Bonnie & Claudia

The Daily Grind

"MUM! MUUUUUUUM!" A child's voice screamed from upstairs. "She took my book!"

This was followed by the sound of two sets of feet running down the hall, down the stairs and into the kitchen. A boy, short with a mop of wheat coloured hair, burst into the room. Hot on his heels was his younger sister, at this point also screaming for her mother.

Claudia stood by the stove, frying eggs and bacon, a baby balanced on her hip, landline pressed between ear and shoulder. She half turned towards her screaming children, flipping two rashers of bacon.

"Mrs Hoovish, as much as I'd love to hear about your garden plans, this really isn't a great time," she said politely to their elderly neighbour. By now her son and daughter were shoving each other and she could feel the baby tense. Uh oh.

"Honey! I have to go, I'm running late for my meeting," Henry called from the hallway, stepping into the kitchen a moment later, right past the bickering children. Claudia picked up his lunch from the kitchen bench and handed it to him. Mrs Hoovish ranted into the phone, the same speech she'd heard a thousand times, as Henry kissed his wife on the cheek in thanks.

"...yes, Mrs Hoovish, I know. If I were a better parent I'd be able to have a phone call on a school morning, I know. I really have to go-" The smell of burning fat filled the room. Claudia turned back to the stove top, bouncing the baby on her hip, and switched the burner off. Henry patted both children on the head, who stopped fighting to say bye to their dad, before walking out.

"Hm. Mother's these days aren't the same quality as they were in my day. But you tell that fine young husband of yours what a marvellous job he's doing! Ta ta." The line went dead, just as Heather started to cry.

Claudia used her chin to move the phone off her shoulder and drop it on the table. Heather howled, causing both of her other children to stop their bickering and place their hands over their ears.

"Shh, shh," she soothed, holding her baby to her chest, gently patting her back. With her elbow, she turned off the burner heating the eggs. Finally, she turned to her kids. Before she could say anything, they pointed to each other and screeched:

"Jessica stole my book!"

"Junior took my nerf gun!"

"She used it-"

"He then-"

"Stop. Quiet." Claudia said sternly, as loudly as she dared, not keen to provoke Heather, who had finally quieted down. Both kids fell silent and the baby merely whimpered. "Here, hold your sister."

Claudia handed Heather to Junior, who looked annoyed but obliged. She then turned back to the stove, transferred the bacon and scrambled eggs onto two plates and set them on the table.

"Sweetheart, why did you take Junior's book?" Claudia asked as she took Heather back and placed her in her high chair. Jessica shrugged, sitting down by her breakfast. Junior opened his mouth to talk but one look from Claudia and he stayed quiet.

"He took my nerf gun."

"Why did you take Jessica's nerf gun?" She asked Junior as she proceeded to feed Heather baby food.

"Come on sweetie, here comes the train," she cooed.

"Because she was shooting me with it!" He said back angrily, glaring at his sister who stuck out her tongue at him. Claudia sighed. Heather used the distraction to flick the spoon out of Claudia's hands.

"What is the rule about your nerf gun?" Claudia said slowly to Jessica as she reached for the spoon. She ran it under cold water and stuck it back in the tin. Clean enough.