M.U.S.E. (BOOK 1) (COMPLETE)

M.U.S.E Chapter 21

A baby crying woke me. It was definitely the cry of a new born. What was wrong with it? Someone should feed it or change it or something.

The baby continued to cry louder and louder. I got out of bed, sleep drunk and walking like a zombie towards the crib across the room. I picked it up, my eyes still closed as I walked back to the bed, lay on my side, pulled my top up, latched the screaming baby on and fought the urge to fall back to sleep as it guzzled away. Whoever this baby belonged to needed some serious lessons in mothering! I would never let my kids scream like that for food... wait... oh shit I thought as the fog in my brain cleared... my kids... my baby... my bed.... oh shit sorry baby I thought as adrenaline hit my veins and I stared at the baby, my eyes blinking as I waited for it to be a dream.... Nope definitely a boobie sucking baby and my bedroom. I glared around the room. Where the hell was he?

"JOHN!!!!" I yelled. "JOHN!!! JOHN COLE GET IN HERE!!!"

I heard feet hurrying down the hallway.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he appeared in the doorway his eyes flicking around the room.

"You left the baby crying," I snapped with a glare towards him.

"I'm making the bottle. I'm not very good at it and he's not long had one so this was not planned... wait, what are you doing awake?" he asked.

I too realised it was the first time since I can remember properly, I vaguely remembered the past few days of being in bed but it was like I had flu I couldn't move my head without it spinning and I got sick.

"And why are you yelling at me?" he asked.

"I don't know," I said as I laughing hysterically with a mixture of embarrassment and relief. I was back! Verbal conflict that made sense and wasn't gobbledegook... that was progress I thought.

"Are you breast feeding?" he asked smiling.

"Yes so it seems," I said as I realised I was. "I have no idea what I am doing. Sorry for shouting at you. I've just woke to a screaming baby, lobbed a breast in its mouth and screamed at you. I'm sorry."

"That's ok but your milk is drying up so do you mind if I go finish this before he screams the house down again? Mina won't let me make the bottles in advance and I have strict instructions. I'll be quick," he said as indicated back towards the kitchen.

"Yeah sure," I said and as he headed off. I looked at the tiny baby with the chin chomping up and down on my breast. Stroked his tiny head of dark hair, played with his tiny fingers which clasped at mine and held on tight. "Hello baby," I said as I remembered his beautiful little face from before all the madness. "You are gorgeous, just like Daddy and Aimee," I said. "Your belly is getting fatter, Daddy was right," I said as I placed a hand on it to measure the difference from before. I looked at his long skinny legs all bent to his chest in the foetal position and his cute baby feet. His toes grasping at my fingers as I took a closer look.

I swapped breasts as he wasn't getting anything out of that one and started to whinge.

"I'm back," John said appearing in the door with a tray. "Tonight I have on the menu, Une bouteille de lait pour bébé, de la bouillie à la crème et le sucre pour maman. Et votre papa a du café pour tenir éveillé."

"I have no idea what you just said," I replied.

"One bottle of baby milk, porridge with cream and sugar for mummy and coffee for daddy to keep him awake," John clarified.

"You are speaking French to him," I asked.

"French, German, Italian, Spanish whatever is more soothing. He prefers French when he has his bottle," John replied as he put the tray down.