Invisible String

52

And just like that, in a house full of babies and cousins and noise and new beginnings, the next chapter had officially begun.

The magic of the homecoming lasted all of about seven minutes.

Then reality hit. Hard.

Two newborns. In the same house. At the same time.

Baylor started crying first. A slow, soft whimper that curled out of the wrap across my chest and turned into a full-on wail the second I sat down. He was hungry again, obviously. I unwrapped him gently, trying not to jostle him too much, but he was already red-faced and working himself up into a frenzy.

Across the room, Rhett stirred in Kylie's arms. Then squeaked. Then wailed right back-like they were in some kind of newborn duet. One-upping each other.

Kylie looked at me wide-eyed from the couch, clutching Rhett like she was still in hospital mode and hadn't quite realized she was home now. "Oh my God, is this what it's going to be like?"

"Yes," I said, already pulling my shirt up and getting Baylor latched, "but worse when they're mobile."

Jason appeared with a fresh burp cloth and a look of pure panic. "Who's crying? Who do I help? What do we do?"

"Start with your own kid," Travis said from behind him, bouncing Mira on his hip while Finnley tried to climb onto his back. "Then tag in."

Baylor finally latched and quieted down, eyes closed, body relaxing. I sank into the couch, feeling like I might cry from pure relief-until I looked over and saw Wyatt still holding Rhett while Kylie fumbled to switch places with her. He was still wailing. High-pitched, relentless.

"Kylie, do you want me to-?" I offered.

She shook her head, but her hands were trembling a little. "I've got him. I think. I just forgot how loud they are."

Jason sat down beside her and tried to help adjust Rhett in her arms. "Do you want a snack? Water? You didn't eat lunch."

She looked at him like he'd asked her to solve a calculus equation. "I don't even know what day it is."

"Welcome," I said dryly, patting Baylor's back. "You've entered the fourth trimester. Time is fake here."

Mira squawked and reached for me from Travis's arms. "Mamaaaaa."

"Not right now, baby," I said gently, heart cracking even as the guilt crept in. "Mama's feeding your brother."

She whimpered louder and started trying to launch herself out of Travis's grip.

"She's jealous again," he said under his breath, shifting her to his other arm.

"She's always jealous," I muttered.

From the corner, Lily appeared dramatically with a toy stethoscope around her neck. "I think the babies are sick. I should check their blood."

Travis nearly dropped Mira as he tried to hold in a laugh.

Kylie groaned. "This is actually insane."

I gave her a knowing smile as Baylor popped off, milk drunk and satisfied. "Yep. You should've seen us the second night. Baylor was screaming, Mira wouldn't stop climbing on me, and I cried because I couldn't remember when I last brushed my teeth."

Kylie looked at me. "I haven't brushed mine since the hospital."

I held up my fist. "Solidarity."

She bumped it weakly, both of us holding a baby in one arm.

Rhett finally quieted in her arms, little fists pressed to his cheeks. Baylor snuggled back into my chest, out cold again. Mira whined into Travis's shoulder. Wyatt started reading a book aloud to Lily, trying to bring the chaos down a notch.