NYLON ~ 94 ~ IT'S COLD
Hanna sat at the dining table with floor plans and fabric swatches laid out all over the table. She poured club soda into a crystal tumbler and added a spritz of lemon. Then she got started laying out the room for her latest project. As soon as she picked up the first colored pencil, screams were heard through the baby monitor propped up on the table.
"Shit," she breathed.
She stepped into the nursery and picked up Ashley who was crying her eyes out. She bounced her around the room until her cries died down. Then changed the soiled diaper and carried her back to the dining table. Hanna carefully laid baby Ashley in her sling and then rocked the infant while she got to work on the drawings.
"Mama!" JT came running into the room.
"JT," she shushed him, "the girls are sleeping."
"They're always sleeping," he protested.
"Jamie," she patted the seat next to her gesturing for him to climb onto it. "Remember what we talked about?"
"You said they would need a lot of attention for a little while," JT pouted. "It's been more than a little while."
"Honey," Hanna sighed. "It's gonna take a few months. It was the same way when you were a baby."
"What's a month?" he asked.
"Well," Hanna explained by drawing circles on a blank sheet of paper. "One year has twelve months and you are three and a half years old. That means you've been alive for forty-two months."
She drew forty-two circles on the paper for JT to understand. He stood on his tiptoes clutching the edge of the table to see.
"That's so much!" JT replied. "How many months have you been alive?"
"Oh boy," Hanna laughed. "At least a hundred."
"Mama, you're old," JT said.
"You can't tell people that!" Hanna said outraged.
"It's true," JT replied.
"Sweetie," she told him. "that's not very nice."
"I don't understand," JT said. "I just want to be older."
"Enjoy being young," she smiled. "It's the most fun you'll ever have."
"Ever?" he asked.
"Ever," Hanna whispered.
Then she heard the doors open and saw Caleb stroll in lugging his briefcase. He placed the case on the kitchen table and then kissed Hanna's forehead.
"Hey," he smiled.
"How was work?" Hanna asked.
"You know," Caleb sighed. "Same as usual."
"You hungry?" she asked. "The girls slept through the morning so I made a chicken casserole."
"Looks good," Caleb opened the fridge.
He began preparing dinner just as Ashley burst into tears once again. Hanna bounced her in the sling and then stepped into the nursery to feed her. Tai slept soundly in her own crib until JT came running in and knocked his head on the edge of the dresser.
His lip quivered and in seconds he erupted into full blown wails, waking up Tai. Caleb came running in and picked Tai up out of her crib bouncing her in his arms. Then he knelt down next to JT and moved his hair aside to check the injury.
"It's just a scrape," he told JT.
"It hurts!" JT shrieked.
"He might have a concussion," Hanna said. "Is there a bump?"
"Does this hurt?" Caleb asked JT gently pressing the sore spot.
"Ow!" JT wailed.
Hanna finished feeding Ashley and placed her back in the crib. Then she took a seat next to JT.
"Come on," she scooped him up, "let's get you some ice."
"Okay," JT sighed.
Hanna carried him into the kitchen and set him down on the counter. Then she grabbed an ice pack from the freezer and gingerly placed it on JT's head.
"That better?" she asked.
"It's cold," JT shivered.
"I know," she smiled, "but it will help."
"I don't like it," JT protested.
"Jame," she moved his hair away from his face, "I know this is hard, but you've been a really good big brother. Can you do me one big favor?"
"What?" he asked.
"Keep this ice pack on your head," she pleaded, "for just ten minutes, and Daddy and I will let you sleep in our bed tonight."
"Yeah!" he squealed.
"Okay," Hanna lifted him off the counter and carried him back into the nursery, "let's tell Daddy."
JT ran into the room and gave his father the news. Then he ran back to his own room to make sure the compress stayed on.
"Why is he sleeping with us?" Caleb asked her. "We hardly get any sleep as it is with the girls waking up every hour."
"I know," she sighed, "but he hit his head. I need to keep an eye on him tonight."
"It's weird," Caleb laughed, "who would have thought we'd end up here."
Hanna laughed and sat down next to him. Caleb placed Tai in her arms and Hanna rested her head on Caleb's shoulder. A few minutes later, JT returned and laid in his father's lap with the ice haphazardly pressed to his forehead.
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