Perfect Doesn't Last Forever

Chapter Six

Perfect Doesn’t Last Forever- Chapter 6

            Someone was chomping on something crunchy and I could just hear the crumbs falling down near me.  There was a little giggle and then I could hear a loud pair of footsteps approach.  “What are you doing?” Damien hissed.  I heard a bag crinkle loudly, leading me to believe that someone was eating chips, but before I opened my eyes to the bright room I knew I was in, Damien began scolding someone.  “You can’t give these to her.  They’re bad for her.  She’s only two.”

            Someone grumbled an inaudible reply as Hayley whined near my ear.  “Wait, no Hayley, don’t…”

            I rolled over on the couch and my eyes opened to see Hayley standing right in front of me with her hands hovering over my face.  “Good morning Hayley,” I smiled, nudging her hands with my nose and forehead. 

            “Mornin,” she said through her pacifier as she tried to climb up onto the couch. 

            “Hey Britt,” I’m sorry I woke you,” Brad said from the recliner beside me, turning the volume up on the television.  “But you know that we have a guest bedroom you can sleep in.”

            “Yeah, I know.  I don’t really know why I decided to crash here…” I yawned, rubbing my eyes.  “I was planning to sleep upstairs.”

            “Well… okay then.  I’m just going to keep watching this game,” he replied absentmindedly focusing his attention on the football game playing on the flat screen.

            “Who’s playing?” I asked him as Hayley begged me to lift her up onto the couch. 

            “Colts and Steelers,” he mumbled, taking a swig of beer from the bottle nestled in his lap. 

            “Cool,” I said as Hayley settled herself in my lap.  “What time is it?” I yawned, glancing at his drink skeptically.  Morning drinking was never a good sign. 

            “It’s one in the afternoon,” Damien said, entering the family room and sitting beside me.  “Sorry he woke you Britt.  I told him to watch somewhere else, but he wanted to watch it on the big TV.”

            “Don’t worry about it.  It’s about time I woke up anyway.”  I began fingering the knots out of Hayley’s hair as we all watched the game.  It was amazing how Damien was capable of doing so many things for Hayley except for fix her hair.  When the commercials began a few plays later, I grabbed a clip to keep Hayley’s hair out of her eyes and Brad got up to get more food and beer. 

            “I’m sorry about him drinking around Hayley,” Damien said, slinging his arm over the back of the couch and relaxing.  “He doesn’t really get the parenting thing yet.”

            “Don’t worry about it.  I’m sure this has no effect on Hayley,” I assured him, confused by his worry.  Why was he worried about drinking in front of Hayley when I didn’t even worry about it?  It was such a small act I doubt Hayley was even aware.  “You’re such a worry-wart.  Chill out man.”

            I playfully punched his side, earning one of his signature smirks just as Brad returned in time for the end of the commercial break.  “Come on children.  Let’s not fight in front of your baby.” 

            “Shut it Bradley.”  Damien lobbed a couch pillow at his brother who gave him a nasty look for using his full first name.  “What are you doing here anyways?  Thanksgiving was three weeks ago.  Don’t you have your own apartment that needs some TLC?”