Helping Aurora

16

After saying goodbye to Olivia as she heads to her shift at the hospital, Scarlett straps Aurora into her car seat in preparation for their drive to work. She was running a few minutes behind, and she finds herself silently bidding traffic to be good as she climbs into the drivers seat and buckles herself up. It wasn't that she'd get in trouble. She was her own boss after all, but she does admittedly value herself on her punctuality and being late, even unintentionally, was something she tries not to do.

"Mama, go?" She hears a little voice call, and Scarlett smiles as she turns turns around in her seat.

"Yes baby. We're going to mama's work. Are you excited to play with your toys?" Scarlett already knew full well that wouldn't be happening. Aurora was clingy at the best of times, let alone in a new environment with people she didn't know. But she couldn't be hopeful that wouldn't be the case, right?

Aurora nods anyway, and Scarlett sends her a playful wink as she turns in her seat and starts the car. The drive to her office takes the usual half an hour, filled with happy babbles and incoherent singing thanks to the album of nursery rhymes Scarlett had begrudgingly put on. By the time she pulls into her parking space and hands the keys to a valet, there was a slight throbbing in her head signalling a headache was well on it's way.

With a silent reminder to take some Tylenol when she makes it up to her office, Scarlett grabs her purse and hooks it over her shoulder before rounding the car to get Aurora out of her car seat. The little one immediately hides her face into her neck, and the mother gives her behind a soothing pat as she makes her way into her building. She was greeted by many of her colleagues, all of which try to get Aurora's attention, but the girl didn't pay them any mind choosing to remain hidden in her little safe place.

Scarlett understands, but does send them an apologetic smile. After exiting the elevator on the top floor, she heads directly into her office. There, she attempts to set Aurora down onto her feet, but the little one let's out a quiet whimper as she curls her legs up, refusing to allow her to do so.

"Okay, okay, mama's got you." Scarlett soothes, hoisting her back up onto her hip. She heads over to the large glass window, slipping off her heels and swaying slightly in place as she absentmindedly pats the little ones padded behind. Aurora does eventually peek her head out of her neck, resting her head on her mama's shoulder instead as she takes in the view before her.

She points with a quiet grunt, and Scarlett acknowledges the fact she'd become nonverbal as she presses her lips against her forehead in a tender kiss.

"I see. It's pretty isn't it?" She agrees, and Aurora nods her head as she suckles softly on her pacifier. The mother and daughter spend a few moments longer looking out of the window before Scarlett manages to convince her it was okay to sit down, settling down in her office chair with Aurora straddling her lap, head tucked beneath her chin.

"I think we'll call mommy on her lunch break. Does that sound fun?" Scarlett absentmindedly voices as she gets her work ready, pulling out her laptop and typing in her password, and she receives a quiet grunt and a nod of the head in return. With an amused smile and a playful shake of the head, she gives the little one a soft squeeze before getting to work on answering emails.

*

"Say hi to mommy," Scarlett gently instructs when her wife's face fills her phone screen, giving a nursing Aurora's back a few pats to get her attention. The little one waves her tiny hand in greeting, and Olivia grins before bringing her attention to her wife.

"Did she get hungry?" She questions, and Scarlett nods her head as she props her phone up against the screen of her computer so she had a free hand to complete the necessary tasks she had to do before her lunch break was over.