Ella's First Bath

VIOLET

“Well, look at you. You don’t look like you just had a baby two weeks ago,” Daniel spins me around in a playful twirl before pulling me into a warm, full-body hug. Our eyes meet, and we share a moment of pure happiness.

He seems taller and wider since I last saw him. His head rests comfortably on top of mine as he holds me close, peppering my hair with a couple of sweet kisses. It’s been a few weeks since we last saw him. He wasn’t supposed to come home until the semester ended, but he was excited to meet Ella. So, we arranged for him to fly in right after his classes today.

“Where’s my little niece?” he asks, taking my hand and leading me through his parents’ house. He heads straight for the kitchen where Carla is with Ella. I’m not sure why he asked when he already knew where everyone was, but I play along and answer with a smile, “In the kitchen.”

As soon as we enter the kitchen, he lets go of my hand. Probably because he’s met with stern glares from both Zach and Callum. But he doesn’t let their stares deter him. He walks over to his mother, extending his hands to take Ella.

He cradles her immediately, pulling her close to inhale her scent, and kisses the top of her head just like he did with me. I feel arms wrap around my waist as I watch Daniel with my daughter. It doesn’t take me long to recognize the firm body behind me as Callum’s. He seems to have a bit of a jealousy issue with Daniel.

I’m not sure why, though. Daniel and I have never had romantic feelings for each other. In fact, the last time I texted him, he was interested in a girl from his calculus class and was asking me for advice on how to ask her out.

“Wow, your eyes are something else, little bear. And this hair! I’m glad you got that because your dad’s hair is as dull as dishwater,” he teases, walking around the counter and hopping onto a stool. Callum, being his usual protective self, stays close behind me as if Daniel might drop Ella. “What did the doctor say about her eyes?” Daniel asks me. I explain the medical term and how they’ll need to monitor her as she grows. He nods at Ella.

“You’ll be just fine. You just couldn’t decide between your mom and dad’s eyes, could you?” I can’t help but grin, watching him interact with my baby. Daniel is going to be the best uncle Ella could ever ask for. I’m excited to see her grow up with him guiding her through life experiences that my boys might not let her have.

“How did your date with Rhiana go?” I ask, partly out of curiosity and partly to ease Callum’s growing tension. Daniel looks up at me, a smirk playing on his lips. It’s the same dimpled smirk Zach has—the kind that can make your heart skip a beat. But Daniel’s doesn’t affect me the way Zach’s does.

His gaze briefly flickers above me before returning to Ella, who’s now nestled comfortably in the crook of his arm. He’s held Ava like this countless times before. “We had our first date on Wednesday. She’s pretty cool.” I can feel Callum relax behind me, as if he needed confirmation that Daniel wasn’t interested in me. I’ll have to talk to him about this later when we’re home.

“Have you planned a second date yet?” Daniel shrugs. “Your mom’s trying to have me settled down with my own kids before I graduate college, little bear. Yes, next Wednesday. We both only have morning classes that day,” Daniel shares with a smile. It seems his date went rather well.

“Do I need to give you the birds and bees talk, Danny boy?” Zach interjects, walking over to join them. He looks down at Ella with a smile. He seems content, considering where Tyler and I had been all afternoon. In fact, he hasn’t even mentioned our little excursion. He hasn’t asked any questions at all.

“Mom gave me that talk at least five years ago,” Daniel chuckles, causing Carla to join in.

“Yeah, I learned my lesson with you, Zach. I didn’t make the same mistake twice.” We all laugh together.

“Well, at least I was good for something, ma. Let’s just consider me the trial kid?” Zach teases.

“Oh sweetheart, you were no such thing,” Carla pats his cheek affectionately. It’s heartwarming to see. Carla hasn’t been herself lately, but she seems genuinely happy when she’s around Zach or Daniel. It’s starting to concern me because she seems so lonely, even though she puts on a brave face whenever anyone is around.

“Well, who’s going to help me carry the food to the dining room?” she asks.

Daniel shakes his head. “Sorry, mom, I have a date with my niece.”

I smirk before volunteering to help. Callum, Zach, and Tyler follow my lead. We pick up the dishes that are ready while Carla finishes preparing the rest of the dinner.

“Go find your dad and tell him dinner’s ready, Daniel.”

We all head in the same direction—us carrying food to the dining room, and Daniel carrying Ella to the study where Jerry has been spending most of his time lately.

“Maybe we should do something to help Carla and Jerry talk?” I whisper to Zach as we enter the dining room.

“Maybe you’re right. We’ll talk about it at home, baby,” he kisses my nose, then walks into the dining room to place his dish on the table. We all follow suit until the table is laden with dishes. Zach and Tyler head back to the kitchen to fetch the remaining items. Callum and I set out the plates as if we were in our own home.

“Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?” he whispers from behind me.

I set down the knife and fork before smiling back at him. “Yes, the three of you every time you make love to me.”

“It’s been too long,” he murmurs, his breath warm against my cheek.

“I agree.”

He steps away when everyone starts to enter the dining room. Jerry, Daniel, and Ella included. Daniel hands Ella to me before taking his usual seat. I realize that I’m sitting in my usual chair, sandwiched between my three boys. Carla and Jerry take their seats at either end of the table, avoiding each other’s gaze.

