Invisible String

52

And for a few seconds-maybe three-it was quiet again.

"Okay," Jason said slowly. "So we survive this how?"

I leaned back, exhausted, but strangely happy. "One diaper and one meltdown at a time."

And he nodded, like that was the only truth he needed.

Travis groaned as he lowered Mira into the pack-n-play, her eyes half-lidded but still fighting sleep like it was a sport. Baylor was finally snoozing in the wrap against my chest again after yet another feed, and I hadn't moved from the couch in what felt like four hours. Kylie was barely upright on the opposite end, Rhett asleep on her chest, Jason somewhere in the kitchen trying to remember how bottles worked.

I glanced at the clock-11:42 p.m.-and felt like I could cry from the sheer weight of the day.

Travis came back into the room, dropped next to me with a dramatic sigh, then muttered under his breath:

"Thank God we're leaving tomorrow."

I turned my head and blinked at him. "Seriously. If we don't go now, they're going to trap us here forever."

Kylie let out a half-laugh, half-sob. "Honestly? I was gonna ask if you could stay one more day."

I raised my eyebrows at her. "Girl, unless you want me to leave all three of our children behind and drive myself to an airport barefoot in a robe-tomorrow is the absolute last day I can function in this house."

Travis held up a finger. "She's not kidding. She threatened to leave me behind two nights ago."

"You took the last granola bar," I said defensively.

"I didn't know you were living off granola bars!" he whisper-yelled.

"I've been breastfeeding two babies like a human vending machine-what did you think I needed? Celery?!"

Kylie was giggling now, covering her mouth to keep from waking Rhett.

Jason walked back in holding a bottle upside down. "Is this... supposed to do something?"

"Nope," Travis said, not even looking at him. "Not a thing. Welcome to the trenches."

"I miss when we only had girls," Jason muttered. "They were loud, but they slept."

I cackled. "You poor thing. No going back now."

Travis leaned his head back on the couch and looked at the ceiling. "I love them all, but I am so ready to be back in our own bed. With our own diapers. Our own snacks. And like... walls that don't echo."

I nodded, resting my cheek against Baylor's fuzzy head. "And a house where we're only outnumbered by one. Not five."

Kylie groaned. "You guys are gonna leave me with five kids."

"You made five kids," I reminded her.

Wyatt's voice called from the hallway, sleep-slurred: "Can someone come get Finn? She tried to put a sticker on Rhett's butt and now she's crying 'cause she thinks she hurt his feelings."

Everyone groaned in unison.

Travis stood, bones cracking like a horror film. "One more night."

"One more night," I repeated.

We exchanged a look that only parents-of-too-many-children can understand.

Then I whispered, "Let's survive it... and never speak of this week again."

He nodded solemnly. "Deal."

Kylie blinked slowly, like she was trying to remember how her legs worked. Rhett was still curled up on her chest, snoozing with that peaceful little newborn face like he hadn't just screamed for an hour straight earlier. She shifted, clearly trying to get up, but she was swaying before she even left the couch.