Chapter 3: chapter 3

AMELIA’S POVMy mind felt foggy as I woke up from yet another night with no sleep. It was becoming too much of a hassle and I often chug a cup of coffee even before starting my day.Stretching my back on the bed, my hands fell on the empty side of the bed. I looked at Zach’s side and found his sleep tousled sheets and not him. Ugh, this was becoming a thing, nowadays. Sleeping after me and waking up before me. My mood became cold immediately and I had a sudden urge to curse out Zach. The time we spend together as of lately is only in the morning and that too is restricted when he would eventually leave for his work. I sighed. Waste thinking about it. It was never like this, Zach always makes time for me but these last couple of months, I can see him gradually withdrawing from me. And it hurts to know that something must be wrong in our relationship or… I don’t know. The smell of coffee made me turn my head and there it was. A big cup of coffee. And just like that, I can’t stay mad at Zach. With a big smile on my face, I got up and slid onto the headboard before taking the cup from the nightstand.I took a huge sniff and made myself, acquittance with the first and real coffee for the day. The coffee was still hot so it made me think if Zach was still here somewhere. But when I took a glance at his stand, I could see the baby monitor, and I knew he went for his work. Because he always has the monitor with him like wants to watch over the babies all the time and when he is ready to head out, he usually places it where I could pick it out easily. I let out a big sigh and took a few sips of my heaven. Zach knew exactly how I take and it was a mix of less water, more milk, and extra sugar. As I was devouring the coffee while watching the monitor, I got mentally prepared for what I had to tackle that day. And was that not a big list. My phone pinged with a text message and I stretched my hand to take the phone from the stand. I tapped it and saw Zach’s message. ZACH: I don’t know if you are awake but I love you. And have a great morning, my wife.I smiled despite myself because to all worse and wear we both never gave up on each other. I texted back.AMELIA: I miss you. I kept my phone back down before I go down the rabbit hole and forget all my chores. Right on time baby, Riya wailed and her piercing sound was so loud even when I cut off the monitor’s sound. I drank the remaining coffee in one gulp and hurriedly got up from the comfort of my sheets.  With my booty shorts which I wear all the time because it is comfortable as fuck and a tank top, I jog my way through the hallway to reach her room with the monitor in one hand and my phone in another. “Hey, my love,” I said cheerfully as I entered the brightly colored room which was still bright even with the blinds closed. She was standing on her crib while gripping the railing for her dear life while she gave high pitched sound. I cringed a little at how it hurt my ear and gave her soothing noises and she immediately stopped her cry to look at me. I gave her a big smile and picked her up from the crib and she let the death grip go and latched on to my neck. “Is my baby hungry or just having a heavy diaper.” I cooed and laid her down on a high table that I was using for a make-shift diaper change area. As I was removing her onesies, I marveled at how beautiful she was. Her cheeks-tinged pink with all the crying and tears and I wiped it with a soft tissue. She was currently sucking her index and middle finger while looking at me and giving me her whole attention. “My baby girl is very cute this morning,” I said in a baby voice and she immediately broke into a giggle spraying her spittle on herself. I smiled and changed her diaper, quick but efficient. It certainly does help that I had four years of practice before her. I pocketed my phone and some tissues into my shorts and hefted her up. I like her to be free from all clothes just for the morning and for the nap she takes next in two hours. I don’t know what the baby feels but I certainly want to go bare all the time. I walk down the hallway with her on my hip while she swipes her saliva-filled fingers against my cheek and ear as she mumbled something incoherent. I was so used to it that I didn’t recognize it as gross. Riya is just shy of ten months and I didn’t even know I was pregnant with her until the end of the first trimester. I was like ‘oh, I was putting on some weight finally’ but in reality, I was pregnant with this little bugger. It was totally Zach’s fault because he always forgets to wear condoms and I would doze off after the earth-shattering orgasm and I wouldn’t even know he cleaned up the cum from my vajayjay. So, I didn’t think of anything when I continuously missed my period for two months, and then too, I was just like hormones. Because after I gave birth to not only my girl and then surrogate for Nick and Jordan and a baby boy of my own, I just thought my periods were still irregular even with my pills. Sometimes, I do forget to take the pills, so…I can’t entirely blame this on Zach.To say the least, Riya was a surprise but we couldn’t be happier with our family. I reached Theo’s room and went into the already opened door, no doubt Zach had been watching him. I didn’t know Zach’s morning ritual but I could see him clearly standing in front of each kid’s room and just taking them in. Theo was already up and playing with one of his toy cars making a vroom vroom sound. Riya jumped on my arms when she saw him and started wiggling down my body until I let her down. Once she was on the ground she excitedly crawled towards her brother and sat next to him. She started clapping just for it and Theo gave his baby sister a big smile and pulled her into a big hug. Where they both squealed and stumbled. My heart soared and all the tension in my body flew out. Because these small moments were what I was living for. “Take care of your sister, Theo. I will come back.” I said when I neared them and kissed his forehead. Theo nodded excitedly and grabbed Riya’s hand and explained in broken English how the toy in his hand worked. And she was looking back at him and at the car with rapt attention. I swooned at their cuteness and went out the door before I swooned at them and spent my whole morning sitting with them. Theo would turn two in a few weeks and it was uncanny by how much he looked like Zach. I was in awe at how he copied his daddy and tried to be like him. He would just follow him like a lost puppy. And his eyes, oh his eyes are just like Zach’s stormy grey. While both the girls have my brown eyes, Gianna resembled most of her father but I know Riya is full and full of me. Her skin color is darker than most of her siblings while Gianna is a mix, Theo is fair-skinned. Don’t ask me how but he came from my stomach and the doctor confirmed that it is normal for biracial couples to get either one of their skin colors. So, we didn’t dwell on it. I walked down the hallway to reach Gianna’s room. We all had rooms next to each other in a perfect arc and moreover it was easier for me with three kids. First, I told Zach that why we would need to use three separate rooms if we can just bunk Theo and Gianna and he just said trust me. He meant that being away from each other would create more space they needed but they also knew when to ask if I could sleep with mama and dada or with their siblings and I thought it was a genius idea. Zach said it was what his mother used on them. He said ‘We would fight tooth and nail but when mom says that we are going to be away from each other for a few hours, we would shut up and eat and watch whatever they say. So, I want them to enjoy their space but also want each other.’ I could have kissed him right then and there and I did but I kept it limited because of the kids’ eyes. I trusted him with my life so I didn’t say anything other than a nod at him and we prepared three kids’ rooms and we also had an additional guest room downstairs. Which was easier for access to Zach’s parents and my dad.  I love it when we had a house full. I went into Gianna’s room and saw her still sleeping, so I went to the closet which was attached to her room, and picked her an outfit and a pair of shoes. After placing it neatly on top of the dresser I woke Gia up. She grumbled but sat on my hip and slept on my shoulder as I walked back to Theo’s room. Theo and Gia shared a bathroom and it was directly opposite to Theo’s room.Theo was still playing with his car while Riya was sucking on her fingers. Gosh, I forgot her pacifier. I made Gia sit on the floor but she just slacked against the carpet and started sleeping again. I left them to it and jogged back to Riya’s room and took one of the pacifiers and back to Gia’s room to collect her dress. I hate this back and forth but I don’t think I am perfect even after all these kids.  I often forget something and totally mess with the others but Zach always says that making mistakes is normal and that he doesn’t want me to be perfect.‘Imperfection makes you who you are, baby and I love who you are.’ He would always say.Maybe I am just too imperfect. I neatly arranged the dress in their bathroom and jogged to Theo’s door. I have to prep for food. Shit. “C’mon, Gia. Wakey wakey.” I grabbed Theo’s arm to make him stand and he collected enough toys to make an army and stood near the entrance of the door while I picked Riya up and placed her in my hip. “Gia, please,” I spoke again.“Don’t you want to go to your school and see your friend James?”  I said as a final attempt and it was a success because she whined but finally sat up.This James kid was her best friend and the first time when she said to Zach that she was going to marry him, Zach nearly popped a vessel and told her that she couldn’t marry until she was thirty in a stern voice which made me laugh even now.“C’mon. Chop chop.”“Mommy but few minutes.” She said and yawned. “Don’t you wanna look pretty for your friends.  First breakie and then bath.”Both Theo and Gia followed me as I went to the stairs and unlocked the baby-proof gates downstairs. “Remember to grab the railing while you walk.” I reminded them and they followed me slowly as we got downstairs. Riya started grabbing my tank top, obviously, she knows that it was milk time. So impatient, just like her dad. I smiled. I grabbed Theo’s waist and with a difficult maneuver, I placed him in the high chair just as Riya started pinching my boobs.“Ow, Riya. Wait a second.”I checked again if Theo was placed right and saw Gia hefted herself into one of the barstools. “Okay, kids. Wait for mommy to make you food.”I turned to the kitchen and freed one of my nipples from my bra and I didn’t even have to wait while Riya latched on to it. With my free hand, I grabbed a couple of apples, milk, and a yogurt cup from the fridge.The counter next to the fridge had been freed just for this purpose. I washed the apples in the sink and saw Gia sleeping with her head on the counter and Theo was waving his hand down at Mimi, who was just napping under his high chair. She was old and often napped all the time. I got sad just thinking about how much she came through. She was sick and old and it absolutely broke my heart that she would not be alive till my babies grow. I sniffed and turned back around because if I started the day crying, I would absolutely mope on the floor and I have many things to do today.I placed the apples on a chopping board and took Gia’s lunch pack and placed the yogurt there and some of her favorite chips in there with a small water bottle. I also took a bread packet from the corner of the counter and opened it with one of my hands and teeth.  I have become the master of working in one hand but I have to prepare them breakfast before Riya starts to ask for the other nipple because my left-hand coordination was not that good and I learned that the hard way. Taking two bowls, I grabbed their favorite cereal and filled their bowls half full and poured a full cup of milk on two glasses, and took four trips to deposit it before Theo and Gia. I shook Gia awake and she started munching on the cereal while Theo started drinking milk from his sippy cup. On a small plate I placed a soft bread and pushed it on the counter just as Gia picked it up and ate and in another rubber plate, I cut the same soft bread in four pieces and placed it before Theo and picked up his empty milk cup. I bent down to give Mimi a hearty rub as she panted rolling her tongue out. “Just a second, baby,” I spoke to Riya in a soothing voice as I placed her on the counter, she scrunched up her face and looked at my nipple longingly, and looked like she was about to cry.“One sec, love.” I quickly pulled my bra cup up and washed my hands and started cutting an apple quickly and divided it equally and placed it on their plates before I got myself an apple and washed it. I grabbed Riya from the counter and freed my other nipple and as she started sucking on it, I sat next to Gia and unlocked my phone, and gave it to her. She excitedly grabbed it and put on Arthur, an animated series for kids. I let her watch it as I finally started filling up my belly with an apple. Just as I took my first juicy bite, there was a crash.I swirled around and saw Theo trying to place his big car in between plates and the cereal bowl was on the ground and most of the cereal was on Mimi’s white fur. The colors looked beautiful with her fur but when I thought about the work I had to do, I already was waiting for the day to end and it just started. I sighed and placed the apple on Gia’s plate and got up.Apparently, I had more work than usual to do.……Don’t forget to comment and to give your ratings and do follow me! - VV 🖤💫Check out my Instagram for upcoming chapter’s sneak peek.