Hanging on a Moment Part II
Chapter 3
"So when do you think the kids are going to figure out that 'Mommy Juice' is actually wine?" Spencer slurred a little refilling her glass to the brim.
"Well, last Mother's Day Emmett drew me an adorable little picture that showed me with a cup as big as my head. It said, 'my mom likes to drink with her friends'." Megan replied as Spencer and Hanna snorted with laughter. "I'm definitely busted."
"Oh my God, that is hilarious!" Hanna smiled while rubbing Piper's back.
"So how did things go with Caleb after the other night?" Spencer asked changing the subject.
"Ok, get this. When I left I was still super pissed. I came home and he had rose petals and candles set up all over our room. He apologized and he freaking made an appointment with the doctor the other day." Hanna smiled as Spencer and Megan's mouths hung open.
"Oh my God, really?" Megan squealed clapping her hands.
"Yeah. I was ready to like deny him sex and make him sleep in the guest room and everything!" Hanna laughed.
"That's great Han!"
"No more little Rivers babies." Hanna gurgled in her baby voice.
"Speaking of River's babies, I think she spewed a little." Spencer noted pointing to the pile of spit up.
"Nooooo." She groaned trying to wipe out the baby barf from her couch. "I swear I will never have nice things!" she giggled grabbing a near by burp rag.
"Oh come on Han, the girls will grow up." Megan smiled taking Piper.
"I'm not just talking about the kids." Hanna retorted pointing her finger at Megan and Spencer.
"Well now we know peroxide gets red wine out of white carpet!" Spencer snarked as her and Megan clanked glasses.
"Take her, take her back!" Megan groaned holding Hanna's youngest daughter in her outstretched arms as Hanna finished cleaning the mess. "What do you feed this one?!"
"Ugh. I know." Hanna replied. "You're a stinky one, huh?"
"Han, I think you should get her checked out." Spencer broached the subject as gently as she could.
"What do you mean?" the young mom got defensive as she changed Piper's diaper on the changing station she had set up in the corner of the room.
"Well, I don't know. I don't think that it's normal that she still spits up all the time and her diapers do always smell, like, really bad."
"She's a baby. Baby's diapers always smell bad." Hanna snapped annoyed as she pulled up her daughter and returned to the sofa.
"Well, she's really crabby a lot too." Megan quietly chimed in.
"Really? She is fine. I've taken her to the pediatrician a million times and he never has said anything. When was the last time the two of you dealt with a baby anyways? Just drop it." Hanna bit back.
"I didn't mean to offend you Hanna, I just think.." Spencer added. Megan and she certainly didn't mean to hurt Hanna's feelings and they knew Piper being crabby all the time stressed the young mom out.
"I really need to get started on dinner before Caleb comes home."
"Really Han?" Megan asked surprised.
"Yeah." She exhaled toting Piper on her hip.
"Charlotte, Emmett, come on, time to go!" Spencer called up the staircase.
"But, Mom! We basically just got here!" Emmett whined.
"Well, you've got homework and I don't know crap about Antarctica." Megan made up a lie on the spot.
"God Mom, how did you even graduate college?!" Emmet looked into his mother's eyes seriously.
"Come on Mister Mouth." Megan exhaled holding her sons hand.
Spencer, Charlotte, Megan and Emmett then left the house with a frazzled Hanna.
"Mom, why did everyone have to leave so early?" Parker asked as she furrowed her little eyebrows, just like her father does when he gets angry.
"It's five." Hanna replied finishing the contents of her glass.
"Mom, I can tell time now ya know!" Parker sniped putting her hand on her hip.
Piper started crying again loudly. "I just can't deal with this." Hanna exhaled as she hit the send button on her phone, letting Piper cry as she clung on to her pant leg.
"Hello?"
"Mom, can you please pick up the girls." Hanna cried as she tried rocking Piper in her arms.
"Honey what's wrong?" Ashley asked concerned.
"I just need a break. I need a freaking break from everything."
"I will be there shortly."
"Thanks mom."
About ten minutes later, Ted and Ashley parked their Explorer and let themselves in. Parker and Paisley ran to the door as Piper sat by Hanna's feet at the table screaming her head off.
"Grandma! Grandpa!" the girls shouted as they jumped into Ted's arms.
"Come on Piper! Come to Grandma." Ashley smiled as held her arms out and the youngest Rivers came toddling towards her.
"Nooooooo! I don't want her to come!" Parker whined as she held out her arms.
"Me either!" Paisley copied her sister folding her arms across her chest.
Ashley looked at Ted. "Sweetie, how about you take the girls to dinner somewhere. I will stay here with Hanna for a little bit."
