Chapter 73 Heart Run
She did her silly little dance in the sunlight, hopping from side to side, spinning in a big goofy circle, her skirt swishing. The babies just stared, eight tiny faces frozen in shock. Boo squeaked and hid his face in his hands. Lucian rolled his eyes so hard they nearly vanished. Luna muttered something under her breath that definitely sounded like a tiny wolf growl.
But Alina just laughed, clapped her hands, and called out, "Come on! Teacher’s doing it. You can too. One, two, three. Step, spin, clap!"
One by one, the spell broke. Sable shuffled his feet, trying his own tiny hops. Kelpie lifted his hands shyly, copying her swing. Luna huffed, then did a tiny spin that made her pigtail smack Drake’s arm. Boo wiggled in the air, squealing when Alina spun like him.
Soon the neat rows dissolved into giggles and crooked jumps. Little feet thudded on the grass, squeaky sneakers squealed, tiny voices counted, "One, two, three!" in squeaky harmony. Vlad Jr. did his steps so elegantly it almost looked like a ballroom dance. Felix smirked and spun extra fancy, like he was showing off.
In the middle of it all was Alina, laughing and spinning, her cheeks pink with joy.
After a while, the music faded into the soft rustle of the garden breeze. One by one, her tiny monsters dropped onto the cool grass like tired little kittens. Drake flopped down dramatically on his back, arms and legs spread out like a starfish. Boo lay next to him, half-floating and half-snoring. Vlad Jr. sat cross-legged with perfect posture but his cheeks were flushed pink. Even Luna, still pretending to pout, curled up on her side with her messy hair sticking to her forehead.
Alina stood for a second, hands on her knees, catching her breath too, her ponytail slipping loose. Then she chuckled, her eyes crinkling when she saw how they all looked: sweaty, rosy-cheeked, and strangely proud of themselves.
She plopped down on the grass in front of them, legs crossed and her skirt pooling around her. She looked at each little face, sleepy eyes and goofy smiles, and spoke in her gentle, simple voice.
"See? This was more than just fun," she said, tapping her chest lightly. "When we dance and move like this, our bodies get stronger and braver. It makes our heart feel good inside, like it’s learning to run too."
Drake peeked at her through his bangs, still panting. "Heart run?" he asked, his voice squeaky.
Alina giggled and nodded. "Yes, sweetheart. Our heart needs to run sometimes so we stay healthy and happy. And when we move together like this, it makes us better friends too."
Kelpie, who was sitting cross-legged with his damp hair sticking to his cheeks, blinked up at her. "We friends when we dance?" he asked shyly.
Mhm. Alina nodded, her smile soft and wide. "When we do things together like dancing, singing, playing, our hearts get to know each other better. That’s what makes us one big family."