Carolina Wren

Chapter 31

Wren's POV

For what could easily be the millionth time tonight, I'm woken up by the sounds of Juni starting to fuss. In the darkness of my room without even the slightest trace of sunlight, all of the help I had at the mall is nothing but a memory. I can barely focus my bleary eyes on my phone as the bright light of the screen nearly blinds me. 4:30 AM. Sitting up, I rub hard on my face, trying to stimulate some form of wakefulness into my system. "Are we not sleeping anymore, baby girl?" I ask groggily as I stand up to go to her. "Is it not vogue?"

Shushing her gently, I pulled her up out of the crib and started rocking her while rubbing her back. "I know you're still pretty new to this whole living thing, so you're still trying to figure everything out, but if you sleep, then I can sleep. And if we both sleep, then neither of us are cranky the next day."

Getting her to stop fussing was easy, but she had no interest whatsoever in going back to sleep. "Juniper, it's too early for this." According to Juni, though, it was time to party. She wouldn't even lay her head on my shoulder. She was too busy looking around and exercising her vocal cords.

Caving to the inevitable, we trooped down the stairs before she had the chance to wake up our brothers. When we reached the bottom, I stalled, trying to decide if I should leave the lights off in the hopes that Juni might doze off. Looking in her wide and curious eyes, I say, "You have no intention of ever sleeping again, do you?" The responding trilling coo told me more than I needed to know. "Of course not."

Reaching over, I flipped the light switch on, illuminating the family room in light that felt unreal in the way that mornings often do. My brain was stuck in that confusing place where I was awake and I knew I was awake, but my body was having a hard time catching up.

Breathing in the sweet smell of baby shampoo off Juni's head, I moved towards the kitchen, flipping on lights as I went. It was close enough to time for her first bottle that I decided to just go ahead and get it ready. She watched intently as I moved through my morning routine, her intelligent little blue eyes missing nothing.

I had just finished changing her when a text caused my phone to vibrate. I looked at the time, briefly concerned that I had somehow managed to fall asleep while sitting up, but it's only a little after 5.

Gabe: There's a light on at your house. What the fuck are you doing awake at this fucking hour?

Wren: You're awake, too.

Gabe: Is your mom home?

Wren: No, she already left.

A minute passed before another text came through.

Gabe: Open the door.

Moving towards the front door nervously, I peeked through the peep hole and saw Gabe standing there with tousled hair like he'd dozed off against a wall or a window. As I swung the door open, I hissed, "Why are you here so early!?"

"Good to see you, too," he grumbled as he stepped through the door, gave me a one-armed hug, and gave Juni his finger to grip onto.

He blinked sleepily at me before his face contorted into an annoyed frown. "What the f-- freak are you wearing?" he demanded, sounding wide awake now as he put a hand on my bicep and held me at arm's length, critically examining my clothes. "I know I bought you better pajamas than this."