a
handful of ‘snow’ she had brought with her from the kitchen into the stroller
just as Leo decided to spit up all over. Within seconds, the baby and his bed had become a congealed mess of
flour, coconut and vomit.
“Okay, guys, let’s get cleaned up, shall
we?” she snorted, barely containing her laughter, as she grabbed the diaper bag
from the stroller and headed to her bathroom. She began to run a warm bath and placing
Leo gently down on a towel on the floor she found the kids’ toiletries in the
bag.
Adie
was still singing “It’s snowing in the kitchen,” at the top of her voice and Emma
then realized that for the first time since she had moved into her apartment,
the noise and especially the mess made the place feel like home. Until then, it
had been a clinically tidy space she had existed in, but Adie and Leo had made
it feel lived in, even in the short time they had been here. Even though the
place was in a total state, her heart was beginning to beat in her chest again
and the love for these two kids flowed from her.
Thankfully,
undressing and actually bathing the kids wasn’t too far beyond her limited
skills, despite her initial worry. She had to admit she was thoroughly enjoying
the distraction to her otherwise boring routine. Within half an hour, both kids were
clean and ready for sleep. She then
found a good supply of readymade formula along with pre packed teats in the
handy bag. Lily had thankfully left detailed instructions as to how to put them
together and she managed to warm Leo some milk after negotiating the still
‘snow’ filled kitchen.
Within
the hour, she was curled up in her bed with both of the tiny forms asleep on her,
and she took a moment to watch them. She was in awe at how perfect such
innocent, tiny beings could be. For the first time in a long time she felt a
profound kind of serenity washing over her as she watched both of them sleeping.
Then as her mind drifted, something inside her slowly broke.
This
scene could have so easily been her and Charlie and their beautiful child. The
melancholy she felt earlier washed over her as she tucked Adie in on a mattress
on the floor of her room. Wrapping the sleeping baby in a cozy blanket, she
decided to carry Leo out and let him sleep on her thick rug surrounded by
pillows. As she laid him down and covered him with more blankets, her stomach
growled. As she stood to head for the food she had bought earlier, her cell
phone pinged, indicating a message arriving. She headed to the main door of the
apartment and found her bags still lying on the floor where she had thrown them
when she came in, along with her now cold chicken and avocado salad.
She
quickly located her phone from her purse and saw a new message flashing.
LILY: He’s home and we’re okay. Hope you’re surviving? Thanks for this,
Em. I owe you one. I’ll text later
x
She
was slightly relieved at the message and although it didn’t give much away, it
was enough to let her know the evening was going reasonably well. Shooting a quick text back reassuring
her that the kids were fine and asleep, she then turned to tackle the clean-up
of her kitchen.
When
she finally had a chance to check the time it was already approaching ten pm
and Emma was exhausted. The kids were still asleep, and her kitchen was sparkling.
She reached for her salad box and when she opened it the limp lettuce and cold
chicken didn’t look appetizing at all. Throwing it in the trash, she headed
back to the main living area to relax on the large, overstuffed brown sofa, when
she suddenly remembered the Blaze’s Bake cupcake that Bobby had slipped into
her bag. It was too late for a large meal, but never too late for a cupcake.
She grabbed the bag and refilled her wine glass before heading back to the
sofa. Turning on her music
handful of ‘snow’ she had brought with her from the kitchen into the stroller
just as Leo decided to spit up all over. Within seconds, the baby and his bed had become a congealed mess of
flour, coconut and vomit.
“Okay, guys, let’s get cleaned up, shall
we?” she snorted, barely containing her laughter, as she grabbed the diaper bag
from the stroller and headed to her bathroom. She began to run a warm bath and placing
Leo gently down on a towel on the floor she found the kids’ toiletries in the
bag.
Adie
was still singing “It’s snowing in the kitchen,” at the top of her voice and Emma
then realized that for the first time since she had moved into her apartment,
the noise and especially the mess made the place feel like home. Until then, it
had been a clinically tidy space she had existed in, but Adie and Leo had made
it feel lived in, even in the short time they had been here. Even though the
place was in a total state, her heart was beginning to beat in her chest again
and the love for these two kids flowed from her.
Thankfully,
undressing and actually bathing the kids wasn’t too far beyond her limited
skills, despite her initial worry. She had to admit she was thoroughly enjoying
the distraction to her otherwise boring routine. Within half an hour, both kids were
clean and ready for sleep. She then
found a good supply of readymade formula along with pre packed teats in the
handy bag. Lily had thankfully left detailed instructions as to how to put them
together and she managed to warm Leo some milk after negotiating the still
‘snow’ filled kitchen.
Within
the hour, she was curled up in her bed with both of the tiny forms asleep on her,
and she took a moment to watch them. She was in awe at how perfect such
innocent, tiny beings could be. For the first time in a long time she felt a
profound kind of serenity washing over her as she watched both of them sleeping.
Then as her mind drifted, something inside her slowly broke.
This
scene could have so easily been her and Charlie and their beautiful child. The
melancholy she felt earlier washed over her as she tucked Adie in on a mattress
on the floor of her room. Wrapping the sleeping baby in a cozy blanket, she
decided to carry Leo out and let him sleep on her thick rug surrounded by
pillows. As she laid him down and covered him with more blankets, her stomach
growled. As she stood to head for the food she had bought earlier, her cell
phone pinged, indicating a message arriving. She headed to the main door of the
apartment and found her bags still lying on the floor where she had thrown them
when she came in, along with her now cold chicken and avocado salad.
She
quickly located her phone from her purse and saw a new message flashing.
LILY: He’s home and we’re okay. Hope you’re surviving? Thanks for this,
Em. I owe you one. I’ll text later
x
She
was slightly relieved at the message and although it didn’t give much away, it
was enough to let her know the evening was going reasonably well. Shooting a quick text back reassuring
her that the kids were fine and asleep, she then turned to tackle the clean-up
of her kitchen.
When
she finally had a chance to check the time it was already approaching ten pm
and Emma was exhausted. The kids were still asleep, and her kitchen was sparkling.
She reached for her salad box and when she opened it the limp lettuce and cold
chicken didn’t look appetizing at all. Throwing it in the trash, she headed
back to the main living area to relax on the large, overstuffed brown sofa, when
she suddenly remembered the Blaze’s Bake cupcake that Bobby had slipped into
her bag. It was too late for a large meal, but never too late for a cupcake.
She grabbed the bag and refilled her wine glass before heading back to the
sofa. Turning on her music
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