After a few days at the hospital we're finally going back home. I get dressed to go and I get Karai into the clothes that Josh got her. A light purple dress with a gold ribbon and gold laces. When I finish dressing her I look at her adoringly.
-Oh, so cute.
Ha-She's adorable.
Karai smiles and laughs a bit at the sound of Hades's voice and she giggles to him. I give her to him and he lifts her up a bit to his eye level.
Ha-Hi.
Karai reaches out to her father and Hades lowers her a bit and she starts crying a bit so he lifts her up again and she laughs again. He puts her down again and passes to me.
Ha-Here, go with mommy.
When we get home I sit on the couch and I look at Karai a bit tired.
Ha-Tired?
-Just enough but not to get me to sleep just yet.
He sits at my side and I rest my head against his shoulder as we both look at Karai as she sleeps. We move to the bedroom and I put Karai on the crib as we get to our bed. Around midnight Karai wakes up and I get her fed up and I put her back on her crib as she falls asleep. I hum her a lullaby before I go back to bed myself. I lie down and I feel as Hades kisses the back of my neck. I fall asleep and three hours later she awakes again and as I start getting up Hades stops me.
Ha-I got it this time. Probably the diaper. Rest.
-Thanks, love you.
Ha-Love you too.
He kisses me and gets up and I turn to look at him as he changes her. He takes her and he puts her on the changing station. He takes the diaper off of her and by his expression I can tell he was not expecting what he found. He cleans her and puts the new, fresh diaper on her. He takes her on his arms and balances her to sleep before he puts her back on the crib. He comes back to the bed and slides by my side.
Ha-The first of many to come.
-Sleep. We all need it.
He hugs me and we both fall asleep at the same time. When we wake up later Karai is still asleep so we rest a bit. Hades goes away to make breakfast for us and he makes a healthy funny breakfast for me. When I start eating it I split it equally. When I'm finished as I start to prepare for the day. I'm about to turn on the shower when I hear Karai crying and then Hades's voice.
Ha-I got her. Finish what you're doing, I'll calm her down.
I do as he says and when I get out ready I see him playing with Karai. He has her on the bed and he's on top of her looking at her as he tickles her with sudden stops. I snap a picture of him playing. I stay there a while longer watching in silence.
Ha-Tickle, tickle, tickle, ha. Tickle, tickle, tickle, boo. Ah, you're so cute, I love you, you know that? Boo.
Unable to keep silent anymore I burst out laughing and Hades looks at me blushing.
Ha-How long you been standing there.
-Enough to embarrass you for a year at least.
He blushes even more and I laugh as I walk to him.
-I'm kidding. But I did stayed there quite a bit.
I climb next to him on the bed and tickle Karai a bit before I give him a kiss and then we both turn to see her smiling and chuckling.
Almost a year passes and we're getting the preparations for Karai's first birthday ready. I get some gifts out of her reach and when I get the last one I see as she stretches out for the gift. She falls on her side losing her balance and she starts crying. I pick her up and calm her down.
-Oh, calm down, everything's going to be fine. Look, happy face. Hi my baby. Baby Karai, baby Karai, baby Karai.
I laugh and she starts mumbling and moving her mouth trying to imitate me.
-Baby Karai?
Karai-Bbb......
I open my eyes wide as she tries to talk. I sit down and take her on my lap and repeat the word I want her to speak again and again.
-Say daddy, daddy.
K-Dddd?
-Daddy? Hades come here.
He comes and sits at my side and I give him a kiss before I turn to Karai again.
-She's trying to speak and well, look. Karai, say daddy.
K-Dd?
Hades whispers on my ear and I nod.
-Mommy?
K-Ddd.....
-I guess we'll stick with daddy. Say daddy.
She turns to go for Hades and he takes her.
Ha-Here, a minute with dad.
-She almost said something before.
Ha-I didn't say anything.
-I know but is still.......
Ha-Frustrating?
-Yes.
Karai laughs a bit and I laugh before Hades gives me a kiss. I kiss him back but stop when I hear Karai talks for the first time her very first word.
K-Dada. Dada. Dada.
We look at her as she keeps repeating herself while jumping in joy on his father's legs.
-I think she's calling you.
He nods and pulls her close. He smiles and kisses her on the cheek. She laughs and he kisses her again and again and again. Hades looks at me smiling. We go to the floor and we play a couple games before someone knocks at the door. I look at Hades and I can tell by his look that he wasn't expecting anyone. I take Karai and hold her closer to me as he goes check, his aura at the ready. He opens the door and he's pushed to the floor by the guardians. When he realizes who is it he calls back his aura and relaxes somewhat on the floor. I put Karai on the floor and she crawls towards Hades giggling and smiling. She puts her little hands on his face and I can see Hades smile.
Ha-Hey.
The guardians get off of Hades and greet me as Hades sits with Karai on the floor. She takes his hair and pats it like if he were a pet and I laugh at them.
K-Dada.
