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| "Your parents don't seem to care for my old fashioned ways, I suppose." |
Felix was awakened, again, by Great Aunt Eliza's rattling. Only this time, she wasn't speaking to him,
she was chatting quietly to baby Daniel, who sat in his high chair, sniffing.
"There, there, my boy. Great Auntie Eliza is going to fix you a nice cup of chocolate tea. Not like that nasty brew of your mothers'." she was explaining to the child. "We need to get that fever of yours down."
Felix, now wide awake, got up from the cot and went over to his aunt.
"Did I hear you say chocolate?" he asked, "Or was I dreaming?" he mumbled sleepily, unsure whether he was awake or dreaming.
"Oh, no not chocolate, Felix. Water Raven's Tea it's called, but it tastes like chocolate." Eliza explained.
Felix suddenly became thirsty. "Can I try a sip, Aunt Eliza?" he asked.
"Why certainly." she replied, handing him the cup of tea. Felix took the cup from her feeble hand and sipped."Mmm....this does taste like chocolate." he said, handing the cup back.
"Indeed it does. It will help lessen muscle pains and fevers, and it tastes good, too, which will make small children drink it down eagerly." she told her nephew. She turned to the child in the high chair. "Now, now, Daniel. We need to get this inside of you. There, that's a good boy, yes, drink it all down." she told the toddler, who seemed to enjoy the tea considerably.
"You should get Father to drink some of that stuff." Felix said as he heard his father cough in his sleep.
Eliza sighed, "I doubt that your Father will, your parents don't seem to care for my old fashioned ways, I suppose." she shivered, and rubbed her hands together. "Dear me, I can't seem to get warm, and my bedroom is even colder, if you ask me. This rickety old farmhouse lets in all the drafts as if all the doors and windows were open on a hot summer day."
Felix swallowed, suddenly becoming uneasy as his conscience pricked him.
"Umm, Great Aunt Eliza, I....I have something that I need to tell you..." he stammered. "You see umm...I turned off the heat going towards your room. I'm....I'm sorry.....Great Aunt Eliza." he finished, reddening with shame.
Eliza stifled a giggle, and looked at him earnestly. "You are a very clever boy, Felix. I suppose I have been rather difficult lately, and I cannot blame you for what you did."
Felix looked up at his aunt, surprised. "Really?"
Eliza smiled. "I'm sure I would have done the exact same thing when I was young."
"You would?" he asked, not quite imagining his old aunt playing senseless pranks.
"Oh indeed I would have. I used to be quite rambunctious when I was about your age. I was quite stubborn and determined at the same time. I always went for my dreams and ambitions," she looked at Felix with a twinkle in her eye, "I can see alot of me in you."
"You do?" Felix asked, "I know you really weren't like me, Great Aunt Eliza. I mean, whenever I get a dumb idea into my head I just go ahead and do it, without thinking, and then later after I did it I just realize how stupid that really was. Just like my dreams for later in life."
He frowned, remembering the tragic event last fall with his horse, Blakkie, when Felix had made an unwise decision that had cost his horse its life. Felix swallowed and blinked back tears.
Eliza saw his emotion.
"Oh Felix," she comforted, "It's never wrong to go after your dreams, as long as you know it's the right thing to do and that you have your parents wisdom and advice to go with it."
Felix sniffed, and wiped his eyes with his sleeve.
"You really think so?" he asked, turning his attention towards his aunt.
"Do you think that I have reached this old age without any unfortunate happenings? Felix, my boy, following your dreams isn't all roses and butterflies. Yes, there will be bumps and bruises along the way, but, it's the reward and satisfaction of completing your journey that you go for." Eliza said, softening her voice.
Felix smiled, glad to have had this talk with his old aunt. "Thanks, Great Aunt Eliza."
He noticed his baby brother fast asleep in his high chair, when all of a sudden he got an idea. "Great Aunt Eliza, you can sleep down here. It's much warmer here in the kitchen and I can take my own room back. I'll bring your blankets and things down here." he said, picking his baby brother up.
Eliza smiled. "Thank you, Felix, that is a good idea."
And with that, Felix went upstairs carrying his sleeping baby brother, glad at heart.
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