed that things in his
home seemed to run very differently when Lisadi was around. Women in
the past whom he'd hired to watch his children had quit after a couple
of sevendays, and they'd never seemed to have a positive effect on the
children.

Lisadi simply smiled, nudging Westyn's girls to take some credit for
the work. "The children really out did themselves," she said, just as
a knock sounded on the door behind Westyn. It was the drudges carrying
the trays of food up from the kitchens for the family.

"Yeah, Daddy!" Wesla said as she skipped over to him and wrapped her
arms around his leg. "Does this house look happy? Is it smiling?"

Westyn chuckled as he looked down at Wesla. Just looking at her always
made his heart squeeze with love. "Yes, it looks very happy," he bent
and scooped her up into his arms as he turned and watched the food
being brought into the room. "Lisadi, I hope you and your children
will be joining us for dinner."

She had been directed the drudges to place the trays on the counter,
uncovering them when Westyn invited her to dinner.

"Oh, that is so kind of you Westyn, but I wouldn't want to take away
from your time with your family. We will just head down to the dining
caverns and get a meal." It had become their new tradition since
staying with Westyn's family after classes. Lisadi had found it easier
to just take her small family to the dining hall rather than setting
up their own table in their quarters.

Westyn set Wesla down and gave her a pat on the bottom as she
scampered over to her seat. "I insist. You've done all of this hard
work, you won't let me pay you, and so the least you could allow me to
do is share dinner with you. Gesylle," he looked to his middle
daughter, "set three more places at the table." He flashed a small
smile at Lisadi as he put his hand to the small of her back and
escorted her to her seat.

"Thank you Westyn. How can we refuse such a lovely offer?" Lisadi
replied, allowing herself to be lead to the table. She nodded to her
own two children, who quickly dropped their things they had been
packing up and moved over to join the table.

"We get to stay for dinner!" Dareera said with a happy dance as she
grabbed her best friend's hands.

Westyn found himself smiling as they all sat down around the table. It
was cozy, and lively, with the children chattering to each other. It
was a scene he had envisioned in his head when he and Gaylle had first
been married, a table full of children. He'd just never imagined
looking up and seeing another woman in her place.

Last updated on the March 23rd 2019

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A Tidy House is a Happy House