~Later~
Cristina was watching America's Next Top Model. She hated daytime TV just like every other sane human being on the planet but she found it amusing to laugh at the shallow, little bimbos who paraded themselves around a catwalk as a source of income. They were under the impression that they had difficult lives but they weren't living on planet Earth.
'Aahhh!' The muffled sound came from upstairs. Zola had just woken up and was confused as to why her mother wasn't curled up in the rocking chair next to her crib, ready to comfort and soothe her. Christina had forgotten about the child who had been sleeping upstairs. She scrambled up the stairs and into the nursery intent on shutting the child up.
Zola stared up at the face of her mother's best friend. She had only seen flashes and glimpses of the woman while she had been living here and therefore the face brought her no familiar comfort. She balled up her plump fists, scrunched up her – face in preparation. Christina saw the tears welling up in the child's eyes and jumped into action.
'Don't cry. Don't cry.' She repeated while dancing nervously around the crib. She didn't try to approach the baby preferring to cautiously maintain her distance from the creature.
Zola was fascinated by the strange movements and words of the stranger and momentarily stopped her wailing.
'That's a good baby. Good baby!' She put both hands up and grimaced. Zola pierced the air with another cry. She was hungry, she was thirsty and she needed a change. She didn't want to play games. Christina heard Meredith roll over in their bedroom. She grabbed the baby monitor off the side table. If she could turn it off Meredith might not be woken by the child squawking in her ear. She pressed a button but the green light was still displayed. She pressed another and another but the light would not die. Frustrated Christina hit it against the table. The back panel fell off and two batteries tumbled to the carpeted floor. With that battle won she turned to the next.
'Zola, you need to be quiet your mummy is sleeping.' She tried to reason with the child. To nobody's surprise the child continued.
'Shush Zola. Shush.' Her frantic hushing did nothing to quiet the child. Finally she accepted the evitable. She placed her palms flat along the sides careful not to press to hard and in one quick motion swept her arms upwards holding the baby away from her body. She proceeded to nudge the door open with her bum, back slowly out of the room and tiptoe lightly down the stairs.
When she got to the bottom she wondered what she was supposed to do. She didn't know what to do with a child. It's just a small human she thought to herself, so therefore it must act like a human. It was morning so it must be hungry. She settled it in the pink and purple highchair and took out a jar of baby food and a spoon and settled them on the tray table. Zola didn't eat. She wondered what was wrong with it then realised it couldn't hold the spoon with its chubby fingers. Standing as far away as possible she scooped up the green much and proffered it. Zola hungrily swallowed down the bizarre breakfast of pureed pasta and tomato.
'That's a good girl Zola. Now you've finished breakfast what do you want to do?' She asked. Christina switched on the coffee machine and then wondered if it would be thirsty too.
'Are you thirsty? You must be because I am.' She couldn't give it coffee but she filled the bright beaker on the drying rack with juice and gave it to Zola. She was relieved when the baby picked it up and drank from it without any assistance. What next she pondered? Just then an awful aroma drifted up to her. She guardedly sniffed closer. Eugh. This is why she hated babies; all they ever do is poop. She picked the horrid thing up and muttered under her breath. Meredith owed her big for this.
Was this chapter any good? I'm thinking NOT, as I hated writing it. Never mind! Back to Meredith next chapter :D
beccyx