bringing her arms to the front of my body and squat down in front of her. Placing both of my hands on the sides of her face, I smooth away the spiral locks clinging to the tears on her cheeks.
“Rylie, breathe baby. Deep breaths,” I say as she continues to cry. Tipping her head back so that she’s forced to look at me, she does as I say, bringing deep breaths in through her nose, letting them escape through her mouth.
“Rylie, what’s wrong, sweetheart?” Her mouth shuts tightly and her dimples appear as her lips thin themselves, her internal debate as to whether or not to tell me evident.
“Tatum, girls, can you give us a second, please?” Shuffling feet and small steps tell me they’re gone, but I don’t dare break my eyes away from Rylie’s. “Okay, they’re gone. You can talk to me now.”
She looks away, slowly turning her body away from mine, her little finger pointing towards the top step. Where a lone goddamn roller skate sits.
“Mommy told me. She told me to put it away before someone got hurt. And I didn’t. Now she’s hurt, all because of me!” She whips around and plants her face right under my jaw. Just as I did with Kyndall, I soothe her by running my hand down her curly, brown hair and rubbing circles on her back. “Shh, Rylie, shh. It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not! Not at all!” She continues crying. Placing my hands on her shoulders, I pry her away from my chest and drop my face into her line of sight. She glances away, but eventually, I latch my eyes with hers and she raises her head as I raise mine.
“Rylie, sweetheart, it was an accident. It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t do it on purpose, did you?”
She emphatically shakes her head from side to side. “No!”
“Well, that’s what I thought. Baby, it was just an accident. She won’t be upset with you.” I raise my eyebrows and tip my head, to emphasize my next point. “But, this is why your mother and I tell you to pick up your things. It’s not because we want to be mean ol’ parents, but because someone could get very hurt. Do you understand?”
Sniffling, she raises her arm and wipes her tears with her sleeve. “Yes, sir.” I pull her into me so quickly that she loses her balance and barrels into my chest. Wrapping her up in a tight bear hug, I lift her feet off the ground as I stand up. She giggles the entire time. Swinging her back and forth, I give her one last squeeze before setting her back down.
Taking her by the hand, we walk up the rest of the stairs towards the top, together. “Now, what do we do when we hurt someone on accident?”
“We tell them we’re sorry.”
“That’s right.” Rylie bends over to pick up her skate. “So, when you see your mommy, which will be very soon, just tell her you’re sorry. That will make her very happy.”
She looks up at me and smiles, quarter-sized holes in her cheeks. “It will?”
“Yes, Rylie, it will. And do you want to know what would make her even happier?” Her eyes fill with excitement and a grin breaks across my face in response.
“What?”
“You should tell her your big secret. I think that would make her very, very happy.”
“Okay, I will, Blake. But first, I’m gonna go put my skate up before someone else gets hurt.” I watch her skip her way to her room and then turn to start towards mine.
“That’s my big girl.” It’s amazing to me the strength you can find in even the smallest of people. Making my way back down the stairs, I head to our bedroom.
After grabbing the overnight bag Alex packed for the baby, and getting a change of clothes for her and myself, I open the bedroom door. Passing by the baby’s room, I stop dead in my tracks. Hearing the girls’ giggles and the sound of tape being pulled from its dispenser, I think it’s best to check up on them. Opening the door, I drop the bags and attempt to rein in my laughter. Glitter saturated “Welcome Home” signs are everywhere, covering the walls. Well, at least
“Rylie, breathe baby. Deep breaths,” I say as she continues to cry. Tipping her head back so that she’s forced to look at me, she does as I say, bringing deep breaths in through her nose, letting them escape through her mouth.
“Rylie, what’s wrong, sweetheart?” Her mouth shuts tightly and her dimples appear as her lips thin themselves, her internal debate as to whether or not to tell me evident.
“Tatum, girls, can you give us a second, please?” Shuffling feet and small steps tell me they’re gone, but I don’t dare break my eyes away from Rylie’s. “Okay, they’re gone. You can talk to me now.”
She looks away, slowly turning her body away from mine, her little finger pointing towards the top step. Where a lone goddamn roller skate sits.
“Mommy told me. She told me to put it away before someone got hurt. And I didn’t. Now she’s hurt, all because of me!” She whips around and plants her face right under my jaw. Just as I did with Kyndall, I soothe her by running my hand down her curly, brown hair and rubbing circles on her back. “Shh, Rylie, shh. It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not! Not at all!” She continues crying. Placing my hands on her shoulders, I pry her away from my chest and drop my face into her line of sight. She glances away, but eventually, I latch my eyes with hers and she raises her head as I raise mine.
“Rylie, sweetheart, it was an accident. It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t do it on purpose, did you?”
She emphatically shakes her head from side to side. “No!”
“Well, that’s what I thought. Baby, it was just an accident. She won’t be upset with you.” I raise my eyebrows and tip my head, to emphasize my next point. “But, this is why your mother and I tell you to pick up your things. It’s not because we want to be mean ol’ parents, but because someone could get very hurt. Do you understand?”
Sniffling, she raises her arm and wipes her tears with her sleeve. “Yes, sir.” I pull her into me so quickly that she loses her balance and barrels into my chest. Wrapping her up in a tight bear hug, I lift her feet off the ground as I stand up. She giggles the entire time. Swinging her back and forth, I give her one last squeeze before setting her back down.
Taking her by the hand, we walk up the rest of the stairs towards the top, together. “Now, what do we do when we hurt someone on accident?”
“We tell them we’re sorry.”
“That’s right.” Rylie bends over to pick up her skate. “So, when you see your mommy, which will be very soon, just tell her you’re sorry. That will make her very happy.”
She looks up at me and smiles, quarter-sized holes in her cheeks. “It will?”
“Yes, Rylie, it will. And do you want to know what would make her even happier?” Her eyes fill with excitement and a grin breaks across my face in response.
“What?”
“You should tell her your big secret. I think that would make her very, very happy.”
“Okay, I will, Blake. But first, I’m gonna go put my skate up before someone else gets hurt.” I watch her skip her way to her room and then turn to start towards mine.
“That’s my big girl.” It’s amazing to me the strength you can find in even the smallest of people. Making my way back down the stairs, I head to our bedroom.
After grabbing the overnight bag Alex packed for the baby, and getting a change of clothes for her and myself, I open the bedroom door. Passing by the baby’s room, I stop dead in my tracks. Hearing the girls’ giggles and the sound of tape being pulled from its dispenser, I think it’s best to check up on them. Opening the door, I drop the bags and attempt to rein in my laughter. Glitter saturated “Welcome Home” signs are everywhere, covering the walls. Well, at least
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