Amelia unlocked the door to her apartment and gently set down the car seat her son resided in. She flicked on the lights and let reality sink in. She was alone, well not completely alone she had her baby who relied on her, just as much as she relied on him.
"Just us now kid." She cooed, kneeling down so she could look at her sons sleeping face. "It's kinda scary, actually a lot of scary. But we've got this, don't we?"
The neurosurgeon sighed and carefully picked up her son. She stood up and brought the baby into her room, she planned on using his nursery initially, but now she was terrified by everything and anything, so she was more comfortable with him being right next to her. She couldn't lose another person in her life, especially not her baby. Once she was positive her son was okay in his bassinet, she softly closed the bedroom door and unpacked her hospital bag. Most of her life she'd been chaotic, Hurricane Amy, but now she had to make sure everything was taken care of and in order for her son.
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It felt as though her son had been crying for hours, and at this rate she was positive it'd never end. Her phone then started ringing, adding to the chaos, but that was the least of her concerns. She couldn't identify why her son was crying, her first day alone with him and she was already failing. She placed the baby back down in his bassinet and paced the length of the room, aggressive knocking at the door pulling her back into reality.
"What do you want?" The new mother practically shouted as she opened the door. "Oh. Sorry Charlotte."
"Someone seems a little stressed." The southern women chuckled, as she stepped into the apartment. She took a look at the new moms tired state and gave a sympathetic smile. "Why don't you make yourself a cup of tea and I'll go check on the baby."
"You hate babies." Amelia reminded as she followed the other woman into the bedroom.
"Your baby is an exception." Charlotte said as she picked up the screaming baby, who immediately relaxed in her embrace.
"Your kidding. How'd you do that?" Amelia threw herself onto her bed.
"Babies can sense when your stressed. Little guy seems fine, just upset cause his mamas upset." Charlotte sat down on the bed, placing the now calm baby on her friends chest.
"I just want him to be okay, and I just want to be the mother he deserves." Charlotte pushed a strand of hair out of the woman's face.
"He's going to be just fine, and your gonna be just fine. Look at how much you care, some mothers don't give a crap. And how much you care should account for something, you'll get the hang of this."
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Amelia washed the dirty dishes in her sink, forcing her eyes to stay open. She was ready to succumb to sleep. Once the last baby bottle was placed in the drying rack she headed for her room, but not before a knock came at the front door. She wasn't expecting anyone, and if it was Charlotte or Addison they'd let themselves in, hence them having a key to her apartment. Her breath hitched in the back of her throat when she looked out the peephole to reveal her mother. She debated on not answering the door and passing it off as she was asleep. But as much as she didn't want to admit it, she really needed her mother right now to guide her. It felt like every move she made was the wrong one for her sons well being. She slowly opened the door to reveal the older woman.
"Amy." Carolyn kindly smiled, before embracing her youngest.
"What are you doing here?" It may of come of rude but it was unintentional. Her mother was a planner, everything was bit down to a T, so an unexpected visit was shocking.
"It's lovely to see you too."
"Sorry." Amelia immediately apologized, stepping to the side to allow her mother in. "How long are you in town?"
"As long as you need me."
"What?" The neurosurgeon lightly chuckled.
"I can't imagine how hard this is on your own. God knows I struggled when your father died and I didn't have to navigate adjusting to motherhood."
"So you assume I'm failing? Already? That I'm incompetent?" Amelia immediately winced once she said that, she knew her mother was just trying to help, but she always felt incompetent compared to her siblings.
"No not at all Amelia. Being offered help is not people attacking you for being incompetent."
"Sorry." Amelia looked down at the floor, playing with the skin around her nail. "I-I just feel like I'm failing my baby already. I'm just lashing out at everything."
"Have you killed him already? Or poisoned him, or left him someplace?"
"What?! No!"
"Then your not failing."
"I don't think my son being alive constitutes as good parenting." The dryer then beeped, Carolyn walking over to it to fold the contents.
"Then what constitutes good parenting to you?"
"I-I don't know. Mom, I don't need you to do my laundry."
"You didn't answer my question."
"I just feel like I don't know what I'm doing, I'm just unprepared."
"Well, no one knows what their doing I can assure you that."
"How can you say that? You raised three daughters who are all picture perfect mothers."
"I can assure you your sisters are not perfect mothers, they may put on a good show, but they make plenty of mistakes." Carolyn assured as she carefully folded another baby blanket. "Your sisters aren't all that so don't compare yourselves to them." The baby's cries then erupted through the apartment, Carolyn walking to the source of the cries.
"Mom you don't need to do all this." Amelia sighed following behind her mother.
"Oh Amy isn't this kid just adorable?" Carolyn cooed as she held her newest grandson. "He has your nose." She chuckled.
"Yeah, he is pretty perfect."
"Now you go to sleep." Carolyn ordered, looking at her daughter sternly. "You look as though your going to pass out at any minute." The neurosurgeon eventually gave in and walked over to her bed.
"Thank you." Amelia smiled, choking back tears that were threatening to spill out. Carolyn nodded, smiling down at the baby. When she turned around she saw her daughter fast asleep sprawled out on the bed, reminding her of when Amy would sneak in and sleep with her whenever there was a thunderstorm. She'd always end up on the floor, because her daughter was such a bed hog. She chuckled thinking back to when Amy was that small, she couldn't believe her youngest was now a mother herself. When she noticed the baby's eyes start to flutter she gently placed him down in his crib, causing him to lightly fuss.
"I'm sure your mommy has already told you, but you have a really amazing name." The grandmother whispered as she placed soothing circles on the baby's abdomen, to help him to fall asleep. "You were named after your grandfather, Christopher. He was a really good man I hope you grow up to be like him. He meant a lot to your mommy, and between us your mommy was his favorite." When she was sure the baby was asleep, she walked over to her daughter and kissed her forehead, before going to finish folding the laundry. She was overwhelmingly proud at her youngest, she had been through so much and she was relieved she was getting the happiness she deserved.