With just the eight of us here, the table seems overwhelmingly large. Carla and Jerry appear to be too far apart, and Daniel seems too far from the five of us on this side of the table. Poor Jerry is all alone at his end of the table. The tension between them is palpable and obvious to anyone who’s looking.

“So, how was your day, Jerry?” Carla initiates the conversation, surprising me by addressing Jerry directly.

“Good, dear. I’ve been talking to Hayley. She’s doing some research for Tyler. Then I was just wrapping up some loose ends with the Watts case. How was your day?”

“Just fine, darling.”

“I heard the photos came back,” Jerry announces, presumably to the four of us. Zach keeps the conversation going as I struggle to feed Ella while trying to eat myself. Every time she unlatches, milk sprays all over her face. I’m grateful I remembered to wear breast pads because I can feel my left breast leaking too. It’s a strange sensation.

Carla says it’s called let down. It’s a tingling sensation in my entire breast as the milk starts to flow, and it makes me feel warm and relaxed. I try to hold Ella at an angle that allows her to feed properly, but it’s challenging. I’m used to lying down with her on a pillow next to me, so sitting up at a table is new to me. Frustrated, I give up on eating and put my fork down.

“Here, darling.” Carla helps by sliding a rounded cushion under Ella, lifting her to the perfect height to reach my breast. I mouth a silent thank you to Carla.

“No problem, darling. If you’re struggling, just ask and we’ll help. Now, why don’t you feed her, Tyler?” She returns to her seat to finish her dinner, leaving me blushing under the scrutiny of everyone at the table.

“How’s breastfeeding going, Violet?” Jerry asks, cutting his meat and avoiding looking in our direction.

“Pretty well, I think. She’s already surpassed her birth weight at her last doctor’s appointment.”

“That’s wonderful. I’m so glad. Are you enjoying it?” he asks with a small, unreadable smile.

“Very much so. I love our cuddle time.” He nods, sharing a secret smile with Carla. Some unspoken conversation passes between them that I’m not privy to. With that, the chatter dies down, and the room falls into a comfortable silence as we eat.

The cushion helps a lot, and Ella only unlatches when she’s ready to switch sides. Her fussing is a clear indication of that. Ella doesn’t linger on my left breast as she does on my right. She drifts off to sleep, her mouth agape, nestled against the pillow.

Callum gently pulls my top over my breast, leaving it outside the bra cup. His protective nature is endearing, and I find myself appreciating it.

He doesn’t need to fret over Daniel, though. Daniel is like the brother I never had.

Two could play at that game, I suppose. I quickly dismiss the thought.

My first session with Carmen is scheduled for Wednesday. We’ve allotted a generous two hours to make up for the two sessions I missed since Ella’s arrival. I need to discuss my mother, who keeps invading my thoughts despite my insistence that I want nothing to do with her. The knowledge that she’s alive and within reach is wreaking havoc on my mind. But she’s not the person she was supposed to be, and I can’t bring myself to forgive her. So where does that leave me?

Do I want to seek her out and get to know her, or do I not? I hope Carmen can guide me.

We don’t linger at Carla’s and Jerry’s. The anticipation of giving Ella her first bath is too great.

By seven-thirty, fatigue starts to set in. We bid Daniel farewell and head home shortly after. He’s returning to his dorm tomorrow, but hopefully, we’ll have more time together at the end of the semester.

“I think you’re right about my parents. They need a nudge in the right direction. We should meddle like my mother would,” Zach suggests as we enter our kitchen.

Ella is still wide awake, which is perfect for our plans.

“I’ll grab the flower thing,” Tyler announces, disappearing into the laundry room. When he reemerges, I can’t help but laugh.

It’s a massive, leaf-shaped sponge. As he plugs the sink and places it inside, it looks both adorable and comical.

We all test the water temperature as the sink fills, making sure it’s not too hot for Ella. Callum even has a star-shaped bath thermometer to double-check.

“Maybe we should cook them a romantic dinner, just the two of them,” I muse. I wish the boys would do that for me. But since Catherine does all the cooking here, I’m not holding my breath.

“Cooking isn’t our strong suit,” Tyler confesses, indicating himself and Zach. I can’t help but laugh.

“Seriously? Carla didn’t show you guys how?”

“Mom gave it a shot, but we weren’t exactly model students,” Zach confesses as he helps Ella out of her clothes. Her white cotton dress and matching bloomers were the perfect choice for the nippy day, making her hair pop.

Zach is the one who settles Ella into the sink, nestling her semi-upright among the foam petals. It’s a smart setup, offering plenty of support.

Callum gets the baby wash ready, and Tyler’s on sponge duty. Somehow, between the four of us, we manage to get her clean.

Ella seems to be having a blast, taking in her surroundings and reveling in the sound of the water. She doesn’t shed a single tear, which is a huge relief. Zach captures the whole thing on his phone, snapping photos of her, us, and even a group selfie.

“You’re a fan of bath time, aren’t you, sweet girl?” I coo at her.

Just then, Catherine materializes in the room with a warm towel fresh from the dryer. She hands it off to Tyler before disappearing back down the hallway.

Wow, where did she come from? We didn’t even notice her.

“Thanks!” I shout, hoping she hears me before she’s gone.