Living on Love

Five

"Ariana," Billie whispered as she shook Ariana's shoulder.

"Hm," Ariana groaned.

"Please wake up, I have to get to the hospital."

Ariana opened her eyes and sat up, keeping her sheet close to her naked body. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"It's my grandma, she had a stroke and she's in the hospital," Billie's voice cracked.

"Shit," she said as she looked around for a shirt. "Mac," she said pushing him. "Malcolm."

"Go to sleep," Mac said.

"Listen for the kids. I gotta go," she said as she stood up from the bed and picked up her clothes from the floor, putting them on.

"Kay."

"Malcolm!" Ariana said, hitting Mac with a pillow.

"What man, I'm sleeping here."

"I'm taking Billie to the hospital, Debbie just had a stroke. I need you to listen for the kids."

"I will."

------------------------------------------------------

Ariana walked into the house, closing the door behind her her slowly and walking into the kitchen, staying silent as Mac and Joan talked.

"Oh hi honey," Joan said.

"How'd everything go?" Mac asked.

"She's dead," Ariana said.

"What?"

"Debbie died. The doctors say that with her age and losing Carrie, it just put too much stress on her."

"How's Billie?" Joan asked.

"As good as you can imagine being after losing your mother and grandmother in two days."

"I'm so sorry honey..."

"She just can't get a break. I feel so bad for her."

"Well, why don't you see if she wants to stay here for a while? I bet she'd be better off here than alone at her place."

"I already offered. She won't do it. Once she gets settled back home we need to take her stuff back to her though. She said she'd call me when she was home."

"Sure. Anytime," Mac said.

"Where's Stella? I need to feed her."

"Playpen."

Ariana walked towards the play room and smiled, walking to the playpen. "Hi, sweet pea," she said.

Stella grinned and babbled, standing herself up in the playpen as she held onto the side.

"You wanna eat? My boobs are about to pop," she said, picking her daughter up.

She walked into the living room and sat on the couch, turning the TV on before taking her sweatshirt off and pulling one side of her tank top down below her breast as she laid Stella in her arms.

As Stella started eating, Malcolm walked into the living room and sat next to her, laying his head in her lap.

"Hey, Mister. You feeling okay?" She asked.

"Yeah. I'm tired," Malcolm said.

"Well, why don't you take a nap? Sissy's probably gonna fall asleep eating."

"How come she eats like that?"

"Like what?"

"From your boobies."

"Because it's what's best for her right now. You did too when you were her age. You were almost three before you stopped breastfeeding."

"I don't remember that."

"I don't expect you to. Stella won't remember it either."

"How come you do it then?"

"Because I don't do it so you guys will remember it. I do it because it's the best thing to do."

"Oh. Will I have to do that for my babies?"

Ariana laughed. "No. Boys can't breast feed. Just girls. And sometimes some girls can't either."

"How come?"

"It either hurts too much or their bodies just don't let them."

"Why does it hurt?"

"Some women are more sensitive than others."

"Does it hurt you?"

"Nope."

"How come?"

"Because I was already used to it by the time you were born."

"How come?"

"None of your business, it's adult stuff. Go take a nap."

"Kay kay," Malcolm said as he sat up and kissed her. "Love you Mommy," he said before kissing Stella's cheek. "Love you too Sissy."

"Love you too, bud," Ariana said as Malcolm ran upstairs.

She looked at Stella for a few seconds and smiled. "Please don't ever grow up..."