A Knock in the Heart

S E V E N

Today is the day, its inspection day, and Camila wakes up late. She and Ariel are still sleeping in the guest room.

Camila stretches as she feels Ariel sleeping by her ribs, she stretches her hand to the nightstand and grabs her phone to look at the time. "Fuck" she whispers wide-eyed. It's already ten in the morning, the inspector is to come at twelve, and she's barely waking up as she didn't hear her alarm.

She gets out of bed quickly but carefully, not wanting to wake up Ariel. She places a pillow in her place and looks at her with a smile on her lips. Last night was her first attempt at getting Ariel to sleep in her own toddler's bed, but it wasn't successful.

She sighs and makes her way to the master bedroom, Lauren isn't there. "I guess she went to work"  She walks into the bathroom to take a quick shower, not wasting time, before Ariel wakes up.

By the time she goes back to the guest room already changed, Ariel is already awake sitting up rubbing the sleep from her eyes with a pout.

"Good morning monkey" Ariel looks up at Camila extending her arms for her to pick her up. "Someone is clingy today" She picks up the little girl who quickly nestles on Camila's neck. She kisses Ariel's head while rubbing her back.

They make their way to Ariel's new bedroom and Camila grabs everything to change the little girl's diaper. She hasn't started potty training as Ariel doesn't speak yet, and she doesn't want the little girl having accidents because she wouldn't be able to tell her.

By now it is eleven in the morning, and she is still yet to prepare breakfast for the both of them.

Camila decides to leave Ariel playing with her toys in the living room to prepare their food. It was proven to be somewhat difficult as the little girl didn't want to let go of her until she got distracted with some toys.

Once she's done preparing breakfast, she goes to get Ariel; who by now has toys all over the living room. The little girl today is a little fussy, now she doesn't want to stop playing. "Come on Ariel, it's time to eat" Camila picks her up and Ariel begins to whine.

"Monkey, I made pancakes with strawberries and bananas. Yum-yum." This gets the toddler's attention and stops moving in Camila's arms.

She sits her on her highchair and Ariel begins eating instantly, grabbing a banana first. Camila chuckles at her choice and begins eating her food as well.

As soon as Camila is done she places her dirty plate in the sink and makes her way to the living room to clean up the mess Ariel did earlier. She looks around the room to make sure everything is in place.

"Are you done monkey?" asks Camila as she walks into the kitchen once again to find Ariel with a sticky face and sticky hands. She puts her hands up, opening and closing them for Camila to see. Her clothes were dirty, sticky as well from the juice of the strawberries, you could tell she enjoyed her breakfast.

"Look at you" Camila shakes her head and grabs some wipes to clean Ariel's little hands and face. "Let's get you changed, Lauren should get here anytime soon as well as the inspector" They both make their way upstairs to Ariel's room and change her out of her pajamas.

Lauren's day has just started; she woke up right before her alarm. Something that has been happening since Camila began not sleeping in the same room as her. Lauren had tried speaking to Camila, but she wouldn't give her a chance, using Ariel as an excuse.