Another Life

44

When I heard the door into Alfie's room open over the monitor, I thought it was Jay going in to wake him up. I had gone downstairs about an hour ago to get things set up, decorate the living room with the balloons before either of the kids woke up. But when I heard Macie's quiet voice whispering on the monitor, my head snaps in the direction of the coffee table and it takes me a moment before I remember that Mae could open the baby gates.

"Good morning, Alfie, it's your birthday." Macie whispers and my heart swells in my chest and I throw the balloon on the floor and reach down, pick up the monitor and watch the black and white image play out in front of me as I slowly walk around the couch and start making my way up to Alfie's room.

Once I reach the stairs I pick up the pace a little when Macie climbs over the front of the crib and joins her brother in his bed.

"It's your birthday." She repeats, tapping the top of his head.

She continues to whisper the same phrase the entire time it takes me to get up the two flights of stairs and get into his room. "What are you doing in there?" I say to Mae as I come into the room and she laughs. I put the monitor on the dresser beside the door, approach the crib and my heart warms more when I see how they were sat.

Macie was sat crossed-legged leaning against the back of the crib, her blanket she had brought up with her draped over her leg and Alfie was scooted beside her, looking up with sleepy and curious eyes. He doesn't stay put there very long, as the moment he spots me a wide grin comes up on his face and he begins standing up.

"Mama-mama." He reaches his arms out once he's gotten to his feet.

I slide my hands under and pick him up, placing him on my hip and I give his sides a quick tickle, Alfie letting out a loud shriek. "Happy birthday, my beautiful boy," I say and then my voice goes up and I bounce him. "Happy birthday!"

Macie tried to get out of the crib beside me but couldn't manage it, so I used my free hand to pick her up and aid her in the escape, putting her down on the floor again before whispering to her to go and wake Jay. She takes off out of the room with a large grin on her face and I don't have time to turn on my heels before I hear my bedroom door open.

Jay's loud groan could be heard from across the hall and I chuckle, walking through and the grunts and quiet pleads for it to stop only continue. I can't help but laugh to see Macie kneeling on Jay's stomach, using it as some kind of trampoline, but after a second I tell her to get off and luckily she does.

Jay lets out another loud groan when Mae jumps off of him and he rolls on to his side, hiding his face in the pillow and I force roll my eyes, trekking across the room.

"Oh don't be so over dramatic." I joke, sitting Alfie down on my side of the bed.

His voice is muffled by the pillow. "This isn't over dramatic."

Macie laughs from the end of the bed, it coming out a little dirty and the noise makes Alfie chuckle. She jumps up on to the mattress again and I laugh along with the kids as Jay sits back up.

When Jay is recovered enough he lunges forward and grabs hold of both the kids, pulling them down on to the mattress and he tickles their sides, Mae and Alfie's contagious giggles fill the room and after a beat he stops the hand on Alfie and puts it on Macie's other side, focusing it solely on her and she runs out of breath.

She struggles to plead with him to stop but after she gets the words out Jay takes his hands away from her and allows her to sit up and calm down. He looks to Alfie, who was sitting back up from being pulled down, and he grins.