Ashford Series 1: Loveless Vows

Chapter 27

Morning arrived with a soft, golden light filtering through the windows. Sabrinna woke up with a start, realizing she had nearly overslept.

The conversation with Prime the previous night had kept her awake far longer than she intended.

With a groggy yawn, she noticed that Sandy was not in her crib. Assuming that her daughter was with Prime or one of the uncles, she quickly freshened up.

She took a quick shower, opting for a simple dress that would be easy to manage. After drying her hair, she headed downstairs, expecting the usual morning bustle.

However, the house was eerily quiet. The absence of the usual clattering and chatter made her frown with curiosity.

As she approached the kitchen, she saw a maid moving about.

“Good morning,” Sabrinna greeted her. “Where’s everyone? It’s unusually quiet.”

The maid looked up, her face betraying a hint of amusement. “Oh, they’re all in the nursery. They’re helping each other bathe Sandy.”

Sabrinna’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? Helping each other?”

With a mix of curiosity and concern, Sabrinna hurried to the nursery.

When she pushed the door open, she was greeted by a scene of organized chaos.

Prime was standing in the middle of the room, holding a towel in one hand and a rubber duck in the other.

He had an expression of concentrated effort mixed with mild exasperation.

Eryx was perched on the edge of the changing table, trying to manage a very wet and giggly Sandy.

Cyrus was knee-deep in a bath of toys, clearly trying to figure out how to use a baby shampoo bottle without soaking everything in sight.

“Is this a bathing extravaganza or an Olympic event?” Sabrinna asked, stifling a laugh.

Prime looked up, his face a mix of relief and resignation.

“We’re in the middle of a crisis. Sandy decided she likes splashing more than bathing.”

Eryx was attempting to keep Sandy from turning the entire changing table into a water park.

“I didn’t know babies could create this much chaos. I thought it was supposed to be relaxing!”

Cyrus, who was clearly overwhelmed by the number of bath toys floating around, chimed in.

“I’m starting to think we might need a renovation for the bathroom after this. Maybe a splash zone?”

Sabrinna couldn’t hold back her laughter. “You guys look like you’re auditioning for a circus act. Maybe I should step in and show you how it’s done?”

Prime gave her a pleading look. “Please, do. We’re losing the battle against the bubbles.”

Sabrinna stepped in with a smile, deftly taking over the bath routine. With practiced ease, she calmed Sandy down, getting her cleaned up while the three men looked on, each trying to avoid getting any more wet.

Eryx, still struggling with the bath toys, finally managed to get a handle on them. “So, I guess this is what happens when you leave us in charge of a baby.”

Cyrus laughed, shaking his head. “Next time, we should probably stick to less messy activities. Like, I don’t know, reorganizing the pantry.”

Sabrinna, finishing up the bath, dried Sandy off and wrapped her in a fluffy towel. Sandy cooed contentedly, clearly enjoying the attention.