Mommy's Belt

Photographic Memory

"Oh," Isabella blushed. The weed Vanessa bought was way stronger than she had expected, having been clean and sober since having Sammy. Especially once she started breastfeeding him, Bella had been avoiding alcohol completely. Something the former high-functioning alcoholic wasn't used to.

In many ways having Sammy completely changed her life for the better but that only meant a lot of her vices were suspended, not removed. She had withdrawal symptoms and she still needed an outlet. Vanessa used marijuana as a safe alternative and there were special pills that allowed you to nurse the kids and drink at the same time but Isabella was allergic to the common brand. So she had tried out weed last week and... Bella realised she might have blanked out when the kids came over.

"Did I say you can play *anytime* with Stephanie, little man? Because you know the rules, just two hours of video games and you have to ask permission if you need more. You clearly did not ask me permission to play today." Bella was trying to not let him win the moral argument even though he looked pitiful as he cried.

Sammy pouted. "So I'm supposed to ask you if I can play online with Steffie every time?" That made sense, maybe she meant she would permit him if he asked. "But you just kept hugging me and gave me lots of kisses and said something with big words... And you said I can play every time if I gave you a million kissies...so I did...well not a million but a lot. Steffie gave aunty Nessa kisses too..."

"Mmm..." Isabella tried to recollect that day. "And both me and Vanessa were smoking cigarettes...Those cigarettes sometimes make me forget so I didn't remember what I said."

"Uh-huh. Both of you were acting funny. Especially aunt Nessa. Steffie was hungry and got mad..." Sammy felt his Mommy allow him to cuddle closer. "And both of us got milk and Steffie was trying to get Auntie Nessie to tell her the number on her card."

Unfortunately for the boy, he felt the need to be honest with his mother, making it easier for her to piece the evidence together. Vanessa was completely disoriented that day and Stephanie had gone over to them on what she called an 'information raid'.

"Number on her card?" Bella gave him a look. "Like the bank card?"

"Uh huh, Steffie wanted Pizza instead of milk and they asked for the number," Sammy nodded, "Aunt Nessa's was 8835-7821-356 and there were four numbers in the back, 3374."

Bella's eyes bulged. "How do you remember that?"

"Oh. I know yours too, 3433-3533-275 and 8255 in the back." Sammy informed her.

Bella stood him up. "Go up to my room now."

"What? Mommy, I didn't do anything bad!" Sammy gasped tearing up.

"I'm not saying you did," Bella reassured him. "But that numbers, how do you still remember them?"

"I remember things," Sammy replied while wiping his tears away. "Steffie got angry when we played memory games. She said I have a photographer for a memory."

"Photographic memory?" Bella knew he remembered things quite well but was he that good?

"Uh-huh? Am I in trouble for remembering?" Sammy whispered.

"No, "Bella shook her head. Sammy still didn't understand the city and banking, having grown up in caves and broken houses. But from his words, it seemed like Stephanie would've been trying to use her new best friend to steal her mommy's credit card numbers.

"It's just Mommy got real jealous with you remembering things and I can't," she kissed him. "But about your request, yes we can go to Stephanie's place tomorrow. I'm calling Aunt Vanessa to let her know."

Sammy smiled. "So you're not mad? Then how come you want me to go to your room?" Bella's room was usually where she spanked him.

"Because I wanna feed my boy in my arms there," Bella smiled. "Go on, Mommy's gonna come up soon. We can also watch the first Monsterman movies, I forgot what happened."

She sent the boy up before giving her friend a call, letting Vanessa know what happened.

"Thanks for the heads up Bella, I've been missing about six hundred gold from my credit card for random payments," Vanessa fumed. "Bring your computer of a  boy over tomorrow...I think he should see the finale of my talk with our little girl about this."

Isabella finished the call, heading up to her room to find Sammy curled up holding her stuffed bear.

"Did Aunty Nessa say yes?" He asked. "Was calling Steffie but she had to go coz Aunt Nessa wanted to talk to her."

"Aunt Vanessa invited you especially," Isabella allowed him to climb on her lap, offering her nipple for him to suckle. She purred softly as his lips latched on, enjoying the gentle sensation of her nourishing milk getting sucked out by her little one. She relaxed in contentment as her mind drifted back to the poem she was planning to write.

A small smirk formed on her lips. "Why are little boys such big distractions?"