Little Things

Chapter 4

Grunting, Grace nuzzles Lauren's breast again before opening her mouth.

"How can you still be hungry?" Lauren muttered to herself.

"I don't think she's hungry." Lucy says softly, grabbing a pacifier and putting it in Grace's mouth.

The baby immediately relaxes and closes her eyes, keeping her hand on Lauren's chest.

Lauren sighed. "Why am I still so bad at this? I never know what she needs." She muttered to herself.

"Don't think like that, Grace is just a lot harder than most babies we've dealt with." Lucy explains softly, kissing Lauren's forehead.

Grace nuzzles Lauren's chest as she sucks on the pacifier, her eyes slowly fluttering closed.

Lauren closed her eyes. She took a deep breath.

"I can grade these if you want, I've seen you do it multiple times and you have your correction sheet in front of you." The oldest girl says softly.

"It's okay. I can do it. Thanks." Lauren said.

Nodding, Lucy moves to take Grace only for the baby's eyes to fly open and her to start crying.

Lauren groaned quietly and closed her eyes. "I haven't slept in three days." She muttered, looking down at Grace. "No wonder Marley couldn't deal with you and didn't want you." The words left her mouth before she could stop them.

Grace's bottom lip pouted out before tears welled up in her eyes, almost like she knew what Lauren had said.

****

Three weeks later

Grace was barely nursing and when held she just curled into whoever had her, not even getting excited when she saw Lauren.

Lauren sighed heavily, sitting down on the couch with Grace in her arms. She'd had a hard day at work and was really tired.

The baby didn't even nuzzle her chest like she normally did, only laying her head against Lauren's right breast.

Lauren closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Shifting uncomfortably, the baby releases a soft whine, looking up at Lauren.

Lauren opened her eyes and looked at Grace tiredly.

Grace shifts again and turns her head toward Lauren's chest, dropping her mouth open.

Lauren sighed. "Hungry?" She whispered.

The seven month old doesn't respond, nuzzling Lauren's chest again.

Lauren ran her fingers through her hair.

Tears fill Grace's eyes and she releases a soft cry.

"Please don't cry? I'm too tired today." Lauren begged.

Opening her mouth, Grace tries to nurse through Lauren's shirt and bra.

Lauren squeezed her eyes closed and let out a long breath through her nose.

Whining, Grace smacks at Lauren's chest in frustration, tears in her eyes.

"Ouch." Lauren opened her eyes and looked at her granddaughter in surprise.

Nuzzling her chest, Grace whines again, trying to latch on.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Lauren pulled her shirt down and shifted her bra to reveal her nipple to the small baby.

Immediately latching on, Grace closes her eyes as she begins to nurse.

Lauren leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes.