Another Life

41

It was still dark out when I woke up the following morning, which wasn't unusual, it didn't get light until seven at the very earliest anymore. I rolled over on to my other side, blinking my eyes open slowly. I try closing my eyes and I pray I can go back to sleep, but it doesn't take me. There's a small smile that comes up on my face when I give up and allow my eyes to open properly, as I catch sight of Jay and Macie still both dozing beside me, Mae squished in between Jay and I.

It had been a really long night, with little to no sleep for basically anyone. Both of them had managed to make it until one and that's when we were woken up for the first time, when Mae was sick all in her bed. We both got up with her that time clearly the stench that had invaded the room was too much for Jay, as that's what set him off he first time. Macie's sheets were then put in the wash, she had a quick shower to clean herself up and she was taken upstairs into our room. Jay had woken up again at around two and just about managed to grab the bowl and all the noise had woken Alfie up, but luckily Macie slept through that one. By the time Jay cleaned up - he insisted on doing it because he was the one that made the mess - and Alfie was asleep, it was nearing three am. We were then woken up a third time when Macie was sick again and after Mae was cleaned up, we had all had a quick rinse and change of clothes each and new sheets were applied to the bed. Just as I was falling asleep that time, Jay got up and disappeared out of the bedroom door and down to the bathroom. I quickly gave Macie the bowl and told her if it was going to happen again, to aim in the bowl (as if it were some kind of game to maybe make the situation less distressing) and then I had followed Jay down in the bathroom, making it in there just as he was finishing.

When he leaned up against the wall he had sighed loudly. "This sucks." He had mumbled, swallowing back what I presumed was the taste in his mouth. He told me to go back to bed and that he would be up in a minute but I shook my head and told him I wasn't leaving.

"Sickness and in health, remember?" I asked and it made a small chuckle rise up from his chest.

He rubbed his eyes and we stayed sat there a couple minutes before he stood up, rinsed the sour taste out of his mouth and we both went back upstairs.

Luckily that had been the last time they had gotten up, Macie had been asleep when we returned from the bathroom and Jay wasn't far behind as the moment he fell on to the bed he was out. I had finally managed to fall back asleep ten minutes later at about five.

I start sitting up, being careful not to rock the mattress to fast or make any noise, and I lean my back against the headboard. I grab my phone from the bedside table and the light coming from the screen momentarily blinds me. When my eyes come back into focus I groan quietly, seeing that it had only just gone six. 6:01 to be exact.

I can't put my phone down before the monitor starts making noise, Alfie's grunts and quiet cries coming through the speaker. I've never jumped up so quickly, jogging across the hall to get in the room before he gets any louder. He quietens down the moment I come into his room, the light from the hall illuminating the first half of his room.

"Hi, baby, good morning." I whisper as I walk across the room to his crib.

Alfie grins up at me. "Mama-mama." He starts babbling to himself, getting to his feet with a wobble.

I pick him up from the crib and lightly tickle his side and he lets out a shrieking laugh, the noise cutting the quiet air with a knife. I shush him quiet, the snapping motion of my hand just continues to make him laugh, but thankfully a lot quieter. I tiptoe over to the glider, hoping that rocking him would put him back to sleep because I could at least get another hour if I was lucky. The rocking doesn't last long though as when I hear a slight thump of something hitting the floor in the main bedroom I sigh and stand up, going across the hall and gently push the door open in case they were both still asleep.