Counting Sheep

Chapter 28

Julian, Layla and Hazel ate at their special picnic in the backyard. The air wasn't too hot nor too cold.

The sky was a seamless blue, clouds a fluffy white-gray. The air smelled heavily of the rain-soaked dirt, of rose bushes and the pasta Layla had made for lunch with the help of Hazel.

Hazel gulped some lemonade after taking a big bite of buttered French bread and Layla couldn't help but smile at Julian as she took a bite herself.

Birds chirped in tandem with their bouts of conversation along with the soft clicking of grasshoppers rubbing their legs together. The trees in the woods just beyond the backyard swayed back and forth in a soothing dance that made the afternoon that much more soft and relaxing.

"What other flowers do you want to plant back here, Hazel?" Asked Layla.

Hazel chewed on the corner of her mouth before pulling open her book and searching the pages.

'Tulips'.

'Lots'.

'Lots'.

Layla let out a laugh as she smiled at the girl. "Lots and lots of tulips, eh?"

The little girl nodded with a small smile and a blush. "I think they would be gorgeous!" Layla told her and Julian nodded his head as he sipped his beer, unbelieving of such a heaven he was in.

"Tulips would look great, Hazel. I can help build some bird-houses, too."

Hazel looked at him with wide-disbelieving eyes.

She flipped the pages of her book.

'Really?'.

Julian grinned, unable to help it as he nodded.

"Really, really." He confirmed and Hazel's smile was just as great even as she giggled. He narrowed his eyes-teasing.

"Are you laughing at me, little one?" He asked in a low tone and Hazel tried to contain her smirk as she shook her head fervently side-to-side.

"No? Are you sure about that?" He slowly set his beer down in the grass, getting to his knees as Hazel got up, too. "Because I was pretty sure you were laughing at me."

Hazel shook her head even more adamantly, more giggles escaping as her muscles bunched. Julian lunged for the little girl, but she managed to move her little body out of the way just in time, squealing as she ran away from him.

Julian began to chase the little girl around the yard. It wasn't long before Julian's long legs and big body caught up with her and he swung her up and into the air over his shoulder, tickling her sides as the little girl squirmed.

Layla threw her head back, laughing so hard her sides hurt.

Julian whispered something into Hazel's ear and another smile grew over the little girl's face. He set her down and they started to inch closer to Layla.

That finally made Layla stop her incessant giggling as she pointed a finger at them. "I know what you are thinking right now. You know how ticklish I am! Don't. You. Dare." She scolded them, but saw she wasn't getting out of this.

She looked from her left to her right and then she bolted for it.

Julian must have been anticipating her move, because it wasn't even a second after she had made a run for it that his large arms were around her waist and she was in the air over his shoulder.

He began tickling her sides as soon as she was in the air and she screeched even as she laughed. Julian brought her back over to the blanket and then Hazel was tickling her, too.