The blonde sat at the piano, balancing the six-month-old on her knee and holding a cigarette between her fingers with her free hand. She listened to the babbling of the same consonant sound over and over and tilted her head, looking at the child seriously. "Oh really? You don't say. I had no idea," she mused in her British accent.
"Christine, don't be condescending," Stevie admonished from the corner of the room.
"I am not," she defended. "Do you think Auntie Christine is being condescending, love?" she asked, looking into Skylar's bright eyes and wiping drool from her mouth. She grinned as the child squealed and collapsed against her chest. Skylar reached for Christine's face and giggled. Christine scrunched her face as a finger hooked into her nose then another narrowly missed jabbing her eye. "How about we play a little piano, Skylar?" she suggested, taking one last drag from her cigarette before snuffing it out in an ashtray. Her slender fingers glided over the keys. Skylar turned her head, keenly observing the woman's fingers and listening to the sounds. Skylar looked up as her features broke into a gummy smile. She wriggled as Christine supported her and slammed her tiny hands on the ivory keys. "You're a natural!" Christine exclaimed, clapping her hands and quickly righting the infant as she leaned too far to one side. The Brit quickly looked back at Stevie, grateful she hadn't seen the incident.
From her spot in the corner, Stevie glanced at the pair with a soft smile on her face. She checked the time and stood to her feet, walking over to Christine and Skylar. She touched her bandmate's shoulder. "Will you be okay? It's time for her bottle. I want to have it made before she starts crying for it."
Christine nodded her head. "I won't turn her into a lush in your absence," she joked, shutting her eyes as Skylar hit a sour note on the piano. It would most likely need to be tuned before she used it again.
Stevie smiled and leaned over, holding her hair back and placing a kiss on top of the baby's wild curls. Skylar paid her mother no attention, too busy with making music. The girl heard the door close and jerked her head in the direction of the noise. Her blue eyes widened as she surveyed the room. Within seconds, her bottom lip quivered, and she writhed in Christine's lap as her screams began.
Christine lifted Skylar into her arms, holding her securely. "What's the matter? What's wrong?" she grimaced at the sharp cries ringing into her ears. She slipped off the piano bench and walked around the room, swaying with the baby. She paced in circles and sang Songbird softly to the infant. Nothing calmed her. She merely screamed louder and louder. "It's time to find your mother." Christine flinched at the piercing wails and bolted into the hallway.
John thrust his body against the wall as Christine barreled towards him. He swiftly covered his ears. "Chris, what the hell did you to do that baby?" he asked loudly.
"Nothing! Bloody hell," she muttered under her breath and half jogged down the corridor. "I'm out of shape," she muttered, feeling the effects of her smoking habit. She reached the kitchen area of the studio and leaned against the door to catch her breath. Skylar pumped her fists and repeatedly banged her head against Christine's shoulder.
With alarmed eyes, Stevie pushed open the door at the sound of dreadful crying from outside the door. She turned her head and put out her arms, walking towards Christine and her baby. "Christine, what happened?"
"You left, and she lost her mind," she explained over the fit.
"Sky, baby, c'mere," Stevie said pacifyingly and touched the baby's back. Skylar shifted in Christine's arms and leaned over, falling into her mother's waiting arms. She slackened her crying and burrowed her small body into Stevie. "I wasn't going to leave you forever, Skybear," Stevie whispered, kissing on her forehead and stroking her back. "Is that what you thought? I'd never leave you for long," she promised.
