PAYBACK IS A BITCH

Chapter six: She is a stripper

After having two boys, I wanted a girl next and prayed hard for it, and on the 26th of August, God answered my prayers, and my little angel made her appearance. However, it was a difficult birth. I forgot all the pain and suffering as soon as the midwives placed her tiny body in my arms.

I know you should love all your kids equally. Still, at that moment, in the labour room, with my vagina aching like it had been shredded to pieces by a blunt razor blade, dried sweat plastered to my skin, my hair an ugly mess and my face swollen and botched by tiredness and stress, and my arms holding her tiny frame in my arms as she wailed down the ceiling, I fell in love again.

I knew I would go to the end of the earth for her. And the love has grown no less even when she is being bratty.

Today, we celebrate the day this little bundle of joy made her enter the world.

As usual, I woke up early, but today, I got up before the alarm to prepare a mini birthday cake for Sophie, which we will use to wake her up, as is the tradition of this family.

By six a.m., I had baked two cakes: One for Sophie to take to school; unfortunately, her birthday fell on a weekday, and a smaller one for the family.

I woke Billy first, who didn't look that happy to be disturbed before it was time for him to wake up. When I reminded him it was Sophie's birthday, the grumpiness cleared from his eyes, and he stood up to join me.

We both made our way to the boys' room. They weren't happy either, and learning that it was their sister's birthday did nothing to improve their cranky mood.

I dragged them along by their tails towards my princess' room. When we all stood around her sleeping form, I leaned down to wake her with a kiss on her forehead.

She barely started and only opened her eyes when I shook her shoulder lightly. Her green eyes blinked at our faces in confusion, her eyelids drooping heavily as she fought to come awake.

I kickstarted the birthday song with a big smile on my face. Billy and the boys joined in, singing off-key.

Sophie sat up as we sang, watching us with a sleepy expression.

"Happy birthday, angel," I hugged her and then peppered her cheeks with kisses that made her laugh. Billy hugged her, wishing her a happy birthday, and the boys did.

She smiled happily at them. As soon as they did their obligatory duties, they quickly left the room to return to sleep.

Knowing what they intended by the sleepy look in their eyes, I yelled at them to get ready for school just before they disappeared through the door.

"Mummy, can I go back to sleep now?" Sophie looked up at me, her eyes already closing. Her tiny body dropped back to bed before I could say a word.

"I will just let her sleep for a little while," I told Billy. He nodded, and the two of us left the room.

Billy went to get ready for work while I made my way to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. I sliced the cake and added it to the lunch I parked for Billy and the boys, putting aside mine and Sophie's. She will be asking for it as soon as she wakes up.

She loves her cake.

"Honey, should we invite Kate to Sophie's birthday party?" I asked as Billy walked into the kitchen dressed for work. The boys walked in behind her.

It's been a fortnight since Kate moved in. We haven't interacted with the stunning brunette much since the night she grazed our door, looking to borrow salt. Our paths have crossed occasionally, but we only shared the usual polite greetings between neighbours—nothing profound.