Free (Sequel to Trapped)

Ch. 73

Ariana

Wednesday, 6:11 pm

"Have fun at soccer, babe." I kiss Aviella's head and she walks out with Justin.

I was staying at home with Bella because she was too young to be at the park.

"Okay, Bella. What should we do?" I ask her.

She just stares at me and I smile.

"You're adorable."

I put her in the cutest baby swing ever and lay down on the couch.

"I know I fed you a couple minutes ago, but if you need anything, you know what to do. I'm gonna sleep, because my uterus is in pain and I'm tired."

I turn the swing on and fall asleep almost immediately.

Justin

7:43 pm

"Don't be too loud. Mommy and Bella might be asleep. They're both really tired."

"Okay." I unlock the door and let Aviella walk inside before me.

She walks into the living room while I lock the door.

"They're both sleeping." Aviella whispers from the doorway.

I nod, following her into the living room. Ariana is asleep on the couch, and Bella is asleep in her swing.

"Daddy, I think somebody needs to change Bella's diaper." Aviella says.

I smile as she wrinkles her nose and backs away from the sleeping baby.

"Somebody definitely needs to change her diaper." Aviella confirms this fact and I notice Bella's eyes slowly opening.

I don't want her to wake Ariana with her crying so I pick her up and walk upstairs, Aviella right behind me.

I walk into Bella's room and Aviella closes the door.

"It would be horrible if that smell made it to the rest of the house." She says.

I laugh at her silliness and lay Bella on her diaper changing station.

"Alright. I've only changed one diaper in the three days you've been on this earth. Let's see what happens."

"I know how to do it, daddy." Aviella says.

"I'm sure you do." I laugh, taking off all of Bella's clothes.

"Aviella, I'm gonna need your help."

"What is it, daddy?"

"I need to to take this diaper off."

"Um, no. That's nasty." Aviella shakes her head and I groan.

"I guess I'll do it myself." I sigh.

I lean down and kiss Bella's forehead before finally gathering the courage to  undo the diaper.

"Oh my God. How could a baby so small do this?"

"That's what babies do, daddy."

"I'm aware."

Five minutes later, Bella is in a clean diaper and happy. At least as happy as she can be without smiling. Because apparently newborn babies don't smile. But she does something with her mouth that allows me to see her dimples, and that's good enough.

I pick Bella up and walk downstairs, placing her back in her swing.

Since we just ate three hours ago, I make Aviella a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to eat before she takes a bath. Ariana is still asleep on the couch, so I give Aviella her bath before she asks me to read her a story.

"Which one?"

"Curious George!" She says excitedly, going to her bookshelf to grab the book.

She sits on her bed and I sit next to her before reading Aviella the entire book. When I'm done, I realize she's asleep, so I kiss her forehead and turn her light off before leaving the room.

I leave the door cracked and walk downstairs where Ariana and Bella look like they're having a staring contest.

"Well good morning, sleepy head."

"It's morning already?"

"No, silly. Don't you think you would've had to wake up a few times before morning?"

"Maybe." Ariana smiles and I sit on the edge of the couch.

"How do you feel?" I ask, stroking her cheek.

"I'm still tired. And like I told my daughter, my uterus is in a lot of pain right now."

"That's understandable. You did push a baby out of there."

"Why don't guys have any problems? You don't have periods, you don't have to be pregnant for nine months, and you don't have to give birth. You just sit there and watch."

"I agree with everything else, but I  would have to disagree about the sitting and watching part. I did let you squeeze the life out of my hand a few times."

"But I was feeling a hundred times the pain you were. Males suck."

"Okay, maybe you're right. But-"

"There's no argument against that. Don't even try."

"You're very right." I lean down and kiss her, and then I find myself looking at Bella, who was just watching us.

"We did make a beautiful baby girl, though." I say.

"That's the truth. A beautiful baby girl that hurt like hell when she came into this world."

"Are you gonna keep bringing that up?"

"Yep. That's exactly what I'm gonna do until I'm not fat and nothing on my body hurts."

"Three weeks of that?"

"Yes. Three weeks. Now let me feed my child so I can go back to sleep."

Bella looked like she was just waiting to eat, but she wasn't crying, which was great.