Brayden
I woke to a massive weight falling on my chest. I grunted in surprise, and all the air rushed out of my lungs. Giggling erupted all around me as I rubbed sleep out of my eyes and squinted against the brightness of the morning.
Bella had jumped on me and was now sitting on my chest. Rein had rolled over and was facing us. A sleepy smile played on her lips, and I told myself I would kiss her deeply as soon as I had a moment alone with her.
“Morning,” Bella chimed, bouncing up and down on top of me.
“Hey,” I grunted as she dropped down on me again. “You know, you’re getting a little big for this.”
I pushed her off me, and she tumbled between Rein and me. I rolled over and started tickling her. Her giggles were loud and music to my ears. I blew raspberries on her belly and ruffled her hair as Rein slipped out of bed.
“Where are you going?” I asked. “Trying to get away from us?”
“I’m going to get Braxton,” she said as she padded across the bedroom floor and out into the hallway.
I pulled the blankets up over Bella’s head and tucked her in. She giggled and struggled as I cocooned her in our bedding and then rolled her to the very edge, teasing and taunting her that I would let her roll off.
When Rein came back into the bedroom with Braxton in her arms, she shook her head at us. “The two of you are so silly.”
Bella cried for Rein to help her under the sheets.
“Nope.” Rein shook her head and sat down at the foot of the bed. “This isn’t my fight. You should have known your dad would retaliate when you jumped on him.” She grinned at me.
“You hear that, kiddo?” I asked as I started tickling her again. “Nobody’s going to save you.” I laughed like a Disney villain and tickled her a bit longer before finally unrolling her.
When she came free of the blankets, her hair was sticking out in every direction from the static. I held my hand on my ribs as I roared with laughter.
Bella scowled and climbed to the top of the bed, where she fell into the pillows that were propped up against our headboard. She crossed her arms, trying to look like she was mad at me. I grabbed her toes and squeezed her ankles until she caved and started laughing.
Rein joined us higher on the bed and sat cross-legged with Braxton in her lap. Bella crawled over to her and hugged her brother and wished him good morning.
Rein opened her legs and let Braxton crawl around on his own.
“So Bella,” I said. “What do you think about having another baby brother or sister?”
Rein glanced at me and then looked at Bella, who was hugging Braxton.
“I want a baby sister.”
Rein laughed. “Your mind all made up on that one?”
Bella nodded. “I want a baby sister so I can play dolls with her and do her hair and pick her outfits.”
I snorted. “So you want a living doll, then?”
Bella didn’t seem to understand what I was saying, so she just nodded.
“I see,” I said. “You don’t think Braxton might want a baby brother?”
“He’s not old enough to care,” Bella said matter of factly.
“Well that’s true,” I said.
“I know.”
I laughed at my daughter. She was cute without meaning to be. I looked up at Rein, who was watching Bella and Braxton hug.
She pushed herself off the bed and stretched. “I think I’m going to go make some breakfast. How do you all feel about a family breakfast in bed?”
“What else are king beds for?” I asked and then winked.
Rein threw her head back and laughed. “Bella, tell your father to mind his manners.”
“Mind your manners, Daddy,” Bella said, lifting her chin in the air.
“Alright, alright.” I held my hands up. “You want some help cooking breakfast?”
Rein shook her head. “Nope, I’ll be alright. I’ll whip up something quick.”
“Okay,” I said as I watched her leave.
She’d been quiet for most of the conversation about having another baby, which was out of character for her. Lately, every time the subject came up, she was bubbly and chatty, suggesting name ideas and fun things we would do as a family of five. She brought up Disneyland a few times, which Bella grew excited about.
But today she seemed quiet.
I began to wonder if she had changed her mind. Maybe she didn’t want a third child? Maybe she was happy with two. If that was the case, I would support her, despite how much I had fallen in love with the idea of having another baby. I had also become excited about the prospect of Rein being pregnant again. I didn’t know why, but she captured my heart all over again when she had a swelling belly and that motherly glow.
“Are you okay, Daddy?” Bella asked, looking over at me from where she sat in front of Braxton.
“Yes, just day dreaming, kiddo.”
“What about?”
I smiled and picked at a loose thread at the top of our comforter. “About an imaginary third child sitting on the bed with us.”
Bella smiled. “What do you want, Daddy, a boy or a girl? I won’t tell Mommy.”
“You won’t, huh?”
“Nope.” She shook her head earnestly.
“Well, in that case…” I paused for dramatic effect. “It really doesn’t matter to me. I’d be happy with a boy or a girl, as long as they were healthy.”
Bella nodded, but I caught her frowning as she looked back at her brother. “What’s up, kiddo? Why the long face?”
