Halliwells’ Episology (Year 1/1/2)

“Poo. Poo.” I looked down into my baby sister’s big brown eyes. At one and a half years of age, she has already learnt to walk a couple of months ago, though then, she still walked with unsteady steps, sometimes swaying to one side as if gravity acts in all direction for her.

We were having a grapes eating session and I was peeling the skin for her. Don’t count on Piper, by the time she peeled using her teeth, the fruit was ‘big’ enough to simply minus the chewing part. Little Pheebs was grabbing hold of my shorts, still chewing away with her two rows of few teeth. Despite that, she was actually asking for more.

“Poo. Poo.” She called my name again. I know what it sounded like but hey, she’s only a toddler! No complaints!! Anyway, she was simply so sweet and cute.
“Ok Pheebs.” I finally finished peeling another grape. Using a small knife mummy gave me, I cut it into half, put one part into Phoebe’s mouth and I took the next half. Fair enough, at least I got to eat. It’s not bad, the three of us eating a whole bunch of grapes and best of all, to go with cartoons watching in mummy’s room. Normally, no one is allowed to eat in any of the rooms but that day, Grams and mummy said some people were coming and would be fixing things up downstairs. It would be pretty noisy and dirty so we got to stay upstairs. Just them, there was a loud crash and we jumped. I guessed little Pheebs was frightened most, she moved closer to me and pouted her mouth, ready to erupt in protest for whatever that has scared her. I pulled her into my hold and Piper finished the touch.
“Its ok Pheebs, mummy and Grams are cleaning the house.” I tried to coax my baby sister. Breaking the hug, she looked straight into my eyes.
“Mee. mee.” She pointed to the door.
“Yes Pheebs, mummy is outside and we have to stay here. Mummy doesn’t want us to get dirty, so we will wait for mummy to come ok?”
“Poo. Poo.” She called me again.
“What is it Pheebs? What do you want? Huh? Tell big sister.” I sat her on my lap and she turned her head up looking at me and smiled big.
“You are so very cute Pheebs.” Piper squealed. And she planted a long hard kiss on her face earning a loud giggle from her. I laughed.
“You want more grapes?” Piper asked our baby sister. The youngest nodded her head.
“Ok Piper? You carry Phoebe, I’ll peel the skin.” Piper sat on the floor cross-legged and Phoebe plopped down on her legs. It was real cute to see my middle sister locking her little arms nicely around the baby, who by then had her right thumb in her mouth sucking away. Then we heard again, mummy’s shouting though inaudible, then crashing as if heavy things were being thrown downstairs.

I looked at my sisters, their eyes wide-opened and looks of question locked at the direction of the door.

“Prue? What is going on downstairs? Piper asked. I could see that she was a little more than frightened.
“Mummy said some people are coming to fix things. I think they are here now.” I tried to sound sure but deep inside, I was wondering aloud too, for never had once in the past did people come fixing things with a huge din.
“But why did mummy shout so loud?” She asked again. Phoebe looked confusingly from Piper to me, and back to Piper as she talked.
“Maybe she’s calling for Grams and she didn’t hear her, so mummy shouted.”
"Maybe she’s calling for us?”
“I don’t think so. Mummy wanted us to stay here and watched cartoons, till everything is fix and she will come joining us.”
“Ok.” She didn’t sound reassured but she didn’t ask again, so I dropped it. Phoebe must have known the feeding grapes sequence by then. When she saw me using the small knife, she stood up from Piper’s lap and came towards me.
“Poo. Poo.”
“Ok Pheebs, here comes the bomb!”

I mimic a bombing sound and aimed the half piece of fruit into her very open mouth. After securing it, she grinned with a funny face where her eyes were but just a line. I laughed at her along with Piper.

“Prue? I wanna go downstairs.” Piper was wincing and it’s only the beginning.
“You can’t. Mummy and Grams said to stay here.” I was harsher this time.

There was another crash downstairs and this time Grams shouting. Phoebe came closer to me clinging to my shorts while Piper looked at me with teary eyes and arched nearer to me too.

