Daylight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

One Year Later

"Rosa, no honey, please don't eat that," Ava sighed as she gently took the tv remote from her one-year-old teething daughter. She turned and gave her a teething toy. "Chew on this please."

Sebastian had been gone about a week now, filming. They were slowly falling into a routine without him at home, but there was a noticeable hole in the house. Luca was in his room working on homework and Ava was trying to cook dinner for them as her phone rang.

She smiled as she saw Sebastian's face on the screen and answered it, putting an ear bud in her ear. "Hola Papi," she said with a brilliant smile. "How's filming today?"

"Not bad," he smiled in return. "How are you?"

"I'm busy!" she told him with a soft laugh, looking back to check on Rosa again. "Your daughter is putting everything in her mouth."

Sebastian chuckled softly. "I miss all of you so much."

"We miss you too. I don't help with homework correctly, apparently," she told him with a sigh, rolling her eyes.

"Oh?" Seb laughed. "Luca is quite opinionated lately."

"Si, I agree," Ava said with a nod, pulling pasta off of the stove and draining it in the sink. "I might just be sensitive. I've had a migraine threatening on and off all day again."

"I'm sorry sweetheart," Sebastian said softly. "Have you taken your medicine?"

"I did. It just must not be working well again. Might need to see the doctor," she replied with a sigh. "The nausea has been the worst part. Like now, cooking dinner... not easy."

Sebastian furrowed his brow. "Nausea. Does that normally happen when you get migraines?"

"Sometimes," she told him, flipping the stove off. "Maybe I'm just run down. I've been doing a lot of work on the book lately and not sleeping well," she admitted. She didn't sleep well without Sebastian.

"Maybe you should take a day off for yourself?" He suggested.

"I'll be able to in a few days. Just have to finish this final push. The editor needs it back," she explained. "I won't push myself too far. I'll try to get some sleep tonight after the kids are out."

Sebastian nodded. "I wish I was there to help you. It's just another week until the holiday and you'll have me for a few days."

"We'll make it just fine, I promise," she tried to assure. "I may have taken too much on with this book. You know I don't know how to tell people no sometimes."

"You've been doing good," he replied. "I know it's a lot, but I am so very proud of you, Ava. I really am."

She smiled softly. "Gracias, Papi," she said sweetly. "I'm finishing dinner now; can I call you back tonight? Are you done shooting for the day?"

"I have a couple of scenes left, but by the time you're in bed, I will be too. It's just little stuff."

"Okay. Why don't I call you after I put the kids to sleep?" she asked as she began to spoon food into plates for herself and the kids. "I'll be a little less distracted."

"Of course. I love you, Ava. I miss you so much, baby."

"I miss you too, Papi," she told him, blowing him a kiss into the phone. "I'll talk to you soon."

Sebastian caught the kiss in his hand with a smile. "I look forward to it."

Ava hung up and went about the task of feeding the children. She ate a little, but the nausea was a little overwhelming. She was grateful for bedtime and that Luca didn't argue with her too much about turning the light off.