I removed the tray, setting it on the table, and unfastened the safety strap. Lifting her out of the chair, I cuddled her close and blew raspberries on her neck. She giggled and tucked her head down so I couldn't reach that side of her neck anymore. I angled my head and blew a raspberry on the other side of her neck then, before taking her upstairs to the bathroom to get her cleaned up. By the time we returned to the kitchen, Mom was at the stove making more scrambled eggs, with strips of bacon sizzling in a second skillet. I had to admit, the bacon did smell good. Maybe I could eat a few bites.
Later that afternoon, Mom and I sat on the back porch while Gracie took a nap in her room. It was quiet out here. Dad was in the family room watching ESPN, but I had brought the baby monitor outside with us to be on the safe side. He tended to lose track of everything around him when it came to sports. Mom was working a Sudoku puzzle, while I was mindlessly scrolling through various social media sites on my phone. When it pinged with a text notification, I was so startled I almost dropped the phone. It was Nico.
Nico:Hey, Sunshine. I don't want to bother you, but I wanted to check in on you and Gracie. I know your parents are staying with you for a while, but please let me know if you need anything at all.
Me:We're OK, just having a quiet day at home. Mom and I are on the back porch, enjoying the beautiful weather today, Gracie's napping, and Dad is watching a game.
Nico:Great minds think alike...I'm sitting out on my deck enjoying the day, too. Have you eaten? I can order some food to be delivered, so you guys don't have to bother with cooking.
Me:What's with everybody trying to feed me today, LOL? I thought my dad was going to hold my fork and feed me himself this morning. I've not had much of an appetite lately, but I did eat a little today. No need to order food. My mom has a roast in the crockpot for dinner. I appreciate the offer though.
Nico:I'm just worried about you, Sunshine. You haven't been eating or sleeping well. Promise me you're going to take care of yourself?
Me:I promise. You don't need to worry. I'm just trying to get used to my new normal, I guess. Mom and Dad are making sure that I eat and get plenty of rest. I'm probably going to take a couple of weeks off to deal with things, then I'll be back to work.
Nico:No rush. You take however long you need. We can muddle along without you for now.
Me:Thanks, Nico. You have no idea how much it meant to me to have you guys there yesterday.
Nico:We'll always be there for you, Sunshine. Enjoy your pot roast, give the princess a kiss from Uncle Nico, and get some rest!
Me:Geesh...you'd think you're the boss of me or something. :)
Nico:And don't you forget it!
Me:Yeah, yeah, yeah.:)
I smiled softly as I put the phone down. I could hear Grace start to babble to herself through the monitor, so I headed back inside to get her up. After dinner, Hannah came over, and we all played a rousing game of Scrabble. Dad tried to get away withmaking up words, as usual. Also as usual, Mom called him on it each and every time.
When it was Gracie's bedtime, I sat with her in the nursery and enjoyed some quiet time with my little girl. We snuggled for a while, then I sang two rounds of "You Are My Sunshine" to her while I rocked her to sleep.
As I laid in bed later that night, I realized I had made it through the first day of my new life without falling completely apart. Now, I just had to do it all over again tomorrow.
