"Neave, Neave, eat your dinner baby." Alex pleaded with her daughter as she tried desperately to spoon feed her dinner in to her mouth. Neave sat strapped in her high chair and squirmed around, trying to avoid being fed. She persistently sobbed while she batted away Alex's hand, now and again launching herself back in her chair and clutching on to her head only give a horrific scream.
"Neave, come on baby," begged Alex, "try some for mommy." But Neave still continued to cry out, causing Alex to become more frustrated. "Mason!" She yelled, "your turn!"
Mason wandered over from the stove and took the small bowl and spoon from Alex's hands, "you just need to be a bit more patient with her," he told her over the deafening screams, "come on love, are you going to have some dinner?" Slowly, he moved the spoon towards Neave's mouth but once it grazed her lips she whacked Mason's hand, sending the spoon flying in the air and splattering on to Mason's lap, along with the bowl of food he held in his hands. "Oh Neave!" Mason roared jumping up from his seat.
Neave turned blood red in the face as she gave yet another blood curdling scream. She repeatedly pounded her head with her dainty hands whilst violently tugging on the strands of her soft hair.
"Alex!" Mason yelled.
Quickly, Alex rushed over and immediately pulled her wand from her boot and waved it around, flashing away the mess on the floor and on Mason's denim jeans. "You just need to be patient with her," she mocked lifting Neave out of the high chair.
Mason gave a heavy sigh, "what is wrong with her?"
"She's fine," said Alex hesitantly, "it's probably just a little tantrum." With that Neave once again launched herself back in Alex's arm, clutching her head tightly, causing Alex to stumble and nearly drop her from her arms. "Or a very big one!"
"Here," Said Mason reaching out for Neave. Alex gave her to him and instantly Neave clung on to him tightly, huddling in to his neck as she continued to sob. "Bloody hell, she's boiling!" Masn cried as he sat down on the couch with Neave now cradled in his arms.
"Hold on," Alex ran over to them and carefully hovered her wand above Neave's sweaty forehead. Alex and Mason remained silent, all that could be heard was Neave's cries and the gentle buzzing from Alex's wand. They both watched as the wands released light blue rays on to Neave's head, which eventually turned bright red as the low buzzing transformed into to loud siren.
Alex sighed, "yep, she's got a temperature."
"Well what do we do?" Mason asked in panic, "she's suppose to be starting day care tomorrow! Do we need to keep her off? Do we need a doctor?"
"Maybe she's getting more teeth?" Alex suggested, "she does get kinda sick when she's teething."
Mason nodded, "yeah, you're probably right. Lets give her some of her medicine and see how she is tomorrow."
"Okay," said Alex as she snapped her fingers and a brown bottle of medicine and a small syringe appeared in her hands. Alex poured the pink liquid in to the syringe, "come on baby, have some medicine for mommy?"
Neave squirmed in Mason arms as he gently soothed her. Alex softly put the syringe to Neave's lips and slowly Neave began to take the medicine. Both Alex and Mason sighed in relief when all the medicine had disappeared from the syringe.
"Thank god," said Mason as he kissed the top of Neave's head, "I'm going to see if I can get her to go asleep. That should help make her feel better." He rose from his seat and held Neave towards Alex.
"Night Neavie," Alex whispered kissing her softly on the cheek. Neave whimpered as her eyes gently began to close as once again she rubbed and pounded at her head violently.
Alex stood watching sadly as Mason took Neave in to the nursery. After a brief moment of silence Alex collapsed down on to the couch and listened as she could hear her baby's desperate cries come from the next room.
Alex lay in her bed, holding the bed sheets close to her body as she watched the alarm clock slowly tick away. She remained silent as she felt Mason constantly flipping and turning next to her restlessly. She rolled her eyes as she could feel him fix his pillows for what seemed to be the hundredth time whilst sighing dramatically as he through himself down on to the bed.
"So I take it you're awake then?" She said rolling over to look at him.
"Sorry," he smiled nervously, "did I wake you?"
"No, I was already awake. I can't sleep worrying about Neave."
"Me too, that really scared me before."
Alex nodded in agreement "yeah, it scared me too. I've never seen her like that before."
"Well, she near enough went straight to sleep and I think this is probably the first time ever she hasn't woke in the night for anything so at least something good came out of it."
"She's probably wore herself out from all the screaming."
"Yeah," laughed Mason, "she did manage to carry on doing it nearly all day. No wonder she was tired."
"Do you think it's because she's teeting? I mean it couldn't be anything else right?"
"Yeah, or it could be because she knows we're sending her to day care and she doesn't want to go?"
"Not this again!" Alex moaned.
"Right but I've been thinking," Mason began, "we could just keep her off tomorrow and see how she is next week when she has to go and if she's the same the we know what it is."
"Mason, Neave doesn't even understand what day care is! I doubt she'll be worrying about going, besides what would we do with her tomorrow when I'm at work and you're at college if we don't send her in?"
Mason shrugged his shoulders.
"She's going, it'll be good for her to be around other kids her own age."
"What so she can pick up more illnesses?" Scoffed Mason.
"I know you just want to protect her, but seriously she's going to love it."