“I’m scare Prue. I want mummy.”
“Piper, don’t act like a baby. We are going nowhere but to stay here. Mummy said so!” I guessed I was too loud and Piper started to sob. Sniffing continuously, tears dropped without mercy and she hid her crying face behind both her hands. The next thing I knew and expected, little Pheebs cried along. The only difference was, Phoebe at her age hasn’t mastered the art of crying softly. So there she was, unable to comprehend the exact situation, started to bawl out loudly. And oh my, her tears flowed faster than Piper’s.
“Per. Per.” Phoebe was calling for Piper, pointing at her.
“Poo.” Now me. She looked at me wiping her own tears with her small hand.
“Mee. Mee. Gam. Gam.”

She started walking in her small feet towards the door. Piper followed, still sobbing. I put down the knife and hurried to their side. I tried to pull Phoebe into my arms but she struggled against me breaking from my touch, reaching the door, she hit at the wooden frame with her small hands, all the while screaming out for our mummy. I was quite terrific by then. Mummy had told me before never to let Phoebe cried that hard or long, in case she got choked amidst the sniffing part. I looked at Piper, she has by then calm down from her own crying and was looking at the shortest one.

“Look what you have done.” I told her off.
“I didn’t do anything.” She protested and threatened to go off again with that angry look.
“You made Phoebe cry when you cried!”
“I was scared! And you won’t let me go find mummy!”
“Mummy said we have to stay here!”
“I don’t care! I wanna go outside!”
“Piper! You are a bad girl!”
“I am not a bad girl!”
“Yes you are! Now help me stop Phoebe’s crying or I’ll tell mummy you cried first!”

Piper looked at me angrily but didn’t say another word. Looking down, we saw little Pheebs looking up to us with her teary eyes, still sobbing pitifully away. Her little body shook with each sniff she took, the aftermath of a severe bawling. Kneeling down beside her, we started coaxing and hushing her. By then, we heard nothing more from downstairs, Piper wasn’t focused on her insistence anymore, She was more like trying hard to calm down our baby sister. Finally, I managed to get us back on mummy’s bed. We sat there, Phoebe on my lap and Piper close by my side. Nothing was said or exchanged but little Pheebs seemed to forget the little crying episode earlier and she was playing with the TV remote in her hands. Then we heard a knock on the door. Instantaneously, we looked towards that direction, still locked in position. Moments later, the sweetest voice rang out.

“Sweeties. Babies. it’s me honey. Open the door for mummy.”
“Mummy!” Piper and I yelled in unison.
“Piper, take Phoebe.” I stood up with Phoebe in my arms and I let her stand on the bed with Piper’s arms going around her. Going to the door, I turned the knot but realized it was locked. I don’t remember locking it. Unlocking, I swung the door open and mummy stood there smiling big at us.
“Oh honey, how are you my little babies?”

Mummy pulled me into her and hugged me tight, I could feel her breathing heavily, though I wondered why. I didn’t ask for what does it matter when she was with us then. Pulling me along still hugging me close, mummy had closed the door and was heading towards the bed, cause Piper and Phoebe were calling out to her, especially the little one was stretching out her little hands calling “Mee. mee.” all the way. Mummy smiled and pulled them into her hold while I stayed close to her side.
“I love all of you, my sweet little babies.” One of my favorite quotes from mummy.
“Mee. mee.”
“Yes, littlest one?” Mummy cupped her hands nicely on Phoebe’s face.
“I ku-why (cry).” She pointed to the still stained face of hers.
“Oh honey. why are you crying? Are you hurt?” Mummy was gently wiping her small face.
“It’s Piper’s fault.”
“It’s not!”
“You wanna go find mummy! I won’t let you and you cried! Then Phoebe cried too!”
“I’m scared! I just want mummy!” Piper sniffed again, ready to start all over again.
“Piper sweetie, come here. mummy’s got you. I’m sorry you’re scare but hey, I’m here now. Nothing’s gonna happen to any of us.”

Piper threw herself and sobbed lightly in mummy’s chest. Probably mummy was there holding her so little Phoebe didn’t cry this time. Rather, she looked at Piper with big wide eyes, must be wondering why she was started it again. Mummy reached out and pulled me into her warmth while Phoebe always managed to get a nest amidst us. Then mummy planted a long kiss on our face each and started singing our favorite song.
That night, after putting Piper and Phoebe to bed, mummy brought me downstairs and we sat on the couch. For quite sometime, I nested against her body feeling everything from her.

