The next morning, Cheyenne woke up to a high-pitched scream. She sat up in bed, taking note that Van was in the shower, and got out of bed, stumbling among the toys in the hall to Kasey's room. She flipped on the light and saw him standing up in his crib, crying.
"Good morning, little man," She said, lifting him out of his crib and carrying him to the changing table where she changed him and carried him to back to her room. He was very content to play with Wheels on the carpeted floor while Cheyenne got dressed for the day.
After a minute, however, he became bored with his game and crawled out of the room. Cheyenne didn't even notice he was gone until he heard Elizabeth squeal from down the hall. Cheyenne hurriedly put pulled her shirt over her head and raced out. When she arrived in her daughter's room, she saw Kasey standing on Elizabeth's bed with Cheyenne's old baton raised over his head, ready to strike his sister. Elizabeth was curled up in a ball under the covers.
"Kasey, no," Cheyenne said, taking the baton from him. "We do not hit." She set Kasey on the floor and pulled back the covers. "Did he hit you?" She asked.
Elizabeth nodded, sitting up. "I didn't do anything. He hit me first."
Cheyenne looked down to Kasey, but he was gone. Groaning, she left Elizabeth's room in search of him.
A moment later, she found him in her room being picked up by Van.
"Hey, little guy," Van said. "Whatcha doin'?"
"Wreaking havoc." Cheyenne held up her baton. "He hit Elizabeth with this again. I don't know where else to hide it."
"Aww, can't you just let him play with it?"
Cheyenne was taken aback. "No. It's dangerous. How can you not see that?"
Kasey was looking back and forth at his parents as they spoke, oblivious of the problems he had created.
"Well, you kind of deprive him of everything." Van bounced him up and down and listened to him giggle. "He's just trying to be a man."
"He's not going to be a very good one if he grows up hitting girls."
She turned on her heel and walked out of the room, not finding the energy to continue the argument. It was a stupid one anyway.
Once downstairs, she placed the baton in the dryer. It was one of the few places she hadn't hidden the baton yet, and she was hoping Kasey wouldn't find it there. He sure was smart for being only a year and a half old. Heading out of the laundry room, she continued to the kitchen to make breakfast. Van came down with Kasey a few minutes later.
Cheyenne looked down at the bowl she was pouring Cheerios into as Van sat Kasey in his highchair.
"Thank you for dressing him," She said.
"Anytime."
Cheyenne sat his baby cereal in front of him, letting him feed himself this morning, and turned to the counter. But Van grabbed her arm, turning her towards him.
"I don't like to fight with you, Cheyenne."
"Well, I don't like it either."
"Then let's stop," He said. "It's pointless. All it does is make us both look like idiots."
Cheyenne nodded. "Alright. No more fighting."
Van pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head as Elizabeth came in.
"Good morning," Cheyenne said, moving the Cheerios in front of her daughter. "Look, Daddy. Elizabeth picked out her own clothes."
"You look very nice, Lizzie," Van said, sitting at the table.
"Do you want orange juice, Lizzie?" Cheyenne asked.
"Yes, please."
"Alright. And after breakfast, we're going to call Grandma, okay?"
"I'm going to Grandma's house?"
"No, not today. We're going to call and apologize for how you behaved last night."
"Do I have to?"
"Yes," Van said, pouring Froot Loops into his bowl. "You were being very belligerent last night."
"What's belligerent?"
"Wild and crazy."
"Oh..."
"Yes," Cheyenne said, handing Elizabeth her orange juice. "It would be very nice to apologize to Grandma and Grandpa."
"Okay," Elizabeth mumbled.
"Thank you." Cheyenne sat down at the table with a plate of toast. "So, what's on the agenda today?"
"I have to work late," Van said.
"On a Friday?"
"Yep. Sorry."
"Alright... Well, me and Elizabeth can go pick out a movie after school if she gets a star sticker on her folder."
"Really?" The little girl asked excitedly.
"If you be good and get a sticker."
"Okay! I will!"
"Then it's settled. Hurry up and eat so we can call Grandma."
She finished up and tried to sneak off to her room, but Cheyenne caught her and said, "Elizabeth, put your bowl in the sink and come into the living room, please."
The little girl did this slowly and dragged herself to the living room where her mother was with the phone on speaker.
"When she answers, I want you to speak loud and clear," Cheyenne explained, dialing the number.
Elizabeth nodded as the phone picked up.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Jake, let me talk to Mom."
"She's not up yet."
"It's nearly eight. Is Dad up?"
"Yeah. Here."
"Hello?" Brock's voice sounded over the speaker.
"Dad, hey."
"Oh, morning, Cheyenne. Whatcha up to?"
"Just getting ready to take Elizabeth to school."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Yeah. Jake said Mom's still sleeping?"
"She was up all night with the baby. Found her sleeping on the floor beside the crib this morning."
"Yikes. Give her my best. But, um...Elizabeth has something she'd like to say to you concerning last night's escapade. Go ahead, Lizzie."
