Coffee.
An addicting morning time wake-up call.
Emma Pillsbury.
An addicting life wake-up call.
She was a drug, but a better drug than any in existence. She was the epitome of enchantment, and I was under her spell.
She carried our youngest daughter into the bedroom at three am, claiming the wails we heard moments previous were caused by the late night terrors that consumed her in the past few months. "Oh, baby." I mumbled into her fiery red hair and wrapped my arms securely around her, promising our three year old that no monsters would touch her as long as she was in my arms.
"I feel so bad for her." Emma would whisper while running her hand lovingly across our daughter's body in hopes of calming her. "I wonder what triggers them. Is it something we're doing?" Her voice trembled with trepidation that we were bad parents.
"No, sweetheart." Adriana stopped shaking in my arms and her breathing returned to normal. I removed my hand from her waist and place it on Emma's hip and began rubbing my thumb across it. "Cameron didn't have nightmares, we did the same things with him."
"I didn't breast feed Cameron. Could it be that? I thought breast milk was supposed to be more nutritious for the baby. Not give them night terrors." She juxtaposed our two children, the very idea was demented, but she was so concerned for Adriana she would think of anything at this point.
"Emma, you haven't breast fed in over a year." Sensing she would say something about it 'still being in her system' I added, "We've changed too many diapers for it to still be in her, Emma."
"I just think it's so horrible for her to go through this. There should be something we can do. Will, we need do to something." Emma was petrified, she hadn't moved in minutes. Her fists were balled up resting under her chin. She looked extremely uncomfortable and I felt the need to alleviate my poor wife's sadness.
"Emma, we're doing all we can." Adriana snuggled into my neck and I pulled her closer and moved nearer to Emma. "They'll pass, I promise."
"Really?" Emma looked exhausted. She probably hadn't got a good nights sleep in a few weeks at maximum.
"Yes, really. Baby please go to sleep. I can handle Adriana if she wakes up. You haven't had a good sleep in a long time, it's just adding to your stress." She agreed to get a good nights sleep, and I kissed her goodnight.