Same disclaimer applies-Twilight belongs to S.M., but the idea of this story is mine.
Many thanks to my awesome betas and friends - TeamAllTwilight and m0t0b33.
Christmas brunch turns out much better than the Thanksgiving get-together.
Our parents are cooing and baby-talking with our babies, while we relax and actually have a good time. Poor Vic looks exhausted, but James isn't any better. I realize we're lucky—Seb is just one baby even if he can cry like no other when he's in a mood.
I lean back in my chair, twirling the juice in my glass as I watch my husband talking with James about a future commercial.
"Auntieee."
I look down at Daphne. She's staring at me with a big smile. "Yes, sweetie. Want up in my lap?" I ask, opening my arms for her.
She shakes her head. "I want puppy."
"He should be around here. Let's find him." I grab her hand and lead her out of the room. On the way out I catch Edward's eye and he grins at me.
I can't wait for our Seb to walk and talk.
We find Spaz in the kitchen, snoozing in his basket. I hold tightly on Daphne's hand so she won't run to him.
"Don't startle him," I warn her. "Let's sit here and wake him slowly."
We don't have to coax him awake because he hears us and immediately jumps up, rushing to our feet. I grab a toy and we play with him until Rose comes looking for her daughter, saying it's time to head home.
"No! I pway wif puppy hew!" she wails, hugging poor Spaz. He's a good sport and doesn't even growl.
Rose glances at me amused, and I smile back. I know they are going to buy her a puppy for Christmas.
"Spaz won't go anywhere, sweetie. Next time you visit, you can play with him again," I tell her, kissing her head.
"Miss Spaz!"
"I know you will, but that means you have to visit often." I wink.
She beams at me, releases the dog and runs to her mommy. "Can we, Mommy? Can we move hew?"
Rose and I start laughing. She's too adorable for her own good.
I walk them to the guest room where we stowed all their winter clothes.
In here Edward has one of the twins while Vic is bundling up the other.
"Quick. Guess who I have?" he asks cheekily.
I raise an eyebrow. "Clearly, you're joking. I mean…she's wearing pink. Vic's dressing him!"
Edward pouts, bouncing Cecilia, as they named her, when she starts fussing.
"Where's Seb?" I wonder, helping Daphne in her white winter coat.
"With our parents. I think they're planning to steal him," he answers seriously.
"Damn. Why won't they steal mine? Either of them. Both of them!" Vic groans loudly. "James!" she shouts, making me jump and obviously earning loud cries from the twins.
"Jeez, sis," Edward mutters, shushing Cecilia.
I offer to take Carlton from her.
"Can you dress her, please?" Vic begs Edward before going in search of her husband, leaving mine with a panicked look on his face.
"Let me help," Rose offers. "Just hold her so I can put the jumpsuit on her."
I love being part of Edward's big family. Suddenly, it's bigger and the siblings are even closer than before. I love this.
To my amusement, Victoria returns with James, holding him by the ear. Oh, God! She's scolding him about the whiskey he drank, but he says that was ages ago. Clearly, she'll be driving home.
Emmett appears downstairs with the parents and my baby boy. He's almost asleep, being fussy and refusing to settle even when Mom tries all the tricks. He quiets minutely in my arms, with the pacifier in his mouth.
We convince everyone that they can go home. We'll manage. I even promise Mom and Esme that I will clean in the morning.
Once our noisy clan is gone, I want to fall face-first on the bed and sleep. For a week.
But I can't.
I need to feed Junior, and at least carry all the dirty plates and everything else to the kitchen. Edward offers to do that while I do the feeding. I just warn him not to break anything, and then trudge up the stairs to our room.
I settle on top of the bed, pull a strap off my shoulder and give Seb my left boob. I don't know how it happens, but next time I come around is to a dark room and Edward snoring lightly.
I'm lying on the bed. My dress is still askew on my body.
"Seb!" I choke up, shooting out of the bed.
"He's sleeping in his bed," Edward mutters.
"Oh. Thanks," I whisper.
I don't get another answer, and I realize he just answered me while sleeping. I can't help but laugh.
After I pull the dress off me, and shrug in one shirt I find on the chair near the bed, I snuggle back into my husband, falling back asleep.
*BH*
After a few months, I'm a walking zombie.
Edward doesn't really understand what staying at home alone with Seb means. He thinks that it's a walk in the park. Well, after six months of little to no sleep and keeping the house relatively clean, endure all the idiotic things Spaz does—from chewing shoes to humping everything he sees—I've had enough.
Since baby boy has decided to wake me at the crack of dawn, again, I take advantage of it.
Once he's fed, changed and rocked back to sleep, I get dressed for work. Edward has a new one coming to himself.
I quickly scribble a few instructions on a post it note and slap it on the fridge's door. God knows he'll need these instructions.
He will sing another song once I come back from work…if he doesn't go crazy in the next eight hours or so.
Smiling smugly, I take his car, leaving mine behind. The baby seat is in there and maybe he'll need to take Seb to his parents and track me down to kill me for leaving him alone with our baby.
When I arrive at work, it feels like I'm in some parallel life. I've been too much around Junior…and only him. I need to socialize.
There are a bunch of unknown people in the main area of the headquarters, around Tanya's desk. I guess it's newbie time.
"Bella! You're back!" Tanya exclaims, coming around her desk and hugging me. "Already off the maternity leave? What's it been? Seven months?"
"Close enough." I nod, hugging her back. "But I guess I'm sick of being cooped in the house with Junior and the pup."
"Oh, so you left Edward with them?"
"He doesn't know that yet." I giggle. "I'm expecting him to call any mome…."
We both burst in laughter as my phone blares loudly before I even finish my sentence. Winking at her, I walk toward my husband's office, waving merrily to James who is staring at me shocked.
