Miss Jackson {b.u.}

{81}

A sudden shift in the atmosphere lingers in the house when Joanne's gone. I was happy for her, but, every time we were on the phone, it was only about her and what she was doing. She never asked or cared to listen about me. So far, it's been easy with the kids. With the help of Joanne's three other siblings and her dad, I think that I could do this. Not that I didn't have faith before, but, three kids--especially two of them under the age of five is a nightmare itself.

I set the table with Daphne for breakfast. We were having something simple, since I'm not the best at cooking. River was resting on my hip as I grabbed milk and cereal one by one, then some apple sauce for Clover and River. Clover followed Daphne around and Daphne would play and joke with her occasionally, just to make Clover laugh. I set the apple sauce down on each high chair, quickly pulling out my buzzing phone that sat in my pocket. I saw that Joanne's name calling for me and I quickly answered it and put it on speaker, "Hi honey!"

I smiled, then grunted a bit as I bent down and set River down gently, "Hi baby. Kids are in the room with me--you're on speaker."

"Oh good!" She began and cleared her throat, "hi kiddos!"

"Hi mom!" Daphne said.

"Hi mama!" Clover and River practically squealed out.

I heard Joanne laugh on the other end. I smiled softly, giving Daphne a look and she nodded her head. I turned and walked out of the kitchen, looking down at my phone, pressing the speaker button and raising the phone to my ear, "how're you, darling?"

"I'm good," she began and it fell silent for a few short seconds, "there's a lot going on and uhm---well, I'm just tired."

I stopped in the hallway, in the middle---between the steps and the entry way to the living room. I looked at the ground and nodded my head, "are you getting sleep?"

"Mmm," she hummed and I heard her whisper to someone, which was probably Alex, "no."

I furrowed my eyebrows and walked into the living room, "why? Are you okay?"

"Just jet lag and---and the babies."

I sat down on the couch, rested my elbows on my knees and placed my fingertips just slightly on my forehead, "I miss you."

I heard her sigh, "I know," she mumbled, "how's your day been?"

I lazily took my fingers off of my forehead. Finally, she wanted to know, "good, you know," I began and stared at the wall across from me, "I bring Clo and Riv to work with me, your siblings and your dad take Daphne out to do something when she doesn't want to come in with me-"

"Oof," Joanne groaned, "I have to go, Bren."

I shut my eyes and hung my head down, "yeah, yeah. Okay, that's....okay."

"I want to hear all about your day when I call you again," she began, "I love you."

"I lov-" I cut myself off and slowly pulled my phone away from my ear. Joanne ended it before I could say it back. I shook my head, letting my hand hang with my phone in it's grasp. I raised my eyebrows, leaned back and tossed my phone onto the coffee table, "are you coming to eat with us before work, dad?"

I got up quickly, putting my hands on my hips, "I'm comin', pumpkin."

Daphne smiled softly at me and nodded her head. I glanced down at my phone, deciding to leave it in the living room. I waltzed into the kitchen. Daphne had made me a bowl of cereal and set her siblings breakfast up---she even put them in their high chairs. I walked by her seat, smiling, then leaning down and hugging her, "thank you for setting breakfast up, Daph."