doncaster city lights II | YUNGBLUD

forty-three

"Watch out before I get you!"

The little girl yelled and started running around the house, Julia chasing her. The little giggles of her step sister never failed to make her laugh as well. They were adorable.

"I'm close!" she yelled at Sofia, making her yell again and jump on the couch so she could grab a pillow and hide behind it.

"I can see you baby," Julia laughed. She slowed down and now slowly walked towards Sofia who crawled further and further into the corner of the couch. Just when Sofia thought she was hiding well enough, Julia pulled the pillow away from her face and picked her up with no effort, swinging her over her shoulder.

"Stop!" Sofia giggled, slapping her hands on Julia's back. Julia fondly smiled as she held the girl's ankles tightly and walked her back to Senna's bedroom where they had been playing.

No one else was home; it was just the two of them. It was a big moment though, because it was the first time Julia's mom trusted Julia enough to let her babysit Sofia again.

It felt good to finally feel safe again at home. It gave her at least one thing she could stop worrying about. She had plenty other things to worry about though. One of them being the fact that she was pregnant and no one knew. Just her and Senna.

"It's time for your nap, sweetheart," she told the toddler while placing her on the king size bed. Sofia pouted immediately and shook her head.

"Play a little more?"

"After the nap," Julia promised, tapping her pointer finger on Sofia's small nose, making her crunch her nose up.

"Sleep wif me?" Sofia asked, her eyes growing big. Julia wanted to tell her no again, but she really couldn't resist the big brown eyes. Besides, playing with the three year old while being pregnant with another kid exhausted her more than she thought it would. She could use a few hours of sleep.

"Sure. Let's get changed."

It was everything Sofia needed to know to do exactly what Julia asked her, which lead to them laying in bed together only five minutes later. A new record.

"You wanna play trains after sleep?" Sofia asked Julia while cuddling up against her chest, hugging her stuffed lion tightly. It was adorable how Sofia always planned what she wanted to do before she went to sleep. The best thing about it was that she always ended up doing something else once she woke up.

"Of course baby. Whatever you wanna do."

Julia kissed the toddler's head gently and pulled her a little closer, closing her eyes as well. She was happy Sofia never asked her about Dom anymore, which she used to do every day before her naps. She would ask when Dom would come over to play. This stopped when Senna got mad at her; something Julia didn't want to do even though it did really bother her.

After Senna had yelled at Sofia, causing Sofia to cry for a full hour, she never asked about him again. It was good, although Julia still felt a little guilty. She was just a child.

"Sof?" Julia spoke quietly when she felt the girl moving so she knew she wasn't sleeping yet.

"If you'd have a baby sister or baby brother, what would you name them?"

It was funny how the little girl started thinking immediately, without questioning why Julia asked her.

"Elsa," Sofia said after just a few seconds of silent thinking. "If it was a girl."