"I'm sorry," The little girl mumbled.
"What's that, honey?"
"I'm sorry."
"Oh, it's okay. Grandpa's not mad at you. But you have to understand, if Grandma or anyone says no, you have to be a big girl about it."
"Okay."
"Alright. Where's your mom?"
"Right here."
"Oh, alright. Hey, look who's up. Reba, honey. Phone."
"Hello?" Reba's tired voice said.
"Hi, Mom. Heard you were up all night."
"No, I was up all morning. I fell asleep on the floor."
"That's what Dad said. Take it easy today."
"Oh, I'll be fine."
"Okay, well, I have you on speaker with Lizzie and she wanted to say something about last night."
"Okay. I'm listening."
"Speak up, Lizzie."
"I'm sorry."
"Oh, thank you, sweetie. I appreciate it."
"You're welcome."
"Honey, you just have to understand that sometimes, the answer's gonna be no and you have to react like a young lady."
"That's what Grandpa said."
"Well, he's right."
"So, that's all we called for," Cheyenne said. "Hope you get some sleep."
"Oh, me too."
"You will. We'll talk to you later."
"Alright. Thank you for apologizing, Lizzie."
"You're welcome."
"We'll talk to you later, Mom," Cheyenne said.
"Okay. Bye, Lizzie."
"Bye."
They hung up and Cheyenne said, "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"
"No."
"Told ya." She elbowed Elizabeth playfully, standing from the couch. "Now, let's go get Kasey ready so we can go."
When Brock got home from work, the house was unnaturally quiet. No dinner was cooking and the TV was off, as well as most of the lights. Jake's backpack was flung on the floor, so he knew that his son was home, and Reba's car was in the driveway, so he knew she was here. But where?
He started up the stairs and into the hall, passing Jake's room. The door was open and Jake was on his bed, looking at a magazine which he quickly put under his pillow.
"Throw it away," Brock said as he passed.
When he got into his room, the light was on, but the door to the bathroom was closed, soft piano music coming from behind it. He knocked lightly on the door.
"Jake," Reba's voice said on the other side. "I told you not to bother me unless the house was on fire."
"It's me," Brock said. "Can I come in?"
"That depends. Is a child with you?"
"No."
"Then, yes, you can come in."
Brock turned the knob and walked in to see the lights turned down low, candles lit, and classical music playing from the radio by the sink. Reba was in the tub with little Esme lying on her chest. The baby's eyes were open and she was looking around the room. After a second, her eyes landed on Brock and she started to whimper.
"Hurry and close the door. You're causing a draft."
Brock did and went and knelt by the tub. "What are you two lovely ladies doing on this fine evening?"
"We're relaxing," Reba said as she rubbed the baby's head full of dark brown hair. "She was fussy, so we got in here. Skin-to-skin contact helps babies calm down."
"You know, that's the opposite with men. This is the first time I've seen you without clothes in days."
"Yeah, well, get used to it. You have six long weeks of unsatisfactory nights ahead of you."
"I don't think I can wait that long."
"Then you'll be flying solo."
"It's no fun when you have permission." He batted at her ponytail with his hand, sighing. "When's dinner?"
"There's a lasagna in the oven."
"I didn't even smell it when I came in." He rubbed a hand over his face. "I'm so tired, I can hardly pay attention to anything." He reached out and touched Esme's back. "How are you, beautiful?"
"Say, I'm good. Say, I've been a very good girl today." Reba leaned her head against the back of the tub. "She was hardly fussy today, except for a while ago. She slept a lot and so did I."
"That's my girl."
Reba lifted the baby off her chest. "Here. Take her. I have to get dinner before it burns."
As soon as she was no longer in her mother's arms, she began to cry. She was shivering when Brock took her.
"Cover her up," Reba said, standing. "Get her towel. She's cold."
Brock picked up a soft, yellow towel and wrapped her in it, feeling her crying start to cease.
"That's a good girl. Don't cry." He swayed from side to side, trying to calm her down.
Reba wrapped herself in a towel and turned off the music. She blew out the candles next, before heading into their bedroom, Brock behind her.
"Hey," He said as Reba began to get dressed. "Did you know Jake has a Playboy magazine?"
"He shouldn't. I threw it away when I found it wedged between his bed and the wall."
"Well, he either got it out of the trash or got another one."
Reba groaned and pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. "What is wrong with him?"
"Nothing. He's male. I'll talk to him."
"Thanks." She finished dressing and turned to Brock, smiling.
"What?" He asked.
She shrugged. "Nothing."
"No, what?"
"Just that there's not a whole lot more sexy than a man with a baby. I just didn't want to say anything to give you any ideas."
He groaned, stomping his foot a little. "Stop bringing that up."
"You asked me to." She grabbed Esme, winking as she walked out of the room.
"Thanks for thinking I'm sexy," He called out to her, hearing her laugh as she walked down the hall.
Next chapter is where it starts to get a bit more interesting. Hang in there with me! (;