ꨄThe Debutanteꨄ

134.

...

Eight Months Later

...

"Here it comes, say 'ahh'...!" Anika cooed at Liv, who opened her mouth and kicked her feet after she gave her a spoonful of small mashed potatoes. Anika smiled. "Is it good? It must be because you can't stop smiling." She teased, then tapping her nose. The baby let out yet another glorious smile. She moved to Vivian, who was trying to eat with her hands.

"Okay, let's see you eat by yourself..." Anika said softly. She allowed Vivian to eat a little on her own before she wiped her hands and mouth clean because of the mess she was making. "Let mommy feed you now, okay? But good job...!" She said, and Vivian smiled back at her.

"You two are so cute..! I love you sooo much...sooo much...!" Anika said, mushing their faces with her hands and giving them each a thick kiss on the forehead. The twins had been reminded that they were sitting beside one another, and looked at each other in hilarious surprise. Anika furrowed her eyebrows with a chuckle. Suddenly, the girls started laughing at one another.

Lori came downstairs and few moments after this. "Good morning. And good morning...!" she said to Anika before giving her and her daughters a kiss. The girls kicked their feet in excitement before turning back to each other and laughing again.

"What are you two laughing at?" Lori asked after kissing Anika's head. "Each other." Anika smirked. "Oh really? It seems like every once in a while they notice each other again." Lori said. "Isn't it the cutest thing..." Anika said.

...

Vivian and Liv splashed in the water in the bathtub giggling and kicking their feet. "Ah ah, don't put that soap in your mouth...!" Lori said. She cleaned their little bodies gently with a baby towel. Viv handed her a small pink rubber ducky. Lori couldn't help but smile.

Ever since the girls were born, she had been reflecting on her parenting skills. Back when the boys were younger, she was living in a beat up apartment in the hood alongside her drug dealing boyfriend. The amount of time she spent living in fear of someone shooting outside and a bullet hitting her or one of her kids took away a lot of time to enjoy parenting.

She had to be a lot tougher on the boys to make sure that they didn't get into the wrong stuff. But it wasn't them she had to worry about since she ended up behind bars. She missed so many moments in their lives. And at some point she didn't see them at all.

But now, she was living in a much better place. On the edge of the country in a quiet town in a big and safe house. Her heart finally calmed in ways she didn't think was possible. She could finally say that she had become a lot softer, and when she looks at her daughters she has an even stronger reason to be soft and enjoy it.

Lori then squinted her eyes, staring at Vivian. "What are you looking at?" She asked in a playful tone. The baby handed her a duck. Then Liv did the same thing. "Why are y'all giving away your ducks? Mama doesn't need this many...!" Lori teased. "Maybe you like the mermaids better than the ducks..."

...

Anika placed Viv into her car seat, then handing her a rattle. Lori placed Liv her into the other carseat. Lori put a pacifier into her mouth.

Once they began the car ride, the girls were awake and babbling away. Anika was driving, while Lori sat on the passenger side.

"Do you think they'll be quiet the
longer we're on the road?" Anika asked. "Maybe, because they're fed and have something to keep them occupied." Said Lori.

Today, the kids were being taken to the aquarium. It was quite a drive away, but Anika and Lori were so excited to see their reactions to fish, they figured they should take advantage of the opportunity. Plus, Lori had never gone to an aquarium before. This would also be a new experience for her as well.