Remember the Time

Chapter 55

Noelle wrinkled her nose.

He chuckled. "I guess not. What about apples?"

She smiled at this suggestion so he pulled a few jars of the apple-flavored baby food off the shelf. Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

Michael jumped and swung his head around to see a familiar face.

"Nina? How'd you recognize me?" He whispered, gesturing to his disguise.

"Your loafers." She laughed. "How are you?"

"I'm doing good. How about you?" He asked. He heard her reply, but his attention turned to the baby strapped to her chest. "And who's this?"

Nina giggled. "This is Noah."

"Hi Noah." He grinned, playfully shaking the baby's hand.

Noah made a face that reminded Michael of Nicole.

Nina shook her head, laughing. "He's so mean. I think I leave him with Dawn too much."

"My daughter Nicole does the exact same thing." Michael said.

"You guys have twins right?"

Michael nodded. "This is Noelle."

Nina came over to the side of him. "She is just adorable."

"Say thank you Noni." He heightened his voice. "Thank you."

Nina was about to respond when-

"Nina!"

Nina's partner, Dawn, was standing at the end of the aisle with a shopping cart.

"Sorry, she's in hurry. I gotta go, but tell Mariah hi for me." Nina said.

"I will." He promised.

Michael turned back to Noelle. "Alright Noni we gotta get some food for you and your sister so we can go home."

He grabbed another jar. "What do you think about bananas?"

Noelle reached out for the jar.

He shook his head, laughing. "No you can't have it yet."

He picked out a few more jars of baby food and pushed the cart over to the checkout, so he could go home.

March 19th, 1998

Pat was sitting on the couch with Mariah, burping Nicole. When she was done, Mariah put her magazine down on the table and reached out for the baby.

"Give her here, I'll put her in the swing."

Pat hesitated, with Mariah's erratic behavior towards the twins the past few months, she didn't really want to hand over the baby.

Mariah rolled her eyes. "Mom give her here. I'm just gonna put her in the swing."

Pat sighed and reluctantly gave Nicole to Mariah. She watched Mariah carefully strap Nicole into the swing and pull it closer to the couch. Pat watched her a little longer, then got up to go to the kitchen to wash out Nicole's bottle.

"Oh..." Pat said in a not-so-pleased tone as she walked into the kitchen.

Katherine stood in front of refrigerator looking for something, turning around at the sound of Pat's voice.

Pat rolled her eyes at the other woman and turned on the water.

"What are you doing?" Katherine inquired.

Pat turned from the sink. "I'm cleaning the baby's bottle. What do you think I'm doing?"

Katherine wrinkled her nose. "That's not how you clean a bottle. You supposed to boil it."