A/N: Not a real Breddy story, but an insight in my Breddy-life. Alternative title: A day in a Life of writing Breddy with kids in the house during holiday.
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I'm sitting at the kitchen table behind my laptop, Einaudi playing in the background. It's a warm, sunny midday and I'm trying to review and rewrite parts of my next chapter that I will be posting in a few days. I have an appointment with proofreader-sama the next morning and have to get it ready today. Naturally I'm trying my best to get as few mistakes as possible that they will have to point out, especially the once that I have made several times already. So focus, I tell myself.
'Light peeks through a slit between the curtains, waking Eddy from his sleep. He blinks against the brightness. Damn, he has a headache and his throat hurts like hell. His eyes fly open, suddenly remembering last night clearly. Oh no. Did last night really happen?'
"Mama, what are you doing?"
Ah. My youngest kid, five years old, blond cuteness overload, a wit that is in my humble opinion beyond its years, is pulling my right arm, preventing me to write. Let's call it Nr.2 for privacy matter.
"I'm writing sweetheart. I've told you I have to write today. I'll play with you in half an hour. You remember you promised me five minutes ago that you would go play outside with the neighbour kids, or with kid Nr.1, or that you would do something yourself. In half an hour I'm all yours again."
Because haven't I been entertaining them enough already today? I need some time for myself now. And let's face it, after not writing for a couple of days, I have to or my head will burst.
"How long is half an hour?" Nr.2 wants to know. I know it knows, but anything to get the conversation going.
"Count to 60 30 times."
Nr.2 rolls its eyes backwards dramatically.
"But mama! That is sooo looooong."
Kid Nr.2 lets its body fall half against/half on a chair besides mine, more dramatically not possible, placing even a hand on its forehead and all. Not for the first time I'm thinking that maybe I should put it into some acting classes.
"Doesn't that depend on what you are doing? When you watch tv or you're gaming you always think half an hour it's way too short. Go do something. Anything. If you bother me more, it will take just that longer."
'Did he really throw up in a bin and did Brett really see. Did he really put him through that?
He looks at the man he's lying on. Sweet, sweet Brett. How wonderful has he been for him? Last night he has shown him a totally new side of him. Who would have thought that Brett could be this caring?'
"But I don't know what I want to dooo. I'm bored."
I sigh. I know when Nr.2 is in such a mood it won't go away before it has something to actually do. And although I hate whining and shouldn't give in, because I know that would be the best parenting option, I start mentioning all the things it can do before I realise I'm doing it. And there are a lot of options. But everything to be able to go back to with my chapter, which I'm trying to read as well while I'm addressing my kid.
"No. I want to play 'Doctor' with you!"
"Half an hour. Get your stuffed rabbit be the patient for now." I tell it decidedly.
I really want to finish this chapter. Nr.2 pouts, but picks something else to play with. Thank God.
'He looks at the man he's lying on. Sweet, sweet Brett. How wonderful has he been for him? Last night he has shown him a totally new side of him. Who would have thought that Brett could be this caring?'
"Mamaaaa."
Ignore. Don't look. Just ignore.
'Brett stirs a bit.
Is it because he notices that Eddy is awake?
Brett opens an_'
"Mamaaa. Mama! Why don't you listen?! I'm talking to you!"
"Yes, I'm aware you are. And don't use that tone towards me, young lady. You know what you promised me. Half an hour."
"But I'm thirsty! I haven't got something this whole day!"
Okay that's not the truth, obviously, but I look and yes: my kid is almost dying right there on the ground from dehydration. And it should drink more anyway, so it's better to give it some.
Sigh. Breathe in, breathe out. I look to my side again at the display before me. It's actually quite funny how much it can exaggerate these kinds of things. But I keep my smile inside, otherwise there will be no end to it.
"Okay. Go to the refrigerator and pick something. I'll help you in a minute."
I quickly scan the next paragraph.
'Eddy thinks for a moment. Woah, actually...
"Surprisingly not that bad. I didn't wake up until now."
His voice croaks as he tries to get the morning stiffness off his vocal cords.
"Good. I hoped you would sleep well this night. Sleep makes everything better."
A hint of worry crosses Brett's face as he eyes him closely.
"How are you feeling?"
It's actually surprising how reasonable he feels. Brett is here. He stayed with him. It's so much better to wake up beside someone. Does he know how much that means to him? He won't say it, of course, but he's so relieved he's not alone.
"A bit better. Headache though. Some dwarves are trying to mine diamonds inside my head or something like that. The light hurts."
Okay. It will do.
I get up to help my offspring before I have to clean everything in the kitchen because it tried, but 'things' happened.
After a couple of minutes I'm sitting down at the kitchen table once more and put my fingers on the keyboard again.
I haven't even put one letter on paper before another "Mama" sounds besides my head.
"WHAT NOW?!"
"I'm hungry."
I almost smash my head onto my keyboard in desperation, getting all kinds of involuntary letters written down that I will have to remove later on.
