Bliss || Reece Bibby

80

chapter eighty; real life

"Mama!"

Hunter grabs my hand for the third time today, trying to pull me out of the bed.

He's been doing this for the past two weeks since I've been on bed rest, each time to show me something new.

"Look uncle Blake!"

And in those two weeks, Hunter has gotten somewhat better at talking, making me sad.

He's not even two yet, and I hate feeling like he's about to go off to school.

"What's Blake doing now?"

"You haves to look!"

"Hunter, I can't get out of bed."

"Why?"

His bottom lip quivers.

"Hunter-"

"I go now."

"No."

"No? But but-"

That's another thing. He also hates being told no. If you tell him no, he thinks he's in trouble and starts crying. I have no idea why he thinks that, but he just does.

"I'll follow you."

He perks up. "Weally?"

"Why not?"

He jumps up happily, grabbing my hand once more and pulling me downstairs with him.

I laugh at Blake, who had makeup all over his face.

"What's going on?"

"Art!" Hunter smiles, pointing to my makeup bag. "I did art!"

"I see that. You drew all over Blake's face."

Blake smiles. "I'm happy to be his drawing board."

He grabs one of my lipsticks, putting it on.

"No! You ruin it!" Hunter reaches forward, pulling the tube of lipstick out of Blake's hand.

"He's stubborn."

"I wonder where he gets it."

"Hey! Not nice!" Reece says, walking into the kitchen.

I bust out laughing.

"And you shouldn't be up." Reece says, pointing towards the couch.

He currently had eyeliner all over his forehead, one of my fake lashes glued on above it.

"You guys certainly know how to entertain the kid."

"Is fun!" Hunter says as he giggles.

The doorbell rings, making me stand up, but Reece gives me a look.

"Fine, I'm sitting down."

"I open door for Dada!"

"Hunter-" Reece sighs. "I'm right behind you."

Hunter runs towards the door, and I hear him scream in excitement.

"George! Is your turn!"

"My turn for what?"

"You see!"

George walks into the living room, his eyes widening.

"Do I have to let him put makeup on me?"

"You were actually noticed by the tiny child." Emily says. "It was like I wasn't even there."

"Oh hush. You have watched him when the boys and I are in the studio."

Luna barks as he walks back into the room, going over and licking Hunter's face.

Giggles fill the room, making me smile.

"Can you believe there's going to be two of them soon?" Reece says quietly.

"I can't wait." I turn towards him, softly pressing my lips against his.

"Me either."

Luna walks over to us, licking Reece's hand as I pet her.

"Reece."

"Yea?"

"She has foundation in her fur."

"She does?"

"Yes."

He chuckles.

"Bath time!"

Hunter sits up.

"Bath?"

"Bath."

"Yay!"

He heads towards the stairs, taking off his shirt in the process.

"Uh, okay then." I shake my head. "I have never seen my child do that before."

"It's a recent thing." Reece says, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Where did he even learn it?"

"He saw Blake do it when he jumped in the pool."

"Pool? What pool? It's February!"

"My parents' pool. They started cleaning it out for this summer." George says sheepishly.

"In February?"

"My dad likes to start early."

"Oh."

"Hunter was outside with Betty and Luna and Blake saw that the cover was off of the pool so he took his shirt off and jumped in. Hunter tried going in after him."

"You stopped him, right?"

"Obviously."

"Good. I don't want him getting sick."

"Mama! Dada! Bath time!"

Reece stands up, helping me up off the couch.

"I can do it myself you know."

"You are nearly nine months pregnant, and you're on bed rest. Not happening."

I roll my eyes. "You're acting like I can't even get out of bed for anything. I'm able to get up every now and then."

He shakes his head. "Yea yea. Whatever."

"Don't whatever me Bibbs."

He smiles at the old nickname. "Come on, let's go upstairs, but I'm bringing a chair into the bathroom for you to sit on."

"Fine."

"And we will just be down here." Emily says.

"That's fine with me."

Hunter smiles when we reach the tops of the stairs, standing up and running towards the bathroom.

"We used to have to chase him to get him into the bath. I'm enjoying not having to."

"But he's probably going to ask for a bath more often."

"True."

When we reach the bathroom, Hunter was already in the tub, his diaper on and everything.

"Hunter?"

"Hm?"

"You forgot to take your diaper off."

"Me know that." He smiles. "I take off now."

I sit down on the chair Reece brought in, starting the water.

Hunter puts his hand in it, jumping back immediately.

"Cold!"

"You have to let it warm up."

"Reece! We forgot a-"

I stop, feeling a sharp pain much worse than the others I've felt recently.

"What's wrong?"