'Elma, I'm home"
Instead of hearing the usual "Welcome back, Nai" all I could hear was Elma frantically trying to reheat the twins' porridge over the stove. She's currently on three months' maternity leave from work. The company even gave us a Maternity Allowance, which solved the money problem, at least for now. Who knew our company was so lenient to new mothers? I guess that's because of Japan's low birth rate.
"Ye-yes Nai. I'm coming." she says from the kitchen.
I walk into the kitchen to see her on the stove and a crying Ryouma in her hand.
"Shh shhh Mommy has you Ryou-chan" She used the dragon transformation spell on the kids so they would look like human babies and the neighbours wouldn't become suspicious.
"I'll take him." I tell her.
"Thank you" she replies.
The little tyke eases his crying in my arms as Elma feeds him the porridge. The twins could only eat soft liquids or mashed foods as they are very tender at their age.
"Where's Yuka and Haru?" I ask her,
"Yuka is sleeping and Haru is on his tablet." Haru is older than Yuka and Ryouma and he's growing nicely. Elma's mom returned Haru to us after pulling a few strings in the Harmony faction. He's beginning to speak too and when children are learning to speak, things can be very complicated and even funny.
"Nai, could you please take Ryou to bed? He's way past his bed-time."
"Sure."
Upon entering the room, I see a sleeping baby girl and my 2 year old son.
"Mommy Nai!" Haru says and looks up at me with big blue eyes.
"Haru, baby. I missed you all day. Let's be quiet because we don't want to wake your little brother and sister." I look at Ryou who's nodding to sleep on my shoulder. I place him in his crib near to his sister and kiss them both a good night.
"Fwak" I hear Haru mutter as I take him out the nursery.
"Haru, where did you learn that word?:
"Nai, I can explain!" Elma squeaks.
"I-I was looking through the television to find a programme Haru would emjoy when there was a movie on. Haru seemed to be liking said movie until one of the characters said the word and Haru couldn't stop saying it afterwards. I tried my best to tell him to stop but he just wouldn't listen.
I smile at the funny situation.
"Elma, we'll just continue telling him to stop saying the word and that it's a bad word. He's a child. They pick up these things."
"Right Haru? You wouldn't say 'fwak' anymore because you are a good boy and good little boys don't say those words." I tell my oldest son this in hopes he would understand me,
"Elma, you go take a nice shower. There's some baby food in your hair.
"Ok"
After I put Haru to sleep, Elma comes out of the shower. She looks exhausted with bags under her eyes.
"You are doing your best, You are a good mom" I tell her.
"You always tell me that. Nai, today I got punched in the eye and the other day, I tripped and fell on one of Haru's toys. Parenting is not easy even for a dragon. But I love all of my kids equally because they're creations from both you and I."
At around 3:30 a.m cries can be heard from the nursery. Elma begins to get up but I stop her.
"I''ll take this one." I tell her.
She yawns. "Nai are you sure? You have to go to work in a few hours. You need your rest too.
"You're too selfless. And I have grown accustomed to being woken up in the night now."
Little Yuka was crying. Her pudgy little body tossed and turned in the crib She doesn't need a diaper change. I give her some porridge but all is spit out on my face as she continues crying.
I lift her up and take her on the balcony to get some fresh air. The cool night air can put anyone to sleep.
"I gently rub her head. Her big blue eyes begin to shut. I think, Elma must have looked a lot like Yuka when she was her age.
"Your mom- she's so selfless and caring. She loves all of us. She's trying her best so please go easy on her" I tell my daughter quietly.
She coos and dribbles and falls asleep as I hold her.
This is our new life.
Author's note: I know I haven't uploaded in a while but I've been very busy. My old readers would know I put the story on hiatus form time to time.