Ha-Yes, I'm here. Say hi to them too.
He turns Karai around and puts her so she goes for the guardians and she looks at them a bit confused. She looks at Hades again and he motions for her to move forward. With hesitation she goes to the closest guardian that is Orthrus. She pulls on his pants and she tries to get up but fail as she falls flat on her little butt. She stretches her arms asking to be picked up and Orthrus picks her up offering a smile to her. When she's up she reaches out for him and she puts a hand on his mouth before she rubs her eyes letting out a yawn.
-Guess that's my signal. Here, come with mommy. Let's get you to sleep.
I take her to her bed and stay with her until she's completely asleep. When I come back to the living room the guardians are hovering over a dish of food that Hades got for them. I put a hand on Hades's shoulder and he turns to me.
Ha-She asleep?
-Out like a light. I guess she's more tired than she appeared.
Hades turns to the guardians and ask in a serious but gentle voice.
Ha-So, what you came here for?
C-To replace you two.
N-What Cerberus is trying to say is that we came to get you a break.
O-We stay here with Karai while you two go out and relax for a couple of hours and we can also help with the party.
Cerberus opens his mouth to speak but his brothers put their hands on his mouth shutting him.
N-Go, take a break and walk or get to the park.
-If Hades agrees to it.
Hades nods and I tidy up a bit as I'm still on my pajamas. When we go out Hades gives them instructions on where everything is.
Ha-Her favorite toy is the stuffed doggy, and she likes to play games a lot.
-She sleeps better when she has her purple blanket with her.
C-We know, we know, go already.
With that they push us out of the condo and close the door behind us. I laugh a bit as I take Hades's arm tightly.
-Don't worry, they'll be fine.
Ha-I know, I trust them with my life. Are you worried.
-Maybe a little, but not of Karai but for them.
Ha-The guardians? Why?
-She has a lot of energy. Will they be able to handle her?
Ha-Don't worry, Cerberus and his brothers have energy for a whole world. And they're three adults with one baby.
We spent the whole day out just relaxing and walking together from place to place until our alarms sound off respectively. We shut them and we decide to head back home. We go and by the time we get there is already sunset. Hades opens the door and what we see inside looks like a warzone. We go to our room and we see that Nemean is passed out on the bed, Orthrus is exhausted on a corner he too is passed out and Cerberus has Karai on top of him playing with his face, he's worn out as well but keeps going to not leave her unattended.
C-Karai.
I let out a laugh and the only reaction I get is from Karai as she turns from Cerberus to see me and she giggles excitedly at me.
-Oh, the joys of being a parent. To know that you're the only one able to handle your child.
I take Karai on my arms and shake Cerberus a bit.
-Cerberus, get up.
C-Five more minutes.
He rolls over to his side and doesn't move or say another word. I look at Hades and he smiles at me. I call Orthrus and he gives me a tired smile but doesn't move and when I call Nemean he's already sleeping. I give Karai to Hades and I go to the kitchen and get two glasses of ice cold water. When Hades sees me he smiles and nods.
Ha-You're missing one.
-I don't want the bed wet.
He chuckles and I go to Cerberus and get him wet with one of the glasses and he sits upright immediately. Then I go to Orthrus and do the same and in his attempt to escape he ends up bumping with Cerberus. I get to Nemean and I watch him a little, trying to come up with a wake up call that doesn't ruin my bed so much. I smile as an idea occurs to me. I move to the side of the bed and I take the edge of the blanket and pull strong enough to throw him to the floor. I hear a groan and a curse and I know he's awake.
-Watch your language.
I get the glasses back to the kitchen as I smile and laugh to myself as they get to the living room. I join them and I get my feet up to Hades's lap while I eat a cheesecake.
-So, did you guys had fun with Karai while we were gone?
C-Mostly, how do you keep up with her?
-She's still a baby.
C-An energetic baby. Doesn't she ever get tired?
Ha-Usually when she's bored she gets tired more easily.
-Did you put her a lullaby? They help a lot.
They go silent and I look at them. He avoids visual contact with us.
C-I forgot the lullaby, no wonder she didn't went to sleep when I tried to put her to sleep.
-Who was the first to pass out? Orthrus or Nemean.
C-Nemean. Then Orthrus and I was halfway there too.
N-You were a little rough waking me up.
O-And cold, you could have just shook us a bit. Be a little nicer and dryer.
-I was but you didn't woke up so I woke you up the rough way. You left me no choice.
I feel as Hades pat my feet and I look at him.
Ha-Look, she's asleep.
She's sucking her finger so he retires it slowly until she doesn't do it anymore. I put the cheesecake away and I tickle her nose a bit until she sneezes and I get my hand away laughing as I finish my cheesecake.
C-How did you manage to get her asleep so fast?
-Maybe she likes her dad more than she likes you.
I finish eating and get the dish to the kitchen and then I dismiss Cerberus and his brothers with a kind reminder of Karai's birthday the next week.
