Co-Workers With Benefits

V E N I C E

Dion leaves for work early in the morning and I wake up around 10:30 from Xiomara's crying next door.

As soon as she hears the curtains being drawn, she stops and starts babbling instead as I get closer to her crib.

"Good morning baby!" I dance, making her kick her legs.

I pick her up and shower her in kisses before we head off for the bathroom. I fill her tiny tub with lukewarm water and get her out of her night clothes and her diaper, placing her in the bath.

I squeeze some Johnson's baby soap onto her frog loofah and start to wash her up. After she's clean, I wrap her in her tiny towel and carry her over to her changing table to dress her up.

I get her into a pink T-shirt and some dungarees then I lay her back in her crib with some sensory toys and walk back over to the bathroom to get myself together.

I don't plan on leaving the house today so I just get into one of my rompers. I carry Janelle downstairs with me and breast feed her on the couch as I check my phone.

I text my brothers on the family group chat, sending them pictures of their niece and the four of us talk for a while until Xio stops drinking.
I fix myself up and place her into her bouncer before I head to the kitchen for some fruit.

When I get back out into the living room, I place Xio on the floor for some tummy time and I get down with her, playing with her cheeks and cleaning up her drool.

My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out to see a FaceTime request from Dion.

"Hey baby." I smile.

"Morning mama." He greets.

As soon as Xiomara hears her daddy's deep voice, she starts fussing.
I turn the phone round to face her and she looks right at the screen, pouting.

"Hey bloopy." He kisses into the phone. "Whatchu crying for? Huh? Lil dramatic ass."

She reaches for my phone and I pull it back slightly. She places her hand in her mouth instead and gurgles.

"You seen the breakfast I left in the microwave for you bae?" He asks me.

I move the phone to face me and shake my head. "I'm not hungry for all that. I ate some fruit instead."

"How much fruit?"

I sniff and mumble. "A couple grapes."

He hums a no. "You know damn well that's not enough. You need to eat something more."

"I ain't got no appetite yet though. Imma eat more in about an hour when I feel hungry. I promise." I smile, rolling my eyes away from the camera.

"Yeah you better. Don't be starving yourself just cause I'm not there." He exaggerates. "What bout my princess? She ate?"

"Yeah, she drank a whole lotta milk just now."

"Good." He leans his phone against something. "I'm heading to the store after work, you want me to get you something? Like, you want some snacks or whatever?"

"Ooh, yes please baby. Could you get me the huge bag of m&ms and the Pringles original?"

"Of course. I'll get some Pampers and powder too, cause lil mama out." He tells me. "Okay bae, I gotta go now. I love you. Lemme see my princess real quick."