Beasty | First Draft Sample

15

The early morning's rays beamed in disappointment as it danced into my room through the windows. The absence of a heavy arm over my middle cut a pang through my chest, and I almost decided to live a life there in bed, with my eyes closed and reality shut away by the darkness.

Romanov had left. Had left before I had woken up. And as I lay there, eyes shut and afraid, the whole reality of our relation suddenly washed over me in an onslaught.

I sighed. I suppose that was how it was going to be every morning now. The reality would come crashing against my face each morning and each morning I would try to hide away. Last night's memories danced through my mind again and I almost breathed out a shaky breath when the electrical jolts hit at my heart like they always did.

Last night, Romanov had always had a bit of his skin on mine, all through the night.

Either his arms around my waist, or his legs over my back, or shifting me to completely lie over him, which surprisingly wasn't that bad.

Normally I wasn't much of a cuddler, but having him want to just hold me, for assurance or protection, maybe he was a cuddler? Felt amazing.

Smiling a little to myself now, I made a turn to change sides on the bed, my eyes still closed, but stopped when I realised something.

Lolette was being awfully quiet.

Lolette was usually a crier waking up in the mornings.

My eyes snapped open at once and I instantly got out of bed, my eyes turned towards her crib and I began panicking.

Lolette wasn't there. Lolette wasn't sleeding there.

The next minute found me almost flying out of my room and down the stairs, a tiny panic kicking in like a tidal wave, growing larger and larger by the second.

The soft sound of mellowed coos sounding from the kitchen had me frowning and I hurried into the direction of it, my breath coming in puffs when I finally reached it.

I froze in my steps.

The mellowing coos and awws continued and I watched the two grown man seated on the kitchen island, chins rested on their hands — continue to coo and make adorable noises, their eyes on the scene I turned next to.

My jaw, heart, and ovaries fell to the floor and I blinked, lamely, as I tried to take in the sight before me.

A concentrating look on his face, Romanov stood holding Letty in his arm, a spoon full of mashed carrots in his other hand as he brought the plastic spoon closer to the happy Letty's lips. I watched mesmerised as Letty slowly opened her mouth and ate out of the spoon. Without any tantrums. Without any mischief.

A second later her lips latched around the baby bottle, drinking the boiled, cooled water, her tiny hands grabbing at the bottle as Romanov kept it held by the ends, a small smile shadowing the corners of his lips.

Seeming to have enough Letty let go off the bottle and looked up at Romanov, an open-mouthed smile on her carrot mushed face, then suddenly she just fell on him, small gurgles of happiness bubbling out of her mouth as she rested her face against his now carrot smeared light blue shirt. Her hand grabbing hold of a button on his shirt she seemed to find interesting.

Another round of awws echoed around the kitchen and Romanov's eyes snapped up, annoyed, before they caught me standing on the door way. My mouth still, embarrassingly so, open.

"Err... She was crying,"

I nodded, my feet automatically taking a step in.

Romanov's eyes widened, and he seemed to stiffen, his arm around Lolette tightened slowly as he began bouncing her in his arms.