thirteen
656 Words
Marco
FATINA RUNS AFTER Seraphina who is crawling at a surprisingly fast pace. It's bath time, which is Seraphina's least favorite time of day, excluding bedtime.
Ironically, she loves nap time.
She crawls past me, her diaper bobbing along with her, giggling at the trouble she's causing.
Glancing up from my laptop, I sternly glare at Sera.
"Seraphina," She sits down, looking up at me in her I'm too cute to be in trouble face.
"Go to your Mother." With a pout she scrawls back to Fatina, who looks sighs in relief.
"Thank you, Marco." Fatina smiles gratefully in my direction.
"Mhm," Dismissing her thanks, "What days do to have to work this week?"
The last six months have been pretty good, and we've gotten into a routine. Each Sunday, Angel tells me her schedule, and we work out who has Sera for how long.
Things are smoother now, and, for that, I am grateful. We even had a kind of... dynamic at home. Angel can be tough with Sera, but she doesn't really like to, which means I have to.
"I'm working three days this week, Monday, Thursday and Friday."
"Then I'll work two days on, and the days you work, I'll work from home."
Lavender eyes sparkle."Perfect! I'll make her baby food ahead of time, so you don't have to worry about it."
I rub my hand down my stubble, a funny feeling in my gut. Something is missing...
Ah!
"Are you going shopping today?"
Sunday is usually food shopping day, but that's something Angel does because, according to Fatina, I'm wasteful, and buy too much food she doesn't know how to cook and I won't ever get to.
"I wasn't planning on it, we have enough food for the week."
"Wipes. We need baby wipes, I'm all out, and you're getting low as well. Ms. Stinky Monster went through her wipes quicker this week."
I wrinkle my nose up at her playfully and she giggles at me, babbling, crawling over to me.
Smiling down at her, I set my laptop down on the small table beside me, picking her up.
We have a very interesting conversation.
"Fabsjri dada," Her little smacks me face, while I nod along, not knowing what she's talking about.
"Mhm. What about Dada?"
That question gets her excited. Like she's been waiting for me ask her that question.
Angel and I decided to let Sera call me Dada until she gets older and can talk better.
"Dada, pajdu cazzo!"
Oops.
"Shh, don't say that, piccola. That is a bad word."
Sera c***s her head, her hands flailing, hitting my poor face enthusiastically.
"Mama eerrroaldji sldju, dada fllloue ska?"
Soft lavender eyes blink back at me, waiting for an answer.
"Ah... Sí? I don't know little one. Dada doesn't know what you are saying, but you sound very happy about it. Right?"
She bounces in my lap babbling so fast she starts slurring and I just smile and shake my head.
"You are right, piccola! That is very exciting. Tell more about it."
I've come to learn that Sera is a talkative baby. As piccola rambles in baby talk, I start wondering where Angel went.
Did I she text me? I search for my phone, finding it hidden in the chair.
"Sera," I scold. "We talked about this, no touching Dada's phone."
Sure enough there's a text.
Went to get wipes, need anything?
That was ten minutes ago.
No. I'm good.
Good, because I'm already home.
The door opens as shuts, making Sera squeak and jump closer to me.
If I thought she was scared if strangers before, it is nothing compared to now. We can't leave her. If she sees her mother leave, even if she's with me, she'll cry.
Same way around but it's more so with her mother than me.
Sunday afternoons are lazy, so the three of us just relax knowing that work will begin tomorrow.
- Writer