“Prue honey.” I looked up to her.
“I know you love your sisters a lot, don’t you?”
“Un-huh. I love Piper and little Phoebe too. A lot a lot.”
Mummy smiled and she kissed me. I love it.
“But sometimes, loving a person can be shown in a nicer way.” Mummy saw my confused look.
“God, I don’t know how to put this to you sweetie. but do remember one thing, no matter what happened, you have to love and protect your sisters, show them the way I showed you and never push them away. It will come to a time when they get older, they will love and protect you from their heart. Do you understand me honey?”

I nodded my head, to love and protect my sisters, it’s so simple what could be complicated about it? Whatever but mummy reached out and hugged me tight. It was such a sweet night and I remembered those sweet loving words of hers. to love and protect my sisters.

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(21/1/2 years later. Halliwell’s manor, the door opened, in came three women and the last one closed it behind her gently. The middle one was quick in her steps behind the first one who turned towards the living room plodding down heavily on the couch, fuming in her own way. The middle and the last one stood opposite her.)

“What are you thinking Phoebe?!” A little too harsh from me. She deserved it after what just happened.
“Catching the tail of that demon?” She answered sarcastically. “And I did didn’t I, but you have to go blaring in my ears about going off on my own ignoring your yelling and.”
“Phoebe. we were worried about you.” Winced Piper.
“Ya ya, cause I got the most inactive power! But hey, can’t you guys trust my other active one?! In case you forgot, it has a name too, called ‘martial arts”!”
“Can you kick away the bolts and streaks of whatever coming at you?!” I wasn’t angry, really. I’m only furious.
“I can’t, but I can duck!!” As always. stubborn.
“Oh I see. So my little sister thinks her power of ‘ducking’ is faster than scientific proof in the speed of light! What makes you then?! A wacko that throws out those theories?!! Or just another up and coming idiot who thinks who she is anyway?!!!”
“Prue.” That was Piper’s pleading tone, and that’s when the sister I was confronting stood up, angrier as before.
“Hey! Take that back! I’m just trying to show that I wasn’t only good in making spells and potion, or tracking them on the map! I am capable of holding them before the vanquishment, all on my own!” How wrong was I to do just that?!!”
“How wrong?” Piper stood out now. “Honey, you knew it was wrong, the moment you took off on your own! The three of us stick together, we know that. Besides, our powers do require us to do so! In case you forgot what you just said, what shall we do if the one good at conjuring up spells and potions is gone? Huh?! How are we supposed to save your sorry ass if we know next to nothing like you?!! And don’t say we are overly sensitive in this whole issue Phoebe, it’s just the way how it should be, the older ones looking out for you and that’s what I don’t see anything wrong with it!” Piper had her hands on her hips and I have to say she ‘blew’ up really like a mild storm. Phoebe did look surprise that she had it from the normally mild one in the family, not the ferocious me. She was about to say something when Piper continued.
“Even if you are the one with the passive powers but hey, do you realize how much we need you to activate yours before we show off ours? If you haven’t been doing the warning and foreseeing, I wonder where we are right now! Sure am glad we still get to quarrel like this sister, cause at least it helps to remind that we are still very much alive, and I like to leave it that very way!!”
“Piper. calm down.” Roles switched.
“I am!”
“Piper, I’m.”
“No no no, don’t think of still arguing Pheebs.”
“I just wanna say I’m sorry.” Winced Phoebe now.
“I said I don’t wanna hear any more from.”
“Piper, Phoebe said she was sorry.”
“Huh? Oh. sorry Pheebs.”
“No. I’m the one sorry to act so stupid back there.”
“No, I’m sorry to tell you off like that.”
“I deserve it Piper, I knew the danger but I’m always irresponsible to let you guys worry. I’m really sorry.”

We looked at the youngest for a moment. later we found ourselves sitting just beside her with hands entangled together.

“Don’t ever do that again Pheebs.” Piper sounded soft.
“I promise.”
“Just remember, when it comes to the supernatural, we are together, as one triquatra.”
“As one.” They chipped in after me.

A moment of silence.

“I love you two.” My confession.
“I love you too.” Their confessions.
“I will protect you two always.” My duty.
“And I will protect you back.” Their need from me.