"Who wants to eat at Archies?" Ted asked the little ones in his arms as they both cheered.
"Say goodbye to Grandma and your Mom."
"Bye!" Parker waved as they left to have some special time.
"Hello Angel. Did you miss Grandma?" Ashley snuggled Piper into her arms. "I'm going to go rock her for a little bit to see if she will calm down." Ashley ascended up the staircase leaving Hanna with a full bottle of wine. About twenty minutes later, Ashley sat beside her daughter at the table.
"Did you drink this all by yourself?" the concerned redhead asked as she picked up the empty bottle.
Hanna was now feeling the effects of the alcohol and started weeping. "I'm a failure."
"No you are not. You are just stressed honey. I couldn't imagine taking on what you are all doing." Ashley smiled rubbing her daughters back.
"I burry myself in work all day. You or Claudia always has to take the kids. All Caleb and I do is fight about whose turn is to deal with whatever kid." She sniffled as she wiped her eyes.
"Honey it won't always be like this. And I will admit that no mom is perfect. I know after your dad and I got divorced, I spent way too much time at the office when I should have been home with you." Ashley replied with hurt in her voice.
"Mom, you know I don't resent you for that. I was old enough to help." Hanna shook her head blotting under her eyes.
"As a Mother, you always feel like you could be doing more. The girls are happy and healthy Hanna."
"Are they?" Hanna frowned deeply as her emotions got the best of her. "Do you think I work too much?"
Ashley fidgeted in her chair a little, caught off guard. "Do you think hiring a partner would help alleviate some of your stress?"
Hanna sat and thought for awhile. Ever since Leo retired, she was making quite a bit of money. "I would have to split my revenue in half again though." She mumbled as her mind raced.
"You and Caleb still made plenty before both of you were working all the time." Ashley pointed out.
"I know, but after our financial crisis when I was in High School and how broke Caleb and I were after we had Parker…."
"I get it. It is important to have a nest egg Han, but is working non stop and being burned out what is best for you and your family?"
Hanna sat in silence. Everything her mom was telling her was true. "You are right Mom."
Ashley stood up from her chair and hugged her daughter tightly in her arms.
"Ted just sent me a text that they are almost done eating. We will keep the girls tonight so you can kick back a little. I will make sure they go to bed well for school."
"Thank you mom." Hanna smiled as Ashley grabbed her stuff and left.
Caleb came home about a half hour later to Hanna asleep on the couch. "What's going on?"
"Oh, Hey. Mom has the girls. It's been a day." She replied wiping the drool from the side of her face.
"Waaaaahahahaaa." The baby monitor turned a bright red as she could hear Piper's cry fill the room.
"Do you want to get a pizza?" Caleb shouted back as Hanna sat back down in the living room with Piper.
"Yeah. That's fine."
"Hey, sweetheart. Did you have a good nap?" Caleb cooed as he played with the blonde hair on the top of her head taking a seat next to his wife.
"Babe, do you think something is wrong with her?" Hanna asked softly as he sat next to her. "It's just, she's upset a lot and she still spits up, and her potty always smells so atrocious."
"I've noticed that too." He replied in a low voice. "Every time we take her to Dr Egert he thinks she is ok."
"Should we take her to a specialist?" Hanna exhaled. "I've looked up a couple."
"I guess it wouldn't hurt to have her looked over." Caleb frowned giving his little girl a kiss.
"Babe…."
"Yeah?" Caleb blinked looking up at Hanna.
"I'm really stressed." She pursed her lips resting her head lightly on Piper's head.
"I can tell." He nodded softly.
"I'm going to start looking for a partner at work." She mentioned just as small.
"Han, whatever you want to do is fine." He smiled grabbing his phone to order the pizza.
"Are you sure?"
"Babe, if you want to quit your job tomorrow, we'd survive." He looked up from punching his credit card number on his phone.
"But, I love my job."
"The only thing I care about is you and our family Han. Money is nice but nothing is more important than this." He gestured at the three of them sitting close together on the couch.
"Dada!" Piper squealed as Caleb blew raspberries on her foot and she smiled.
"These are the moments that matter."
Authors Note: What up Pretty Little Readers?! I'm kind of obsessing with this fic! I just feel compelled to keep writing. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and comment. When I look at the stats of my stories, it kind of blows me away that so many people stop by and read. People from all different countries too! I'm very humbled that anyone would read my little stories that are a bold figment of my imagination, so thank you again! I would also like to take a minute to remind everyone that our show starts back in 6 little days! I love, love, love my PLL and I can not wait for it to resume. Have a happy Thursday my friends!-BroStow