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Using her free hand, she fans the tears that mark her face.
“I’m glad you find my discomfort so amusing.”
Gia shifts Astria from one breast to the other in one fluid motion, never waking her.
“I’m sorry. You and I both know that T and I are two totally different people. I was kidding. I apologize. And, as an aside, Astria’s fast asleep, but breast milk is totally safe for her eyes. I actually put it in there regularly when she wakes up and they’re crusted over with sleep.” She shrugs and I feel the skin between my eyes pucker as I try to decipher what medical voodoo she speaks of.
“You put boob milk in our daughter’s eyeballs?” I wonder aloud.
Seriously? That’s a thing? Where have I been when this has been happening?
“Yeah. I do. Want some for your eyes? It’s great for dry skin too. Got an earache? It’ll cure that too.” She counts off cures for ailments like they’re common knowledge.
“Shut up. Seriously? We should be bottling that stuff up.” I halfway tease, but can’t stop myself from wondering why this isn’t advertised more. I had no idea breastmilk was a miracle cure-all.
“That, sir, is illegal.”
“Huh. There’s still so much I need to learn.” I make a mental note to step up my breastfeeding research. What else is there that I don’t know?
“Tell me about it. We’re doing a good job winging this parenting thing though, right? I mean, she’s pretty spectacular.” Gia supports Astria’s head as she unlatches in a sleepy blissful state of what I like to refer to as milk drunk. A light stream of off-white liquid trickles from the crease in the corner of her tiny, puckered lips.
“Yeah, she’s pretty spectacular.” I stare at my two girls, they’re so perfect…both of them. I never could have imagined this life.
I stand and walk to where Gia sits, lifting Astria from her arms. I pull her into my chest and inhale the sweet scent of innocence from her hair. I try to soak in this moment with them. I want them all. Every single moment.
“Just like her Mama,” I say under my breath as I turn and lay our daughter down gently into her crib.
Chapter Eight
Gia
One-ish year later
“Astria! No ma’am. Give it back. Now.” I emphasize the last word using my very best mom voice.
It’s amazing how naturally that tone comes. I thought for sure I’d have to watch YouTube videos or something to teach myself all the tricks of the trade, but that’s not the case, the minute I need it it’s there, sounding so similar to my mother that I almost fear for my own life when I hear myself.
Astria pauses mid-crime with the contraband in question, a book about a construction worker and a magical hotdog named Larry. We stare at each other, a silent battle of wills, where she determines at a mere eighteen months of age whether or not her theft is worth the potential consequences of her actions. Do the crime, do the time-out chick.
“It’s fine, really. Camden needs to learn to share. I’m sure he deserved it. That boy is his father made over. He’s so damn stingy with his toys.” I watch Sylvia from the corner of my eye as she mouths the word damn behind her hand while I continue to stare down at my own mini-tyrant with the most threatening face I can conjure.
Camden, who is two, takes advantage of Astria’s apparent distraction and snatches his book back. Astria stomps her foot in his direction, but then gives up and picks up a toy truck from the floor. The two seemingly forget their disagreement and begin playing like nothing ever happened.
“Carter? Stingy?” I angle my body toward Sylvia where we sit on the couch in her living room.
Carter Tolar is the starting Center for the Rafferton Rams. It’s the same position T plays. Carter’s a senior this year. Carter and Sylvia were high school sweethearts that married just as soon as they could legally do so. Together, they have one son, Camden, who has become somewhat of a best friend/playmate to Astria.
Sylvia went through a six-month technical program and became a licensed cosmetologist as soon as they got married. The woman is a magician with a hot oil treatment. I won’t let anyone else near my hair. She’s the sole reason I no longer have to braid it and can allow it to live out it’s best life in its natural state. Otherwise, I look like I was trapped outside in a hurricane with a faulty electric transformer, and I was not the last man standing.
They live in the same building as we do, and Camden attends the same childcare center Astria does. Sylvia was the first woman to befriend me when we moved in.
She’s kind of the leader of the pack when it comes to the other wives. We’re a small group. This year is a big year for Carter. He transferred here right after the birth of their son. The team was brand new. If he’s going to get picked up without having to go to a small farm team, this is his year. He’s got a lot riding on it.
“Mhmm. I’m his favorite toy, and that man does not share.” She smiles slyly.
I would be a big fat liar if I said I wasn’t completely jealous of what they have.
Damien and I keep to ourselves when it comes to the details of our relationship. We’ve learned that it’s better to say nothing. People assume we’re just private, and we are. But not for the reasons they might think. It helps that our schedules are totally opposite because we’re constantly juggling Astria between work and attending classes.
