"Options... I've ran out of Options..." (Book 3)

Chapter 160 - "Musical Beds..."

Chapter 160 - "Musical Beds..."

Clara's PoV

'Why can't you just go out to the baby class. have a drink with some yummy mummy's and come home like the rest of the Mothers in the neighbourhood? Why do you always have to have some sort of charity case?'

'Are you joking John? That man saved mine, Avia's and possibly even Harry's life and your calling him a charity case? He's going through exactly the same thing you did? I really think you talking to him will help'

'About?'

'I dunno. Manly things. And then subtly drop that fact that you didn't handle it too well in and he'll feel better?' I shrugged.

'Clara I still can't discuss the whole thing with my psychiatrist. I have a panic attack talking about it with you. What could possible make you think that I can go and talk to a random stranger about it?'

'Not random!'

'Yeah. Not fighting your case as well as you think' John scoffed.

'Fine. But if you won't help him I will' I mumbled. 'And you won't stop that' I growled, as John tried to rock Harry to sleep but he was being a little fussy.

We were trying to get him into some sort of routine now that he was 9 days old.

It was mad to think that he was 9 days old already. But he needed routine otherwise I was never going to get any sleep.

- - -

'Ugh. Why will he not stop crying?' I begged with a pillow over the top of my head as John cradled him.

If was 2.30am. I had only had 30 minutes sleep by the time he went down and was overall operating on 4 hours sleep in the last 36 hours.

John was even worse. He was operating on less sleep than me taking one for the team on the night feeds but I'd run out of expressed milk.

We were only a week into having this baby and I was already way in over my head.

'I don't know what's wrong with him. He is warm though'

'Crikey don't say that' I scoffed jumping to alertness and went down the stairs to scrounge through the cupboard for the baby thermometer.

I rummaged through the cupboard to find it and turned around dropping it to the floor as I shit myself when I spotted Avia reading a book at the kitchen table as if it was nobody's business.

'What are you doing?'

'Reading' she shrugged as if it was the most normal thing to do.

'Why? It's 2-- almost 3 in the morning?'

'Because when I can't sleep I like to read but Poppy was snoring' she shrugged again. 'So I didn't turn the light on just came down here'

'Alright-- Wait you've got your own room? What does Poppy snoring have to do with you and reading?'

'Nothing' she lied. I could tell she was scolding herself for dropping herself in it. 'Crap'

'Why is Poppy in your bed?' I scoffed.

'Well poppy was crying because she didn't feel well and didn't want to be in the bedroom on her own but you and Daddy are stressed rough as it is and would only shout at her even through you probably wouldn't mean it. I just didn't want you two to get angry for no reason when she could just stay with me for the night' she shrugged.

I never really realised until now just how much of an adult and a grown up Avia was. She shouldn't have to do that to stop me and John getting upset.

We're parents. We're supposed to parent these kids not Avia.

'Oh Avia that's so lovely but it's not your problem. Next time just send her to us' I said instructing her up the stairs after she grabbed a drink.

I ran up the stairs to get a spare baby monitor out of Henrys room - because we've already moved the changing unit and table to Henrys room for future sharing - and not the too distant future either - when I spotted the bedroom was empty.

'Where the hell is Henry?' I growled.

'Oh he's in Evie's room' Avia said nonchalantly as I gave her a glare.

'Why?'

'Because he heard a monster under the bed which scared the crap out Evie' she shrugged.

I was about to question the whole thing when I spotted that Evie and Henry where now both in my bed.

'What the--? It's like musical bloody beds around here. John?' I said poking his cheek as he had nodded off in the rocking chair. 'Where the hell is Harry?'

'Oh I've got him' Avia said in the doorway.

'How the--?'

'When you went to get the baby monitor' she hummed

'Right that's it. Everyone back to bed. And I mean their own beds. No sharing. No drinks. Bed' I snapped as I realised there was total silence and 4 kids looking at me. 'Avia your like the baby whisperer'

'No. He just needed to spit up a little bit. You'll be good for a few hours now' she said putting Harry carefully in the basket and wandered off to bed with the others on her tail.

I looked at the 4 of them in awe and collapsed on the bed shutting my eyes.

If was a relief to even be able to do that I was so tired, but then the mother thoughts stared swirling around my head and I had to get up.

I watched Harry for a little while.

- - -

'Are you insistent on sitting up all night?'john scoffed as the whole house was completely silent and revelation we haven't had in a long time.

Harry was sound asleep in his basket but there was something about him being the other side of the bedroom that just put me off of sleeping

'No. I just can't sleep'

'I'm going to start drugging you to sleep if you don't just sleep normal hours like normal people'

'I can't sleep' I complained again as he snatched my phone out of my hand in a grump because of the glaring phone screen and threw it out into the hallway.

'If you going to stay up all night at least have the decency to let me have some sleep while he is asleep' he snapped.