Getting Along

Writers: Jane, Vix
Date Posted: 29th August 2008

Characters: Hartam, Zandreu
Description: Zandreu asks Hartam about life with twin babies.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 11, day 9 of Turn 4

"How are those babes of yours getting along?" the Tavern Master asked as the
harper arrived for the days work. With the busiest time for the tavern
being the evenings the 'days work' started at different times for almost
every worker or crafter but sitting in the main room at one of the tables
gave Zandreu a chance to chat to many of them whenever they drifted in.

Hartam smiled at the mention of the twins. "I swear that you could almost
see them growing. Of course, all they ever do is eat and sleep. And cry of
course."

"The both cry at the same time?" Zandreu said, horrified at the imagined
noise. He had only ever had to have one babe at a time in his household,
and that had been disruption enough.

"Not initially," the harper told him, "but if one starts and isn't quieted
quickly enough, the other starts. And since it usually takes at least a few
moments to figure out the cause, yes, usually both at once."

"Oh dear. That doesn't sound good." The older man shook his head. "How is
your wife managing?"

"She seems to be enjoying it. And of course, there are plenty of women in
the Hall who are eager to help."

"Are there?" Zandreu stuck pretty close to the Tavern and even when he
visited the Hall buildings he avoided any sort of social contact. "Well,
that's good. What are their names again?"

"Our son is Tayhar and our daughter is Haryette," Hartam replied. "We
weren't sure how to go about naming them, so we decided to try out the Weyr
practice of combining names." He chuckled softly. "Of course, I'm still in
the habit of calling them 'the boy' and 'the girl.' I suppose I should get
used to those names."

"You could just call them 'son' and 'daughter' for a while, I suppose. How
are doing for sleep? You're working late here some nights."

"I'm sleeping well enough but that's because of Tayette," the harper
admitted. "I sometimes wake up when I hear one of them crying, but she
usually whisks the babe away and I doze off again."

"Well, if you wanted too you could sleep over here. If there is a problem,
which there sounds like there isn't." Zandreu's own memories of fatherhood
were clouded by things other than exhaustion but he could recall how tired
his wife had become. "Is there somebody to help her - you said the other
women do? But at night? So she can have some uninterrupted sleep?"

Hartam frowned at that suggestion. "I hadn't really thought about it. She
gets up with them during the night, though she does have helpers during the
day. Perhaps I should take a night or two of getting up with them – though
I'd not be able to feed them."

"If you did everything else she might not have to be quite so awake. She
could stay tucked up in bed. If you need to you can take a night or two off
from here, you know."

"A night off?" The harper looked at the Tavern Master in surprise. "I don't
really take time off. At least, I never have, never have had a reason to do so."

"Now you have a reason to. Two reasons to."

"You're right," Hartam grinned. "Though you may regret pointing that out to me."

"Don't worry. I'll let you know if I think you're taking advantage," the
Tavern Master assured the harper journeyman.

The harper's face grew solemn again as he shook his head. "It won't come to
that, though I do appreciate the advice and will take it."

"Good. Now, have you had breakfast?" It was late for that, but after Turns
of tavern work the master vintner wasn't fussy about which label went on
which meal.

Hartam shook his head. "Only a quick cup of klah in the Hall dining room.
How about you?"

"A little bit ... But I can always fit in a little more." He waved at one
of the serving staff, doing their cleaning for the morning. "Let's see what
Barthella has for us this morning."

Last updated on the August 30th 2008

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Getting Along