Meanwhile, at home, Sally had just finished doing the dishes and cleaning up her kitchen. With 5 babies in the house, she was always busy. Usually, she would plop her babies in the playpen after breakfast so she could clean up after Ned would leave in the morning for work, but she was now alone. She almost expected her 5 little ones to escape their playpen and come in just to be under her feet. She also expected tiny sticky hands to grab at the hem of her dress. She almost missed the sound of 5 little whimpers for attention like she heard everyday.
But, it was silent.
Sally placed the dishes in the sink and began to scrub, in complete silence. Usually, silence would come at 12 o'clock, when it was naptime. It was barely 8:30 in the morning and all was quiet.
"I wonder how Ned is handling the kids?" She asked herself, picking up a bowl and swirling her sponge inside to scrub the sticky oatmeal off of it.
A trainwreck of random thoughts hit her brain.
"What if Ned forgets to keep an eye on them? What if JoJo runs off? What if Virginia becomes upset? What if Faye throws up? Will Rhiannon lose her pacifier? How will Zaneeta handle her siblings getting out of control? Did I pack enough diapers? Will Ned be able to handle them if they cry?" She asked herself as she scrubbed her frying pan.
Sally shook her head. "Oh, Sally, you've got to calm down. Ned can handle his children. And you need a day off from parenting. It's just like Ned said, you need to relax."
Sally placed the last of the dishes to dry in the drying rack and she headed upstairs to prepare herself a bubble bath.
Sally scooped bubbles towards her chest as she sighed. Her bath was so relaxing. It was strange for her to be able to take a bath by herself, without 5 babies in the tub.
Sally sipped her hot tea, and embraced the moment of a steamy bath, surrounded by Ocean Breeze and Whoberry Pie scented candles, her favorite smells.
It was still too quiet.
Usually, there was a diaper clad swarm of whines outside the bathroom door, banging their tiny fists against the bathroom door, wanting mommy. That would always be followed by their father saying "mommy needs some alone time", before he would gather them into their room for playtime.
Ned was such a good husband. Even when he had a hard day at work, he never hesitated to make things easier for her when it came to the kids.
What a good daddy.
"I hope the kids are fine without me." She said. She shook her head again. "Oh, Sally, you're doing it again. Just relax."
Sally picked up a book and turned to the first page, starting to read.
Sally was cuddled up in bed. She was wearing only her silk peach colored nightgown, the window slightly open, a cool breeze cooling her down. She cuddled her pillow and she had been asleep for almost an hour.
She stretched her arms and dreamt about her babies.
JoJo's attachment to his mother when he was glued to her hip when she would bustle around the house, Zaneeta's exact copy of her mother's authority when it came to her siblings, Rhiannon's curiosity when she would watch Sally cook, Faye's desire for cleanliness when she would take her mother's washcloth and copy her cleaning, and Virginia's perfect little smile and happiness. Yes, Sally loved each of her perfect little babies. Each one unique in their own way.
Sally smiled.
But then, a horrible feeling overcame her. Sally covered her mouth as she leaped out of bed and she rushed to the bathroom. Leaning over the toilet, she expelled the contents of her stomach into the bowl.
Strange. Sally was healthy and wasn't one to get sick so easily. She contemplated over what might have caused it as she washed her face.
A thought came over her as her eyes widened. The last time she vomited was when she was...
Sally's eyes shot wide open. She hesitantly peered over the bowl of the toilet and took a look at what was previously in her stomach.
She nearly fainted when she saw the color.
Purple.
And purple vomit meant one thing.
She was pregnant! Again!
