𝐷𝑂𝑁𝑇 𝐹𝑂𝐿𝐿𝑂𝑊 𝑀𝐸

𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓽

My daughter mumbled nonsense as I changed her diaper, the ambience of discord around me from the incessant bawling of my twins, fighting over a toy that was clearly meant for two.

I sigh while dusting the baby powder over my daughter's chubby thighs, giving her a kiss on her forehead while an unexpected hush of bawling passes, the twins sniffling replacing it, interrupted by second to a scolding voice.

My oldest daughter, bless her heart, braids pushed behind her deep cocoa shaded ears, a stud diamond shimmering from it.
She, with a annoyed expression told the two politely to shut up, and explained how the toy worked, and they rushed off together, now giggling as they played.

"Thank you Maggie.."

"They were disturbingly loud, I heard it from my room, it's nothing."

I watched her eye me, the slightest shard of her facade breaking as she smiled slightly, waving my thanks off.
I placed my hand on hers, like piano keys, white and black, my fingers intertwined with hers, giving a light squeeze.

"Your dad will be home soon, are you almost done with your project? He'll be wanting to see his gift straightaway.."

She ponders for a second, faux I realise as she smiles, brighter now.

"I've been finished it, I was doing something else, I've had some new inspiration from a song I've found."

"I hope I'll get to hear it soon then, hm?.since you're finished, would you like me to help finish the cake?"

She nodded and we went together, washing our hands and preparing the icing, Maggie thinly slicing the fondant as I showed her, licking her fingers off while giggling once she finished.

Time passed quickly as she joked and finished the cute blue roses on the cake, both of us humming our own tunes, eventually overlapping into one. The boys are still outside, roughhousing and chasing eachother, their laughter audible from the sounds just outside the kitchen door.

The evening looms closer as I place the finished cake in the fridge, overseeing the finished food, warm on hot plates and awaiting to be served. The boys come in when Maggie calls them, sparing my duty as I go and get Erica from her crib, who is gleefully waiting for me when I arrive. I take her up, pressing gentle kisses on her face that make her squeal, then we go to the bathroom, and I take out her baby tub, placing it on the sink to fill with warm water.

I place her in gently, sudsing my hands with a lovely smelling baby soap, the scent overtaking my senses, calming me with it and the warm water on my hands, and I yawn, but continued bathing her.

I wrap her in her fluffy baby towel, pressing more kisses to her face while I quickly dried her off, distracting her from the cold flashes so I didn't have a bawling baby on my hands.

"You're Mommy's little sweetheart aren't you, looking so much like your Daddy though heh.."

I boop her caramel little nose, while taking out her little white dress shirt and baby blue skirt, and put in her special and temporary white diamond stud earrings on.

Maggie comes in just in time, dressed in a long baby blue dress with her locks draped into a ponytail, some falling over her eye.

"Well look how cute my little sister looks, you look so sweet Erica baby!"

She outstretched her hands, smiling brightly while she held her, gently careening side to side with her. Erica giggled, seeming so pleased to see her. She probably was, Erica adored her sister as much as she did her father.

"Do you think you can watch her whi-"

"I've got it Mom.."

"Thank you."

I leave, choruses of singing, from a baby who didn't know how, and her sister who didn't really either, following my trail. The boys were sat in their rooms, black dress pants on with very light blue shirts on, playing with their cars. They wave excitedly while I pass, and I wave back, enchanted by how the family, not just Jerome, was growing so fast.

The boys were babies only 7 years ago, but it feels like only a week has passed since I held those two little milk coffee shaded boys in my arms for the first time, now they're all big, chasing eachother around and playing pranks.

I sigh, closing the door behind me as I undress, my thick figure watching me back in our bathroom figure. Still beautiful as ever, my Jerome would always say when he was here, kissing my cheek and holding me, swaying slowly to a song we couldn't hear.

To feel though, we certainly did.

The warm water strolled down my back as I scrubbed myself clean of dried icing and baby drool, affectionately replacing it with a sandalwood like scent. I couldn't ever figure out what it was, but it certainly was not what the package.

It left my skin soft but a little irritated, which I always told myself to let Jerome know when he went shopping, but the stinging always stopped once I got out, so remembering wasn't a usual.

I curled my dusty blonde hair, whom was trying it's best to turn brown, from its bun, letting it fall onto my shoulders, brushing out the frizzes that formed and went unchecked, leaving them looking ever so slightly healthier. I wore a long deep blue navy dress that I wore for our first anniversary, fitting on me surprisingly nicely, flattering my curves and rolls.

I went light on makeup, sensitive skin and good self esteem keeping me from it. Just enough to flair, I thought while I stepped out the bathroom, and we all assembled in front the door, Maggie holding the 45 balloon, the boys holding little happy and birthday signs, and me and Erica prepared to blow kisses, which I'd taught her how to do in secret.

The door lock clicked as I heard my husband's usual returning sigh, of happiness and tire.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!"