STAY

One hundred and Two

It was one of those days. The kind of day where you forgot your husband was a sexy rock star. You forgot you wore designer gowns and went to movie premiers and charity galas. It slipped your mind that you were going to model a new line for a big name designer. Instead it was a day where I was exasperated, and like so many other parents, at wits end. "You need to stop that" I said frowning but calm. "No!" squealed Isabella, throwing some more mashed carrot at me. I had a mix of vegetables in my hair and on my cheek. She was having a tantrum, she'd decided she didn't want to eat in her chair. She wanted to run around, picking up food whenever she felt like it. "Don't throw food at me" I warned her, wiping my face and trying to get it out of my hair. She stared at me for a moment, then slowly, deliberately, picked up some potato and squeezed it in her hands. Smacking them on the little table sending the vegetables flying again, a huge smirk crossing her face. I had seen the exact same look on Jared's face more than a few times. "Isabella! What are you doing? Why are you letting her do that?" said Jared loudly, coming into the kitchen holding a laptop. I turned to face him, "Gigi, you have vegetables on your face .... in your hair" he said trying not to laugh. "I know I have and I'm not letting her do that, she won't listen, she just keeps doing it" I said frowning at him, once again wiping my face with some paper towel. "I'll do something about it" he said confidently. He put down the laptop and picked her up out of the chair taking her, screeching loudly to the sink. It wasn't even a mad screech, it was a singsong, I love the sound of my own voice screech. He sat her on the counter and ran the water, "stop that" he said, gently washing her hands and face. She blew raspberries at him, sticking her hands under the running water before he could stop her, sending water flying everywhere. She was kicking her legs, trying to scoot away from him. He turned to look at me incredulously, "what the fuck?" he mouthed. "I thought you were doing something?" I said with a smirk. "What would you suggest?" he said testily, trying to wipe her hands. Without warning he got a kick to the groin. "Fuck!" he hissed, bending over. It took him a moment to catch his breath again. "Ouch" I gasped, caught between feeling immensely sorry for him, but highly amused. "That's enough, you're being really naughty" he snapped. He picked her up and headed upstairs. She started to cry, calling out for me. I got up to follow, her hands reaching out for me over his shoulder. My heart broke a little and I wanted to grab her, but I refused to undermine him. "Stop it" he said gently but firmly. Emma and Kennon appeared as we walked past, watching curiously. I gave them a little shake of my head. We got to her room and he walked in putting her in her cot. "You can sit here for a little while and calm down" he told her, taking my arm and walking us out. We stood outside in the hall where she couldn't see us, listening to her carry on. She really started to cry then, calling for me sadly. I looked up at him, wanting to go to her, but he shook his head. "Don't you dare" he whispered. "But she's upset" I said wringing my hands. "She's a terror!" he hissed raising an eyebrow. She decided to change tactics, forlornly calling out for him. Her little voice sad and tear filled, "peasseee dada" she whined. He exhaled looking up at the ceiling, I figured he would cave at any moment. I took his hand walking a little further along the hallway. We sat at the top of the stairs, waiting, listening. We listened again, she was now talking to herself, no longer upset just passing the time. "I guess days like this are so different to what your life used to be" I said wryly. "So different to what both our lives used to be. God, sometimes I think this is harder than any job I've ever had" he said with a sigh. I nodded, "yeah same, and I've saved peoples lives" I said with a small laugh. He grinned nodding as well. "She's really naughty" he said, as though it was a surprise, I giggled softly. "Yes she is, do you think .... we let her get away with stuff?" I said. He nodded vigorously, "shit yeah, we're suckers. She knows she can get away with pretty much anything" he said quietly. "What are you guys doing? Genevieve, you have food in your hair sweetheart" we looked up at the voice, his mom had appeared. She had come over to babysit while we went to the photo shoot. She was looking at us puzzled, obviously wondering why we were sitting on the stairs looking battleworn. "We're trying to you know .... discipline her, she's a tiny little monster. She was throwing food at Gigi, she kicked me in the .... " whispered Jared, trailing off with an exhausted sigh. She smiled knowingly, suppressing laughter, "oh? So she's being naughty?" she asked. He put a finger to his lips so she would be quiet, but it was too late, the little devil heard us. "Nana" she squealed loudly. He threw up his hands in defeat. "Should I ...?" she said, but was already walking. We could hear her excited babbling the moment Constance walked in there. "Well, have you been naughty?" she asked her amused. "Nana" we heard her say sweetly. They both emerged from her room, Isabella looking like an angel. Smiling triumphantly at being rescued. "I'll take care of her, you guys relax, get ready" said Constance walking downstairs. We both looked at each other a little surprised. "You're right, she is a monster" I said shaking my head. He laughed and stood up offering me his hand and helping me stand. "Why don't we stay there tonight?" he said pulling me against his chest. "Really? You think your mom would mind?" I asked him. He shook his head, "I'm sure she wouldn't" he reassured me, I bit my lip thinking. "We should probably just come home" I said frowning to myself. "Genevieve, you are with her all the time. You rarely leave her, and if you do it's to come somewhere with me. When you do, you rush back. You can have a night off, you're still a good mom" he whispered the last part. I nodded slowly, "that would be nice" I conceded. "Great, grab your bag and let's go be glamorous again" he laughed.