"Fine," Mason sighed, "but I'm sorry I can't take her with you tomorrow morning, I'll pick her up but I don't want to see her upset."
"That's fine, I thought you'd say that so I've asked Harper if she'd come with me."
"Wow, nice to see you've got my replacement sorted," joked Mason, wrapping his arm around Alex tightly.
"Yeah, but that's just until Channing Tatum's single." She quickly planted a kiss on Mason's lips, "goodnight love." She teased before turning over and closing her eyes to sleep.
"Excuse me!" Laughed Mason ticking Alex on the sides, causing her to burst out lauging. The pair came to a sudden stop when they heard Neave murmer to herself over the baby monitor. Mason shot up and checked the momitor before smiling sweetly at the small screen. "She's still asleep," he told Alex happily. "Come on, lets get some sleep, it's late. Night love."
He kissed her softly as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Night Mason."
Alex held on to Neave's hand as she trotted up the winding path to the day care center. Neave babbled to herself happily as she repeatedly tried to walk off on her mom.
"No Neave," sighed Alex as she gently pulled Neave back, "Harper hurry up!"
"Sorry!" Called Harper running up behind them, "I just keep getting distracted by all the cute little kids! And you should see their outfits! Seriously, I think if you just let me design some outfits for Neave then she could easily be the best dressed kid in this place."
"I doubt it…" Mumbled Alex.
They continued to walk until they reached a large white doorway that lead into a brightly coloured building, surrounded by large green lawns and several vibrant flower beds. Alex pressed the door bell and they all stood in silence cheery voice came through the speaker on the bell.
"Hello!"
"Umm hi," began Alex, "I'm Neave Greyback's mom. I'm bringing her for her first day."
"Oh sure! Come on in!"
Alex pushed the door open and they walked in to the day care reception area. The surrounding walls were coated in a blinding lemon colour and all along them were pictures of happy smiling children of all ages and races, as well as cheesy inspirational quotes which made Alex cringe each time she read one. They turned as they heard a door behind them creak open, out walked a small chirpy young brunette woman who was smiling from ear to ear.
"Hello!" she greeted them enthusiastically, "I'm Miss Evergreen! And you must be Neave!" She lightly pinched Neave on the cheek. Feeling unsettled, Neave reached up for Alex to pick her up, which she did immediately. Neave buried her face in Alex's neck and hugged her tightly, avoiding making any contact with Miss Evergreen.
"Hi I'm Alex, and this is Neave's Aunt Harper."
"Aww, so daddy doesn't want to be involved?" Miss Evergreen asked Alex in a patronising tone.
"What?" Alex snapped, "he's at college! He'll be picking her up later."
"Oh right," giggled Miss Evergreen, "sorry. You just look like most young single moms who bring their kids here. Right well follow me and lets get you to your new class!"
Alex and Harper stood as they watched Miss Evergreen skip down the hallway. "Urrgh," Alex moaned, "can you believe how rude she was! I'm starting to think Mason was right about this whole day care thing."
"Well I can! Do you not recongise her?"
Alex shook her head and looked at Harper in confusion.
"That's one of Gigi's wannabes!"
"Oh my gosh!" Exclaimed Alex, "I thought I recongised that bad nose job from somewhere! I cant believe she's going to be looking after my kid!"
Harper laughed, "I can't believe she's actually qualified to look after kids!"
"Okay, come on Neavie lets take you to the scary lady," said Alex as she began walking up the hallway with Harper following closely behind her.
She walked up to white wooden door with Neave still tightly held in her arms, Alex came to a sudden halt and took notice of the large multi-coloured letters on the door that read 'Chickies." Alex then gave a dramatic sigh, "Oh brother," she muttered to herself before lightly knocking on the door.
It instantly swung open revealing Miss Evergreen standing there smiling like the Cheshire cat. "There she is!" she cooed at Neave. She turned to the various other women in the center of the room. They all sat in a circle with small children who were bashing together various instruments, "Girls this is Neave Greyback, she's starting our class today!"
"Hi Neave!" They all called in unison.
Alex turned to Harper and cringed, Harper began snickering at her friend who then began to scowl at Miss Evergreen.
"Well," began Miss Evergreen, "is Neave ready to come in?" She held out her hands to Neave who then like her mother began to glare at Miss Evergreen.
"No," Neave began to say to Alex shaking her head vigorously, "no…"
"Come on Neavie, why don't you go play with your new friends?" Suggested Alex as she lowered Neave to the ground.
"No, no, no!" Cried Neave as she began to desperately try to climb up Alex's legs.
"Some mothers prefer to just leave," Miss Evergreen told Alex.
Alex nodded reluctantly and quickly blew a kiss to Neave, who was now being restrained by Miss Evergreen. "Love you baby!" She called before running out the room with Harper in tow. She slammed the door shut and froze as she heard Neave's sobs come from within. "I feel horrible," she told Harper.
"Aww don't worry Alex, she'll be okay," Harper reassured her. "Just think just a few more hours and Mason will be here to pick her up."
Alex nodded slowly, "yeah, it's just a few hours. She'll be fine…"
"Now come on lady, lets get you to your new job!"