Page 300 of As The Shifter World Turns

After putting him in his highchair and giving him a snack, I put away the groceries and Archer collected the chicken.

“Tired?” he asked.

“A bit.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, parenthood is exhausting.”

I’d looked after Charlie many times but mostly it was just him. I didn’t have to manage supermarket trips and usually Nate was with me when Charlie was at our place. We went to the park, took naps and played with toys. But parents had to juggle everything else when they had a baby. Real life didn’t stop when a new family member arrived.

I sank onto a chair as Charlie played with his building blocks. Toby texted saying he was finished early. Neil was still asleep so back we went to the car. Charlie was in a better mood than earlier and he sang at the top of his voice while we waited for Toby to exit the building.

“How was the rehearsal?”

“Great. The teacher was really pleased as we all remembered our lines.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing the play.”

Toby headed to his room when we got home and I fed Charlie who threw some of the food on the floor, and giggled when I picked it up. He thought it was a great game. I managed to get some dinner into him, but the kitchen and high chair were a disaster area.

“Bath time for a very dirty little boy.”

Archer turned up with chicken soup and told me he’d clean up the kitchen while I bathed Charlie. There was much squealing and splashing and I was as wet as Charlie by the time I wrapped him in a towel.

“What a mess.” Toby stuck his head in the door.

But the little boy was flagging by the time I dried him and got him ready for bed and he was asleep before I finished his bedtime story. I was ready to crawl into the crib with him.

With the bathroom clean, I staggered into the living room. Neil and Toby were eating the chicken soup and Toby told me he’d taken a bowl to Martin.

“Glad to see you’re eating,” I said to Neil.

“Tiny sips along with crackers seems to do the trick.” He put down his spoon. “Thank you so much for today. I feel so much better with food in my tummy and having caught up on sleep.”

“Yeah thanks for taking me to rehearsal and picking me up,” Toby added. “You’re a star.”

“No problem,” I yawned. “See you tomorrow.”

I staggered into my own apartment and Nate said, “Rough day at work?”

“Mmmm.” I collapsed onto the sofa. “I’m beat.”

“Hungry?”

“I don’t have enough energy to eat.” I pulled a throw over me. “And I’m going to sleep right here.”

As my eyes were closing it hit me that I’d been so invested in looking after Charlie, taking Toby to school and buying groceries, that I hadn’t focused on us not being pregnant. And that was a good thing.

“I love you Nate.”

“Love you too. Though if you brushed your teeth before you fall asleep I’d love you more.”

I’d always wondered about those stories parents told of not being able to take a shower or change out of their PJs because looking after a child was so time-consuming. Now I understood.

I got it. I really did.

138

POP THAT CORN!

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