I answer my phone, closing the door behind me.
"Hi, hubby!"
I can clearly hear Seb crying loudly on his side, and there's definitely dog breath around there too. "The fuck, woman? What the hell did I do to deserve this?" Edward complains. "Where are you?"
I laugh. "We're switching roles, baby," I answer calmly. "Shouldn't you attend to Sebastian? It's not healthy to let him cry for too long."
"Baby, don't do this. Just come back… I can't do this. Stop fucking my leg, you annoying dog!" There's a whine and a bark.
"I'm at work, Edward. One day at home with the baby and the dog can't be that bad. I'll be a good sport and even help if you need anything."
"I need you to come home. Christ! STOP it, Spaz!"
I giggle. "Now you know how I feel. Have a good day!" I say cheerfully, and hang up.
Surprisingly, he doesn't call right back, but he's probably busy killing the dog and juggling with a fussy baby.
Welcome to the joys of staying at home with the baby, honey! I think, amused, rotating in his chair.
There's a knock on the door.
I come to a complete turn with my chair, folding my hands on the desk, clearing my throat and calling for the person outside to step inside. It's James.
"What do I owe this visit?"
"I needed a change." I smile, gesturing for him to seat across from me. "So, what's new around here? I barely have time to talk to Edward when he's home, which is sad."
"I know, I know. Vicky's doing better, but that's because her mom is constantly at our house."
"My mom visits to help too, but I prefer to do stuff on my own. She never does anything how I like it, but I can't really complain that she usually washes or irons for me."
"Yeah, but you still are tired," he notes.
"I am. Anyway, so new project or something?" I ask, pointing to the door, indicating that I saw the new people.
"Yeah. Edward landed us a great one last week."
I feel horrible, but complaining about my day, not allowing him to tell me why he was obviously gloating about last Thursday. Fuck, I'm such a bitch.
"You don't know," James states. I look at my hands, hoping he'll enlighten me. "Energy drinks. The contract is for one year of commercials and advertisements for them."
"Whoa! That's great! What brand?"
"Guess…" He rolls his eyes.
I shrug, because I have no idea. I don't drink these, but I know there are a few important brands like Red Bull, Monsters, Burn…maybe even Coca Cola or Mountain Dew. Whatever. I'm not an expert at these.
"Red Bull."
Ah, so I nailed it. "Nice."
The work day drags. Taking over Edward's activities is harder than I anticipated.
By three in the afternoon, I want Seb and Spaz. They're nothing compared to this.
I understand why my poor husband is tired when he gets home, and me like the insensitive bitch that I am, whine about my horrible day. Only now I have some free time, and decide to take my break before I get stuck on this office for another video conference or phone call or something else.
Once in the cafeteria, while I wolf down my salad, I check my phone. Shit! Five missed calls and two messages.
I open the message first.
It was your idea to leave me with them alone! So please don't kill me. Spaz broke your favorite mug. I'll buy you another one. Cross my heart, swear to die…or whatever the saying is. How's work?
My penguin shaped mug?
I feel a lump in my throat. That was a special gift from his parents' trip to Europe.
In the other text message he sounds hysterical.
How do you do this shit, baby? I can't! Pick up the damn phone! The kid had been shaking that noisy fucking toy in my ear for the past half an hour and the dog is barking at the noise. I'm going crazy! PS: I just realized…I didn't eat today. Wonder why I'm hungry. Shit...gotta go. Please call!
Taking pity on him, I dial his number and wait patiently for him to answer. I know all about juggling with the baby while the phone is ringing.
When he picks up, I greet him with his line when it takes me ages to answer. "Fucking finally!"
"Bella!" he whines in my ear. "I just put him to sleep…and he's crying now!"
"One reason my phone is on Silent or Vibrations. Just go and stroke his back a little. He'll fall back asleep," I instruct.
"I hope you're right, because I can't…"
"Just think about it this way. I also cook, clean and sometimes go for a short shopping trip in between taking care of them."
"Yeah," he mumbles. "Anyway, he's back asleep."
"Told you. I did this just to prove you how hard it is to stay home. I don't know what you thought I was doing, but now you know better."
"Christ. I want my exhausting day at the office in comparison to this! No offense, baby, but you're a fucking saint for taking care of Seb and enduring that devil-sent dog."
I laugh. "Yeah, I realized what a bitch I was," I whisper, playing with my salad. "What you do is so much harder than being a team's leader…"
"Yeah, well. I'm the vice-president or whatever James likes to call me. I do the hard stuff. He just signs away."
"I figured. By the way, kudos on Red Bull!"
"Thanks." He yawns loudly. "God, I could sleep for a year."
"Well, nap now while Seb's asleep," I advise him.
"Sure. See you when you get home."
*BH*
When I arrive home that night, because it is past seven when I step foot in the house, it's suspiciously quiet.
It's dark, too.
I check the garage, making sure he didn't bail.
Nope. They're around here somewhere.
Toeing my heels off, I walk up the stairs, hissing at my swollen feet.
In our bed is the dog snoring away. Jeez.
There's some noise coming from the entertainment room. So they're watching TV, or Edward is. I can't say Seb pays attention to anything more than ten seconds, but he's just a baby.
I gasp at the sight that greets me. The TV is on the news, but on the couch is the most adorable image ever. My husband in sprawled on the small piece of furniture with Junior on his chest, hugging him tightly. There's a half empty bottle of milk fallen on the floor, a bag of chips near Edward's head and that noisy toy he told me about is on the back of the couch.
Not ready to disturb them, I bring a throw and put it over them, kissing their heads before going to a much needed shower. On the way to the bathroom, I tell Spaz to make room for me, because we're sharing tonight. He's grown quite a lot in these past six months. He's about one year old.
How was that? Exchanges experience from staying at home and going to work. :)
