All The Hurt Would Go Away

At the end of the day...

Lin was right. Ariella was screeching in my ear for no precise reason as I fed her some disgusting mushed up meal. I understood why she was having a mental breakdown, so was I, I wanted to hug her and say 'we'll get through this together' but then I remembered she was 3 and I was being weird. Every time she denied the spoon entrance to her mouth I wanted to take a shot of vodka. That's how stressed I was. I looked over at Lin who was laughing with Isaac as he politely ate his dinner, did he deliberately give me Ariella just to ruin my life?
"Lin......."
I groaned
"What?"
"Do they have volume buttons?"
He laughed shaking his head
"Sit tight. I thought you and Ariella would get along fine since you're both drama queens."
I stuck my tongue out as he laughed more.
"The more experienced ones know when to shut their gob though."
Lin's mouth formed an 'o' shape as he gasped.
"Don't use such language around the minions."
"Nah even minions are more cooperative they don't deserve that name yet."
Lin just chuckled shaking his head and continued to feed Isaac. I was greatly disturbed from that pleasant view with a loud shrieking whale noise in my ear and, sure enough, there was the prima donna herself.
"Let's play a game! Cooperate or starve."
Lin burst out laughing behind me as Ariella fell silent.
"I thought so. Now eat the disgusting eww food."
"How encouraging."
"We've reached the point now where that's me complimenting this bowl of -"
"- FOOD!"
I rolled my eyes as Lin glared
"You've already swore within their earshot once today. I haven't forgotten."
"Oh jeez I was worried you wouldn't remember."
I fed Ariella the green slop until the bowl was empty and, by that time, my meal was cold. I wished no one would ever have to taste a cold chip in their lifetime. Judging by my expression Lin took the plate and said
"I'll microwave them, either get the kids toys or send them to bed."
Unwilling for the complaints about bedtime I grabbed some dolls and cars and put them in the middle of the floor between them. I kinda wanted Ariella to grab the cars and Isaac to grab the dolls but the kids disappointed me to their sheer delight.
"Man, you do get moody when you're hungry."
"You bet."
"Half of me wants to grab a snickers bar so Groffsauce re-emerges."
I looked at him confused
"You know, you're not you when you're hungry, eat a snickers."
He said in the TV voice, I simply raised an eyebrow, completely unimpressed.
"See. You and Ariella are the same."
"Shut up."
Lin glared at me
"Restrict the amount of vocalisation you are currently using to a degree of nothingness for a long period of time."
Lin didn't even bat an eyelid to my annoyance. He was clearly just done with my diva attitude. We ate in silence except from the casual tension.
"Can you pass the salt?"
"Think there's enough where you're sitting."
Yeah, Lin is sadly incredibly good at snide remarks to irk his opponent. And right now, it was working.
"I'll wash up."
"Nah I think I will tonight."
I turned around and used every ounce of effort to illustrate my hatred for Lin in that current moment. He just helped me remember how much I loved it and now he won't let me?
"Holy cow, I will never do that again. Pfft go wash up Jon you've given me nightmares."
I smiled humming in approval then left to go to the sink. As a new method I coated the bottom of the sink with fairy liquid then put the dishes in then ran the water. Seeing the bubbles rise and form was thereby the most satisfying part of the day. Lin came in after a while saying
"Cheers for the toys they're silent now, also, do you really hate me?"
"No."
"That is a greatly juxtaposing response so I don't know how to register it in my mind."
"I don't hate you at all Lin."
"But back then..."
"I'm an actor, I act."
"Okay you sound mad while you're saying you're not mad and it's confusing me so please say in the kindest possible way whether you are mad or not because I'm confused at the paradoxical language I am hearing."
"Stop sounding like a retired English teacher, I am not mad at you and your kids are mini devils I swear. Never hinder me from washing up and your fairy liquid is satisfying. Case closed."
"I didn't retire from being a teacher I quit."
"Retired."
"Quit."
"Retired."
"Quit."
"Old Man Miranda says retired."
"Ugh, you make me wanna swear so bad."
He stormed out of the room and I laughed turning back to my bubbles. The plates began to sparkle in the light as I smiled to myself and placed them on the drying rack, good day's work. I dried my hands and searched for Lin eventually finding him in the Study.
"What do you even write about anymore?"
"Hmm?"
"You have two successful musicals, an app, a book being planned; what is there left to do?"
"Well, uh, I am a special species of person that believes I always have work to do even if it be writing a limerick or sonnet. Always something to do."
"Have you ever taken a day off?"
"Many a time, they are very uncomfortable days."
"Ugh well, are you done?"
"Just....... yeah I'm done."
He put down his pen then stood up to leave, I jokingly moved into the Study even though I knew how uptight he was about people seeing his work. Within seconds I heard
"Jonnnnnnnnnnnn?!!!!!!!!!!!"
From the other room. I replied shouting
"Nice writing Lin!"
"WHAT?!"
He stormed into the room to see me in the doorway.
"Don't tell me you just read that."
"I didn't, it's funny seeing you like that though."
He muttered to himself walking off as I laughed and walked into the lounge noticing the kids yawning.
"Right little ones, time for sleep."
I took them both upstairs into their separate beds.
"Song!"
"Hmm?"
"Song!"
Isaac soon chimed in creating a chorus of squealing
"Song!"
"Song!"
"Song!"
"Song!"
"Okay! I'll sing a song, umm...
You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When times are grey
You'll never know just
How much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away..."
I looked up and they were both asleep, Lin was grinning watching me from the doorway.
"What?"
"I didn't know you knew that song."
"It's a classic?"
"Have you not heard me sing it to the kids?"
"No..."
"I sing it to them every now and then before bedtime. It's weird you thought to sing the same song."
He shrugged then went into his bedroom and shortly after I went into mine quickly texting Andrew a 'goodnight xx' before I went to sleep myself.