The Ex-Husband of Alice Langley

39

PARIS SWIFT-KELCE
I groan and bury my face in the pillow, trying to block out the sound. I know Clara doesn't mean to torture us, but it's like her little cries have a way of piercing right through my skull. Three weeks old, and she already knows how to pull me out of any sleep I manage to get.

"Please, Clara. Let us sleep." I plead, my voice muffled by the pillow. I know it's a hopeless request, but I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point.

Lauren stirs beside me, groggily rolling out of bed. She shuffles over to the bassinet, her hair sticking up in every direction. She looks just as exhausted as I feel. "She's just telling us she needs something," Lauren says, her voice heavy with a yawn as she scoops Clara up.

Clara's tiny fists are clenched, her face scrunched up and red as her cries fill the room. Lauren sways gently, rubbing circles on Clara's back. "Shhh, it's okay, sweetie. We're right here."

I prop myself up on one elbow, watching as Lauren tries to soothe her. "You're so good at that," I murmur, feeling a mix of admiration and envy. "She's always calm when you hold her."

Lauren gives me a tired smile. "It's probably just because she likes my milk better." She glances over at me, her eyes soft despite the exhaustion. "You want to switch off? You look like you could use another hour."

"I'd love that, but I feel bad." I sigh, dragging myself out of bed and joining her. "We're in this together, right?"

"Yeah, we are." Lauren chuckles, passing Clara over to me. I hold her close, inhaling that sweet baby smell. Even with my eyes half-closed and my body aching, I can't help but smile as her cries begin to settle.

"You're lucky you're so cute," I whisper to Clara as she blinks up at me, her tiny hand grabbing onto my finger. "Because, girl, you're working us to the bone."

"You made me induce lactation for you, Clara. That was not easy!" Lauren chuckles, shaking her head as she gets into bed.

I grin at her, adjusting Clara in my arms. "You did not have to do it, you know."

Lauren raises an eyebrow, giving me a playful look. "Hey, two pairs of boobs for her is a lot easier than one. Besides, I didn't want you to be the only one dealing with midnight feedings. We're supposed to be a team, right?"

I laugh softly, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "You're amazing, you know that? The best teammate ever."

Lauren smirks, pulling back just enough to flash me a tired smile. "I know. I'm basically a superhero at this point."

Clara's eyes start to flutter, her little body relaxing against mine. "I think she agrees with you," I say, watching as her tiny hand clings to my shirt.

Lauren grins, reaching out to brush a gentle finger over Clara's cheek. "She knows what's up. She's got two moms willing to go through anything for her, including inducing lactation and sacrificing sleep."

I shake my head, laughing. "The things we do for love."

"Totally worth it." Lauren smiles, and for a moment, even in our sleep-deprived state, everything feels right.

"Do people even think about a lesbian couple both breastfeeding their baby?" I ask, as Lauren takes Clara from me.

Lauren shrugs, leaning back into the pillows. "It's honestly just a convenience thing. I mean, who cares anyway? It's not like she'll remember this when she's older." Clara starts to latch and I see Lauren wince lightly.

I chuckle, nodding. "Yeah, true. But I wonder if people ever talk about it, like, 'Oh, how does that work?'"

Lauren laughs. "Let them wonder! Honestly, if they knew how much work it takes to induce lactation, they'd probably be impressed. It's not like we're doing it to make a statement. We're just trying to survive parenthood with as much sleep as possible."