This was not the first time that one of our kids interrupted us, but this was the first time Riley didn’t tell me someone was outside. I knew they would never hear my moans and groans because the room was soundproof, but I felt like a bad mom for making her wait alone in the empty corridor.
I rushed out of the main bedroom to the room’s receiving area and opened the door.
“Mommy…” She smiled at me as I knelt in front of her. My hands clutched her arms as I tried to read her expression. I was worried she still heard something.
“What’s wrong, sweet pea? Why are you awake?”
“I had a dream…”
“Was it bad? Care to share with Mommy?”
She nodded her head and hugged her soft rabbit toy tightly against her chest. Among our three kids, Nikka was the most talkative, while Ara was quieter, but they were both adventurous and would always end up in a big mess.
Zach, however, was the exact opposite. He was too responsible for his age. Nicole, Beta Sebastian’s mother, would say that he was exactly like Riley when he was growing up. Zach excelled in almost everything, and although from time to time he would cuddle and ask for my approval, he would always show he was the toughest one and that he could match his father.
He was indeed a little Riley in every sense, only that this time, he had love everywhere he went.
“I was on a big bike like Daddy has. And I bike and bike and then the bike is gone. I’m running in the forest…”
“Aww… Isn’t it exciting?” I clasped my hands together as I waited for her to continue.
She nodded her head before she smiled. “And then I ran, and when I looked back, a big wolf was running after me, Mommy. And I screamed! And the wolf bit me here.” She turned her body slightly and pulled up her pink pajama top to show me her hip bones.
My brows hiked up. I knew this story. It was my story.
“Veronika, isn’t that the story of how I met Daddy?” I asked her, a smile slowly tugging on my lips as her little body shook, and soft giggles erupted in the air.
I snaked my arms around her small frame and hugged her, brushing her long, sandy blonde hair. “Tell me, why did you really wake up so early?”
“I want to sleep beside you, Mommy.”
“But you slept here last night, too.”
“Why does it smell funky here?” She ignored my question as her nose scrunched up.
“What?” My eyes widened at her words. “What do you mean, funky?”
She pulled away from hugging me. “You smell funky.” And then began sniffing the air. “And the room smells funky.”
Fuck!
‘Riley!’I yelled at my matethrough our mindlink.‘Open all the windows in the bedroom!”
‘I’m not done with the shower…’
‘Now! Nikka said it smells funky here in our room!’I hoped he could hear the desperation in my voice. I knew what she meant when she said it smelled funky—she smelled sex and sweat.
I heard him chuckle, but he didn’t reply. Soon, I heard movement inside the bedroom.
“Is Daddy awake?” Nikka asked.
I nodded my head, but before I could stop her, she went past me and headed for the main bedroom, and I immediately followed her.
Riley was already in his sweatpants, drying his hair while opening the rest of the windows.
“It smells funkier here.” Her innocent face crumpled as she scrunched her nose again.
Riley laughed, which was not helping at all. “Daddy farted.”
