Unexpected (bayern munich)

Chapter 23

No sooner had she closed her eyes, than Jamie was crying. Natalia looked to her phone, and the numbers read back 4:30 mockingly. Thomas rolled over in his sleep—not waking up. After changing Jamie who had soiled his diaper, she retrieved one of Tanya's sweaters and put it around her chest trying to lull the now quieter baby back to sleep. Jamie thrust his small fists in the air in protest as she cradled him in her arms, but soon his breathing grew deep and steady, and Natalia placed him back in his crib, ready to sleep for just a few more hours.

When she awoke, she found the room empty of both Thomas and Jamie. Natalia threw off the covers in mild panic and walked briskly to the kitchen where she found Thomas singing to Jamie as he fed him, and supervised breakfast.

"Good morning," Thomas said huskily, his voice still not fully awake.

"Good morning boys," Natalia said kissing Jamie on the head.

"Me too!" Thomas insisted, ducking so Natalia could reach his forehead with her lips.

She pecked his forehead quickly and took a big bite out of a piece of toast that was sitting on a plate, earning a kick to the butt from Thomas.

"That's mine!" he protested, as she shrugged and went to freshen up.

"Thomas, I have to work today," Natalia said coming out of the bathroom as she checked her phone.

"But we're on holiday!" Thomas said blankly, mid-bite.

"No, you're on holiday," Natalia said with a small smile, "Naomi just sent me your schedules and I have to do some planning with Cat...you're welcome to stay but I can't promise I'll be entertaining."

"How about I take off for a few hours and we'll go out to lunch around 1? My treat!" Thomas offered looking at his watch.

Natalia nodded with a smile, "That would be good for us. Maybe we can take a walk? I want to tire him out," she said motioning to the giddy boy.

After Thomas left Natalia set up a Skype call with Cat, and together they worked on planning out the next two months' worth of meal plans and vacation days.

"Okay, so we really just have to worry about contacting the caterers for the Valentines Day Fundraiser and the St. Patrick's Day Fundraiser...two within a month, they're working hard..." Cat said thoughtfully over the computer monitor, as Natalia shuffled papers around.

"Yeah, I can take the February one if you take the March," Natalia said making a note in her planner, "And Naomi wants us at all of these games?"

"I think she's trying to integrate us into the staff more," Cat responded making notes in her own planner.

"Okay, I have to get going, I'm meeting Thomas for lunch," Natalia said checking her watch.

"Did he spend the night after Brian left?" Cat asked taking off her glasses.

"He did," Natalia responded

"And did he sleep on the couch?" Cat asked balancing her face on her chin.

Natalia cleared her throat, "No he slept in my bed," she said evenly, trying not to make a mountain out of a molehill.

"Listen, Nat, you know I'd never judge, but that's not something a girl who's seeing another guy does," Cat said

"I know," Natalia said in a small voice, "But it's so different with Thomas...I was literally there when him and Lisa fell apart...and after Brian came over...and he's so good with Jamie..."

"You don't have to defend yourself to me, liebe, I know you and Thomas are best friends," Cat said kindly, "Just...it's not entirely unreasonable for Brian to be weird about him."