With a sigh, Karen opted to step over the wall of the playpen, almost tripping in the process. She then lowered herself to the floor, asking awkwardly in a low voice, “Uh, how you doing?”

Maybe the dream had just wound up being too real before for a split second, the girl expected her baby brother to talk back. And then wound up a little disappointed when he didn’t. Instead the infant simply turned away from the stuffed dog he’d been gumming to blink up at his big sister.

“Look…” Not sure how to phrase this exactly but feeling she had to say something, the ten-year-old said, “I’m sorry. For you birthday cake and…. y’know, all the stuff I said about you. You’re not really a massive pain.”

Dillion for his part continued to blink obliviously up at his big sister before raising his arms up, clearly wanting to be held.

“Heh. Nice to get a reaction out of you at least.” Smiling, the girl scooped the baby up into her arms as desired. That led to him cooing happily, before hugging her neck as she awkwardly rose back to her feet.

“Heh. Maybe there’s a bit of your older self in there after all,” the girl said in response to that, realizing just afterward that she had started smiling rather wide at the gesture. She didn’t dwell on it, though, instead awkwardly – and very carefully – stepping once more over the playpen.

Once she had walked to the doorway of the kitchen, the girl called out, “Um, Mom?”

“Karen?” The girl winced- her mother still sounded rather ticked off. As she moved into the room, she asked, “Are you sorry for…”

Once the adult turned around, she was greeted with the sight of her older child holding her smaller one, a hand cupping his bottom and the other supporting his back as he snuggled into her chest. The woman lamely finished, “… What you did?”

“Yeah. And I just apologized.” Kissing Dillion on the forehead to show what she meant (and getting a happy squeal from the baby for it, “I’m sorry I ruined Dillion’s party.”

“Heh. That’s very mature of you, I guess…” The woman was clearly skeptical, but things seemed sincere. She soon explained, with a little sigh, “Things did pick up a bit after you headed off, though.”

“Still, I shouldn’t have done that.”

Now that the girl thought about things, though, there was one thing in her dream that didn’t quite come to pass – neither she nor Dillion’s older counterpart got any cake. Inspired by that, the girl asked, “I, uh… Know he probably had some cake already, but you mind if I try feeding him some?”

“I suppose…”