"For fuck sake! Get an apple!" I say curtly between my teeth, counting till 10 to not snap, reminding me that it's just a kid still and that it has the attention span of a squirrel. It is normal this happens. Every parent has to go through this phase. Internet and the schoolyard are full of stories.
"Ooooh! You said fuck!"
Oh fuck, yes, I did. I look at her warily. It's not something new that my kids pick up words from me that they shouldn't, unfortunately, although I'm trying so hard to not swear anymore now I have kids. But even then. I think it was one of the first 10 words it spoke? I'm trying my best here, but before they were two they years old they knew the 'For fuck sake' and the especially 'fucking hell' exclamations by heart. So Nr.2 is really not that fazed by it. It just sees it as an opportunity to throw it back at me in the probably near future at an inappropriate time. Like when we are in a group with a lot of other parents present. 'but mama says it allllll the time.' I can see the looks cast at me already. Little menace.
"I want candy."
"Well I want to write. Half. An. Hour!"
"Oh! I'll get you some aspirin. Hold on."
Brett tries to get up, but Eddy presses his weight on him so he can't leave.'
"Pleeeeaaasssse? This is the last thing I'll ask and then I'll leave you alone. Pretty please???"
Oh God, why is it throwing puppy eyes at me?
Do you know that scene in Shreck where Puzz in Boots does that thing with the eyes causing cuteness overload and everybody melts? That. Just like that.
Is sigh once more.
"Okay. You didn't get any today yet. Get something from the cupboard yourself. Show me what you've picked. One thing only."
"But what if it's really small? Can I get two?"
Why is there always another question coming? This kid is way too smart.
"Yes, you may. Now get it."
I guess that will keep it busy for a short while. I scan over the words in front of me quickly, hoping to get this done before the next interruption occurs.
Minutes later Nr.2 is sitting contently on the ground playing with some Lego. Yay! Now l can get some work done!
'Eddy would laugh it off, but he just can't. Not now. He puts his head heavily on Brett's chest, listening to his heartbeat drumming a steady relaxing beat. It keeps him from thinking too hard. Yesterday's mantra is only a whisper now and he wants to keep it that way. He wishes the hammering would stop as well. He sighs contentedly. He turns some more so he's lying flush against Brett, and when he puts his leg between his in search for more closeness, his knee bumps into something hard, the location unmistakably.
"Oh! Wow. That's some morning wood." he blurts out before he knows it.
Brett chuckles.
"Hmm? You think this is morning wood? Okay. That's cute." Brett hums as he kisses the top of his head.
"Huh? It's not?" Eddy asks shyly.
"Listen. I'm in bed with a super-hot man besides me, dressed in only a shirt and some boxers, and you expect me to not react?" Brett chuckles again.'
"Mum? What are you writing."
Oh shoot. Kid Nr.1 has entered my bubble. And compared to Nr.2, it can actually read. English is still a bit hard though, thank God, but it's getting a bit dangerously lately. We've watched One Piece a few days before and it understood way much more than I gave it credit for. But it doesn't really like to read, so this time I'm safe. I hope.
"My story. I'm reviewing it because I will talk it over later with proofreader-sama."
"Will you read it to us?"
Yeah, right. Reading this particulair part isn't going to happen, like, ever.
Kid Nr.1 doesn't know what it's asking of me.
"It's in English. You wouldn't understand."
"But you can translate it for us."
Count on Nr.1 to have a solution.
I imagine myself reading this paragraph and can't hide my blush. Me telling this to an eight year old?! Nope. Won't happen. And Nr.1 knows, because it tries to get a look at my screen so it can find out something I've written. I turn my screen in such a way that it can't. I really need to be careful with these kinds of paragraphs in the future.
"What is it about?" it asks.
"Oh, just working on my story." I say loosely, hoping it will lose interest with my evading answer.
"Brett and Eddy again?" it says knowingly.
"Always, dear. Always."
Before I can turn to my page again, kid Nr.2 is standing beside me as well, bouncing up and down.
"Mummy, the half an hour is done. Will you play with me now?"
Again the puppy eyes, but now there is also a tiny hand resting on my arm.
I look at the clock. It's right you know. It doesn't know how to read a clock properly yet, but somehow it gets it right when it matters for its sake. I can't help but smile and it knows it has won. A loud victory yell follows. I haven't gotten up yet and it is already ordering me around to do things its way, babbling way too energetically.
I close my eyes for a moment, breathe in deep and press the 'safe' button before I close my laptop.
Okay. I'll try again in half an hour...
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A/N: I hope you enjoyed this insight in my life as a writer with small kids. This really happened during summer holiday when it was a 'no screen' day. Normally I write when they sleep, or when they are watching TV or play games. I was looking at myself from a distance and found it rather funny, so I decided to write it down. I think a lot of parents have the same problem when they want to do things for themselves. ;D
(Italic parts are paragraphs from Club chapter 62.)