Suffering Part 6: No Longer

Chapter 33

The morning sun barely peeked through the curtains as the household bustled with activity. The sound of running water filled the bathroom as you hurried through your shower, trying to gather your thoughts for the busy day ahead. The warm water cascaded over your shoulders, a brief moment of calm in the chaos.

From outside the bathroom door, you could hear the familiar barks of Orion, your large and energetic dog, who was eager to be let outside. His barks were becoming more insistent, and you knew he wouldn't wait much longer.

"Severus! Can you let Orion out, please?" you called out, trying to keep the urgency out of your voice.

"On it!" Severus's deep voice responded from somewhere in the chambers, followed by the sound of the door opening and Orion's excited barks as he bolted outside.

You quickly finished your shower and wrapped yourself in a towel, stepping out into the steam-filled bathroom. As you rummaged through your bag for your wand, a sense of panic started to build. Where could it be? You had it last night when you put the children to bed.

In the bedroom, you could hear Baron fussing, his cries growing louder. He needed to nurse, and he needed to nurse now. The urgency of the morning seemed to amplify with each passing second.

"Lucius, have you seen my wand?" you whined, a note of frustration creeping into your voice as you continued to search.

Lucius appeared in the doorway, already impeccably dressed for work. His blonde hair was neatly combed, and he had an air of calm about him that was almost infuriating in the midst of the chaos. He walked over to you, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder.

"Your wand is on the bedside table, little bird," he said gently. "You left it there last night."

You sighed with relief, leaning into his touch for a moment. "Thank you. Mmm, you look good enough to eat, Daddy" you whisper.

Lucius smiled, leaning down to give you a long, lingering kiss. His lips were warm and familiar, a moment of connection that you cherished amidst the morning rush. "I shall say the same thing about you. Good enough to eat. I'll miss you today and I hope you have a wonderful day," he murmured against your lips. 

"Thank you. I'll miss you too," you whispered back, feeling a pang of longing as he stepped away to finish getting ready.

Quickly grabbing your wand, you made your way to Baron's room. His cries softened as soon as he saw you, his little hands reaching out. You settled into the rocking chair, bringing him to your breast to nurse. As he latched on, a sense of calm washed over you, if only for a moment.

From the adjoining room, you could hear Severus helping the twins get ready, their giggles and chatter filling the chambers. You could her the air of impatience in his voice when the girls weren't listening to his instructions, but he remained calm. Severus would raise his voice at anyone else, but never the children.

As you nursed Baron, your mind raced with the tasks ahead. You needed to finish dressing and double-check your lesson plans for the day. The minutes seemed to slip away faster than you could manage.

Finally, with Baron content and sleepy, you gently laid him back in his crib and hurried to get dressed. Severus entered the room, giving you a reassuring smile.

"Everything is under control," he said, smoothing down his robes. "The girls are ready, and Orion is outside."

"Thank you, but there's no such thing," you said, quickly donning your own dress. "We live in utter chaos."

Severus gave you a quick kiss on the forehead. "A chaotic paradise I would call it."

Just then, Nadia arrived to take over with the children. She greeted you with a warm smile and a nod. "I'll take care of them. You both go on ahead."