Tie a Knot & Hang On

Mum and Dad had to go away. They went away sometimes, not a lot. If Mum left, Dad usually stayed home with us, and if Dad left, then Mum stayed. One or the other. But this time, they were both leaving. Very important, they said. It was very, very important. They were leaving me with Uncle Mumbles for a whole weekend, and even though I was still a little bit sick, I was so excited to be there, I even woke up early.

Wearing one of my favorite dresses, I got out of the car with Mum and Dad, practically racing ahead of them. I ran so fast I was coughing by the time I knocked on the door. It swung open to reveal one of my favorite people in the whole world.

“Uncle Mumbles!” I squealed loudly, throwing my arms up and grabbing for him. He scooped me up and gave me a squeeze before he balanced me on his hip. I giggled and clapped my hands together. “We’re gonna have a sleepover!”

“Are we?” he asked in his raspy, quiet voice. Uncle Mumbles couldn’t talk much louder than that, and for awhile, I felt like I had to whisper around him all the time. He told me I didn’t have to whisper back, but I liked it. It felt like we were telling secrets. “Didn’t know.”

Thinking that he could’ve forgotten, my mouth fell open. “Uncle Mumbles! Did you forget? How could you?”

I flopped down on his shoulder, and he rubbed my back. He wasn’t making any loud sounds, but his breath was laughing. “Kidding, Belle,” he told me, even using my nickname and everything. I wish there was a special meaning behind it like Mum’s nickname. We were just watching a movie one time, and the character was named Belle. I just decided I liked it, so we went with that. “Even got your favorite breakfast.”

I shot up, mouth wide in a grin now. “Cheerios?!”

“I thought you liked ice cream.” Uncle Mumbles’ whole face squinted up like he didn’t understand, but he’d known me for four years, so I didn’t know how he could’ve thought ice cream was my favorite breakfast.

“Ice cream’s not breakfast, silly,” I giggled, patting him on the head.

“Did I hear ice cream for breakfast?” Mum asked with an amused smile on her face. Travis clung to her hand. Daddy had both twins not too far behind her.

“Sorry, Princess,” Uncle Mumbles apologized with a shrug. “No grown-ups allowed.”

Mum snorted, “And they say maturity comes with age.” She paused and smiled. “Thanks for watching the brood—“ Dad laughed. Why was that funny? “—this weekend. We’ll be back on Monday morning, so—“

“Princess, don’t worry ‘bout it,” Uncle Mumbles cut her off.

“But—“

“Don’t worry ‘bout it,” he repeated.

Uncle Mumbles let everyone in, and Aunt Sophie started offering everyone breakfast and tea or coffee, but Mum and Dad were in a rush. Had to go, had to “catch a 14 hour flight to Hong Kong.” Mum and Uncle Mumbles hugged goodbye, squashing me between them. Daddy and Uncle Mumbles exchanged a really weird sort of half-hug that wasn’t totally hug. Travis didn’t like hugs much either. Must’ve been a boy thing.

“Oh, before we leave,” Mum piped up. “Lucy’s just done being sick. Had a nasty little flu, but she’s not contagious anymore. All cleared up. She’s just a little drained still, so try not to let her run around too much. And she hasn’t been all that hungry lately, so don’t… you know, force her to eat. She’ll come around—“

“Princess, I know,” Uncle Mumbles cut her off again. “I got kids, too. ‘Member?”

“Right, yeah,” Mum laughed, and her cheeks turned pink. “I know.”

“‘Sides, takin’ care of you was practice enough,” Uncle Mumbles joked. Even Dad snorted.

Mum snapped her head around, looking rather sad. “Muscles!” she gasped. “Not you too! You’re my husband! It’s your job to side with me, not him!”

Dad cleared his throat, put on a very serious face, and nodded a few times. “Right, Blondie, right,” he agreed. “Sorry. I slipped for a second there.”

Uncle Mumbles spent another few minutes assuring Mum that he had everything handled. Then, Mum and Dad kissed all the kids goodbye, thanked Uncle Mumbles and Aunt Sophie again, and they were gone. Travis immediately bolted outside into the backyard to play with our cousins, leaving me alone on the couch with Uncle Mumbles while Aunt Sophie took the twins up the stairs.

I slumped over the arm of the couch, staring out the back door and watching my brother run around, chasing Uncle Mumbles’ son and daughter. Then, he fell in the grass, but he recovered. I wanted to go out too, but I was tired. Uncle Mumbles took the words right out of my mouth.

“Sorry, Belle,” he mumbled. “Can’t go out there yet.”

“I know,” I groaned. “I’m tired. But I’m not that tired. Mum’s being stupid.”

“Your mum’s a lotta things, but she ain’t stupid,” he replied quietly. “Just lookin’ out for you’s all.”

“Well, I don’t need her to!” I insisted, sitting up straight and looking at my uncle. “I’m big, she even said so herself!”

He laughed. Grinned. Must’ve been real funny because he didn’t grin that often. “Sounds like somethin’ she used to say.”

I whined and flopped back into the cushion. “It’s not fair,” I complained. “I wanna go out too. I wanna play.”

“Maybe tomorrow,” Uncle Mumbles said. “For now, how ‘bout movies an’ ice cream?”

Blinking, I tilted my head to him and considered the offer. I did like movies, and I really liked ice cream. After a pause, I asked, “What kinda ice cream?”

“Strawberry.”

“That’s my favorite!” I squealed, clasping my hands together, grinning so hard my face started to hurt.

His shoulders shook a little. “I know,” he said. “Lemme get it. You find a movie, okay?”

Sounded like a perfect night to me, but weekends with Uncle Mumbles were always nice. Even though Mum and Dad were gone, a weekend there was still like being at home, except with a lot more ice cream, and Travis wasn’t acting like a butt. Still, something felt different about this time, but I couldn’t tell if it was just me making things up or the aftermath of the flu. Shrugged it off, anyway, when Uncle Mumbles brought back my ice cream. Nothing mattered much after that.