march 2020 writing challenge day 1: within reach

A loud crash resounded through the first floor of my house. I was upstairs in the master bath, supposedly relaxing while my husband handled everything downstairs with our hella busy fourteen month old.

“I’ll be fine, love. I’ve got it all under control, cosita. Go, relax,” my husband insisted.

I’d only just settled into the piping hot bath he’d drawn for me when the noise broke me out of the zone in which I was trying to settle. I was tired, could use this respite, but I’d be goddamned if…

As soon as I made up my mind to get out of the tub and investigate the madness that I was certain was occurring below me, my husband popped his head into the bathroom, a sheepish grin on his face.

“Do not get out of that tub, Valora. You’re supposed to be relaxing,” Frankie insisted.

I rolled my eyes. “How in the hell can I relax when you and your child are downstairs doing…whatever it was that caused that noise. And where is she?”

“She’s right here,” he responded a little too quickly.

“I would like to see my child, my love,” I pressed, faux saccharine coating my words.

No one could ever say that my husband was slow on the drop because the look on his face let me know that he knew that I knew that his and her ass were up to no good.

“Mama, I help!” Giselle sang as her father finally shifted her in his arms so that the both of them were now visible.

I bit my lip to stifle the laughter that wanted to erupt as soon as I saw my baby covered in… “is that flour?”

“Um…yes. We were supposed to be making Mommy some pancakes for breakfast, but somebody got ahead of herself.”

A shit eating grin spread across Frankie’s face as Baby Gigi continued to make even more of a mess of whatever else was in the mixture that covered her hair, face, and hands.

“Give me my baby.”

“Valora, it’s fine. I’ve got this. Just keep relaxing,” Frankie insisted.

I shook my head, holding my arms out.

“You’re just going to have to clean her up anyway. Two birds, one stone, babe. Strip her and bring her over.”

Frankie grumbled something about me being stubborn under his breath but did exactly what I’d asked.

“Bubbles!” Baby Gigi exclaimed as her father lowered her into my outstretched arms.

“Only until I’m done cooking, I’ll be back for her.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever, man.”

“All right, I got your whatever,” Frankie responded, leaning down to press a quick kiss to my lips before heading back downstairs.

“I kiss?” Gigi said, after Frankie pulled back from me.

 I couldn’t help but swoon a little as he pressed kisses to both of her cheeks and forehead before exiting the bathroom altogether. He was so good with her and she was one smitten kitten with her pa. I didn’t know what he was thinking with letting her help him out as he attempted to cook down there. He shoulda have just strapped her into her high chair and hooked her up with the iPad and a video that would have kept her attention instead of tryna bring lil mama into the mix. She was at the stage where she felt confident enough to destroy every damn thing that was within reach, which meant we had to keep every eye in the house on her at any time we let her roam freely. I’d already lost two pairs of AirPods, a phone case, and a shoe to Gigi the Destroyer.

Looking down into her little angelic face as she splashed and blew bubbles into the air entertaining herself, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of completeness. She’d been hard to conceive, despite her father and I trying our damndest. I squeezed her a little tighter in my arms, pressing a quick kiss to her chubby cheek before grabbing a wash cloth and wiping her down.

So much for mama’s relaxation, I thought.