Chapter 8
Snow entered the loft. She had Neal's carseat hung on one arm, a few bags of groceries on the other, and she balanced the pizza on her hand. She expected her husband to be there to help her once she opened the door, but when she glanced towards the couch she found him sound asleep. Emma and Hanna seemed to have fallen asleep too. She sighed internally. That was not going to make bedtime any easier tonight. Snow set Neal's carseat down on the floor and put the groceries and pizza onto the table. She unbuckled Neal from his carseat and placed him in his bouncy seat. She put the groceries away, then got out plates and silverware for the pizza, and filled everyone's water cups.
She made her way over to the couch and smiled at the sight in front of her. Emma was on David's lap. She leaned back on his chest, her head slumped to one side, and her hair hid her face. Hanna was snuggled into his side, and she somehow managed to get the blanket over her head. Some of her hair sprouted out from the top. Snow pulled the blanket away. Hanna's thumb was in her mouth and Snow couldn't help but smile. She had a thought and brushed the hair from Emma's face. Sure enough she was sucking her thumb too. Snow pulled her phone from her pocket and took a picture of the three of them. She couldn't help herself. She slipped the phone back into her pocket and leaned in to her husband's ear. "Charming, wake up," she whispered.
David opened his eyes. "You're back already?"
"Uh, huh. Time passes quickly when you fall asleep."
"Asleep?"
"Yeah, the girls are sleeping too. Look." Snow nodded towards them.
"Aww, they suck their thumbs just like Neal."
"I know. Isn't is the cutest?"
"Yes."
"How about we try to get them up before the pizza gets cold?"
"I'm surprised they fell asleep since they napped earlier."
"I'm thinking they didn't actually take that nap like we thought."
"I wonder what they did whole time they were upstairs, then?"
Snow shook her head. "I have no idea." She picked Emma up from David's lap and placed her on her hip. Her thumb fell out of her mouth and her head rested against Snow's chest. She pushed the blonde locks away from her face. "Emma." Snow reached down and kissed her forehead. "Your pizza is here."
Emma began to stir. She slowly lifted her head and squinted at her mom. "Took you long enough. I'm hungry."
Snow grinned. "Well, how about we go sit down and get you some food?"
Emma nodded.
David shifted Hanna onto his lap and cradled her in his arms. Her thumb was still securely in her mouth. David brushed a hand down her cheek. "Hey princess, time to wake up."
Hanna removed her thumb. "No, Daddy." Hanna balled up her hands and rubbed her eyes.
"Mommy's back with the pizza. Aren't you hungry?"
"She's back already?" Hanna sat up and looked towards the table.
"Yeah, how about we go eat?"
Hanna nodded and hopped down from her daddy's lap. She ran over to the table and sat beside her sister.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," Snow said.
"I wasn't sleeping."
Snow laughed. "Your sister said the same thing."
"We were watching Family Feud, Mom, not sleeping," Emma said.
"Family Feud?" Snow asked, then she shifted her eyes towards the tv.
The girls turned in their chairs. The Price is Right was playing on the screen.
"Well, that was on before this," Emma said.
Hanna nodded. "Uh, huh. It was."
The girls wouldn't admit it, but they definitely didn't remember the show changing.
"If you say so." Snow picked up a piece of pizza and set it onto Hanna's plate.
"Eww, Mom. I don't want sausage."
"You don't?" That's what Hanna normally ate.
Hanna shook her head. "It's gross."
"Okay, then." Snow picked up the piece and put it onto Emma's plate.
"Mom…" Emma whined. "I don't want her pizza."
"She didn't even touch it."
Emma sat back in her chair and crossed her arms. "It touched her plate."
"Fine, I'll eat it." Snow shifted the slice to her plate. "Do you still want sausage, Emma?"
Emma nodded.
Snow gave each of the girls the pizza they wanted. "Can I cut your pizza for you, Hanna? The slices are pretty big."
Hanna shrugged. "Sure."
Snow cut up Hanna's pizza, then gave her a fork. "Can I cut yours, Em?"
"I can handle it," Emma said.
"Okay." Snow pulled the lid off of the veggie tray she bought at the store. She placed a few pieces of broccoli and carrots onto the girls' plates.
"Mom, gross," Hanna said.
"Don't let it touch my pizza!" Emma quickly picked up her slice.
"Girls, it's just a few veggies."
The girls furrowed their eyebrows in the exact same way and looked up at their mom.
Snow had to cover her mouth to keep herself from laughing.
"Come on, girls. It's not so bad." David sat down and popped a piece of broccoli into his mouth.
"You better eat up," Snow told them. "I bought a surprise for dessert, but you're not getting any unless you eat some of your veggies."
"What did you get? What did you get?" Hanna bounced up and down on her knees.
David reached out his hand towards her. "Hanna, sit…"
Hanna let out a tiny shriek when she bounced herself off the side of her chair and onto the floor. Hanna quickly stood back up again. She could feel her cheeks starting to turn red as she climbed back onto her chair.
"Are you alright?" David asked.
Hanna nodded.
David scooted Hanna's chair closer to the table. "That's why you need to sit still."
"Okay. Mommy, what did you get for dessert?"
"Eat your veggies first, then I'll tell you," Snow said.
"Fine. Can we at least have some of the dip with them?" Hanna asked.
"Sure." Snow scooped some onto Hanna's plate. "Do you want some Emma?"
"I guess so."
Snow gave Emma some too and noticed that she was struggling to hold her pizza. "Are you sure I can't cut your pizza for you?"
"I'm fine," Emma said. She held the pizza up to her mouth to take a bite, but the edge of the pizza flopped down. Emma had one hand on the crust and the other was further down the slice, but her hands weren't big enough and the pizza kept drooping down every time she reached it to her mouth. Emma groaned and threw the pizza back onto her plate. She picked up a carrot, swiped it through the ranch, and took a bite. She finished her carrot, then picked a piece of sausage off of her pizza and nibbled on it. Her stomach started to growl. She turned to her mom. "You can cut it if you want to."
"Okay, sweetie." Snow picked up the knife and a fork. She leaned over towards Emma's plate. Emma sat back to give her mom some room. Once she was done, Emma took the fork she held out to her and ate her pizza.