Damaged goods

34

"Jonathan of course not." she walks over to her desk and pulls out a newborn. "You see this baby is not real." the class whisper in disbelief. "You all will be given infant stimulation newborns. This will help you a lot in the future if any of you want to settle down. I will allow you to work with partners of your choice."

Just as she said that Ezra walked in. He smirks at me. I could feel the heat crawling up my neck. It should be illegal for him to look that handsome.
"Sorry, I'm late."

"Alright, Ezra. Take a seat."

Ezra sat next to Tristan and the teacher proceeded with the lesson.

After a long lecture on how to take care of a newborn, she eventually let us find our partners. Ezra and Tristan walked over to us. Tristan swung his arm over Liv's shoulder making her roll her eyes. "Let's find our newborn," Ezra says, looking at me.

We walk over to the front of the class and glanced across the group of newborns in little seats. Ezra picked up a small baby and held her in his arms.

"Let me see her." Ezra carefully hands her to me. She looked freakishly real. I took her back to our seats as Ezra grabbed the essential items we needed. I looked down at the baby, her eyes were closed and her blanket cuddled her tight. Ezra took a seat beside me. "So we have a car seat, baby food, diapers, pacifiers and a few other things."

"I have a free next so I'll look after her," I say.

"Wait what should we name her?" Ezra ask.

I glance down at the baby in my arms, "Estelle."

He didn't respond, I look up at him. "You look so beautiful holding her."

I laugh. "Thank you."

The bell rang and Ezra carried my things while I held her in my arms. "I'm going to skip my lesson."

I shrug, and we walk outside. We sat on the warm grass, I hand Estelle to Ezra. It was all peaceful and quiet until I hear a loud crying noise. I look down at Estelle and my brows furrow once I realised she was still asleep. I look up at Ezra who was staring and laughing at someone behind me. I turn to Tristan who was hurrying over to us. "Take it off of me," he yells.

"You're going to wake our baby up." I mutter, holding his baby.

"Jesus Tristan." Ezra responds. "He is a boy, not an it."

"I don't give a fuck, he won't stop crying. Liv went to class and all of a sudden he starts sobbing. I'm incredible at everything but not kids."

Once he quiets down, "He's hungry or he needs to get changed."

"Thank you, Alyssa. You are very good with children," he says, staring between Ezra and me. I roll my eyes once I realised what he meant. Ezra slaps the back of his head.

I hand him his baby back and he walks off. "He's a dickhead." Ezra laughs.

We sat in silence for a few seconds, "Would you ever want kids?" I bluntly ask.

His eyes widen and I wince at how straightforward I was. 

"With you of course." he grins

My cheeks heat, "Good to know." I mumble, looking down at Estelle.

Ezra didn't have lessons for the rest of the day so he took care of Estelle while I went to class.

                                            •••

Liv and I walk through the hallways, all of a sudden Ezra and Tristan hurries towards us with the babies in their arms. Ezra's hair was dishevelled and his face was beyond stressed. "I tried everything you told me to do and she won't stop crying."

I bit my lip to prevent a laugh, "Okay, let me take her."

He quickly hands her to me and I rock her gently in my arms. "Shh baby." I coo, walking into an empty classroom.

Ezra follows behind me. "See, that wasn't too hard." I laugh as I look down at the peaceful baby in my arms.

"Fucking hell." he mumbles.

I gently place Estelle back in her seat. "An hour left," I reply.

He nods his head. "Let's go, buttercup."

                                           •••                 
EZRA

"She is so adorable." Jennifer cooed.

"Mom she's fake." I deadpan.

She put her hand up to me, hitting me away. "She's real until you two have a child." she mutters, loud enough for Alyssa to hear. Her cheeks flushed. "I'll set up her room." she interrupts, walking upstairs.

I follow behind her. "You alright?" I ask.

"Yes, we need to set up a small area for her."

"She could just sleep in between us."

Alyssa shrugs, "I guess."

That idea was thrown out of the window as soon as my mom walked into my room with a crib. "Ezra you used to sleep in this." she smiles.

"You kept it...for this long," I ask, shocked.

"Of course I did," she says. 

Alyssa pushes the crib into the corner of the room. "I love it, Jennifer." Alyssa squeals.

I smile at how happy and excited Alyssa looked. God, she was so beautiful.

                                          •••

"A bit of peace and quiet." she mutters.

"Finally."

Estelle would not stop crying, it took both Alyssa and me to make her stop crying. She has finally fallen asleep in her crib beside our bed.

Alyssa faces me and cuddles closer to me and smiles. "What are you smiling about?"

She shrugs, "I'm just happy."

I couldn't hide the grin that appeared on my lips. She's happy. "I'm glad you're happy buttercup." I kiss her cheek. "Do you ever wonder what our lives will be like in a couple of years?" she whispers.

"All the time." I reply, kissing her forehead. She cuddles closer to me. "I love you." she mumble.

"I love you."

I pull her closer and kissed her cheek before falling asleep with her.