She didn’t look back to me. Instead, she tucked her legs under herself, making herself seem smaller. She shook her head once. I knew what this body language meant. She was upset about something and didn’t want to talk about it.
I rolled over to where she and Braxton lay on the bed and grabbed Braxton’s toes. He fell onto his back and giggled and was content to stare up at the ceiling as I nudged Bella’s knee with my shoulder. “Come on, tell me. What’s bothering you?”
She shook her head, and I saw tears forming in her eyes.
“Since when did we stop telling each other when and why we were sad?” I asked.
This had been a house rule back in Florida. Being a single father had not been the life I was expecting, and I had to run with it and take everything in stride. I found that having a daughter was difficult without a motherly influence in the house. I had to fill both roles, and I made sure there was always open communication between the two of us. I had been terrified that she would stop talking to me when she got older, as most girls do with their fathers.
Thank God Rein came along.
“I don’t want to talk about it, Daddy.”
“But I do,” I said. “You’ll feel better if you get it off your chest. You always do.”
Her bottom lip trembled.
I sat up and gathered her into my lap, wrapping my arms around her. I rested my cheek on top of her head and cradled her against me like we used to do. “Bella, sweetheart, what’s bothering you so much? Did I do something?”
She shook her head and sniffled.
“Then tell me.”
She sucked in a deep, shaky breath, and I knew the words were right on the tip of her tongue. I rocked her gently and wiped her tears but didn’t say a word. She had to close the final stretch on her own and decide to speak without me pushing her any more.
“I don’t want to be the boring one,” she said, her words pouring out of her in a rush. “The oldest is always the boring one. I don’t want you to forget about me.”
I felt my eyebrows creep upward on my forehead as I sat in shocked surprise. “What?”
She nodded against my chest. “You and Mommy are going to like the new baby better than me.”
I grabbed her shoulders and turned her around so she was facing me. “That is not going to happen.”
She looked away from me, and a tear spilled down her cheek. I wiped it away with my thumb. “Bella, listen to me. Mom and I love you more than anything. You are everything to us. A new baby will not change that. A new baby just adds more love to our family.”
Bella sniffed again and wiped her nose with the sleeve of her pajamas.
“Do you believe me, kiddo?”
She didn’t say anything.
“Did you feel like this when your brother was born?”
She shook her head.
“Do you feel like Mom and I love him more than we love you?”
She shook her head again, this time a little less sure of herself. She blinked up at me. “No.”
“Then why would we love another baby more?”
“I don’t know. I was just scared that you would.”
“There is nothing that could ever make Mom or I love you less, kiddo. I promise. Besides, being the oldest means you’ll be able to talk to us more. We can’t have conversations with Braxton like you and I do.”
“Yeah, because he can’t talk.”
“Exactly.” I chuckled.
She shifted in my lap and wrapped her arms around me. “I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you too, kiddo. If you ever feel like this again, will you tell me?”
She nodded.
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Good,” I said.
Just then, Rein came back into the room. She was carrying a wooden tray loaded up with food. I could smell the coffee before the eggs, and I inhaled deeply.
“That smells good,” I said.
Rein set it down on the middle of the bed and climbed up with us. There was a small plate of plain scrambled eggs for Braxton. She lay down on her side and began spooning it into his mouth as Bella and I gathered around the tray and dug in.
There were strawberries and fresh pineapple, along with some toast and more scrambled eggs.
“This is a feast,” I said.
Rein smiled at me and then resumed feeding Braxton.
I reached out and put a hand on her ankle. “You alright?”
Rein nodded. “Yes. But I do have something for you. Could you finish feeding Braxton and give me a minute?”
“Uh, sure,” I said.
She handed me his plate and spoon and then put Braxton in my lap.
“Bella, can you come with me a second?” Rein asked.
Bella looked up at me. I shrugged.
She slipped off the bed and the two of them left me in the bedroom with Braxton. I looked down at my son, who was reaching for the spoon in my hand that held a bite of eggs. I guided it into his mouth and went back for more.
“Looks like it’s a feast for just the two of us,” I muttered.
He flapped his arms gleefully and cooed as I filled the spoon with more eggs. I lifted it to his mouth and chuckled as he slurped it between his lips.
Then I spotted the pineapple on the tray. “You want to try something yummy?” I cut off a small piece and slid it on the spoon. “It’s going to be a flavor explosion compared to what you’re used to.”
Braxton took the bite. At first nothing happened, but then his arms flew straight out, and he kicked his legs. I laughed, unable to contain myself, and he blew bubbles with his mouth. Then, when his taste buds settled down, he opened his mouth up wide.
“More?” I asked, laughing. “Alright then.”