The smile returned to her lips as her sweet boy came torpedoing into the room, all limbs and wild energy. Edith was right behind, dark circles already under her eyes from the distinct lack of sleep and chasing after a little boy with more zest for life than should be legal. She'd watched Evander countless times before, made easier with Adira to occupy his need for play and engagement. Her own daughter was just as energetic, a little more demanding and bossy - Edith preferred the term 'spirited' - and the two kept each other entertained while she was able to get things done.
Evander was certainly proving himself a handful in the absence of a playmate, despite his attempts to get Kate interested. Edith could have told him that was a lost battle before it had begun.
"Easy now," Julia said softly, welcoming her boy into the bed as he gave a little flourish to mark his arrival. She wrapped her free arm around his middle to pull him closer - though he needed no help in that endeavor - and dropped a kiss on his cheek. "Missed you my sweet love. See your baby brother? Easy...gentle hands." Evander's crow of 'baby' and his bouncing did numbers on her stomach that wasn't quite settled yet, but she couldn't help the laugh that rose up when he settled in so close it made the newborn's unfocused eyes cross.
"That Maddox. I swear, Julia. I don't know what you'll do with him. Sleep! He went to sleep, at a time like this! God forbid it be his OWN SON in here, and his wife who bore him."
Julia tutted as Edith fussed with her gown, and her hand rose to catch that of her sister-in-law's. "That's why I have you, sister." She smiled, squeezing the hand of the woman who had started out as an enemy and had grown to be one of her most beloved friends. Edith's gaze softened only momentarily, returning the squeeze of the new mother, before continuing her speech of exasperation.
"By the time I turned to let him know he could take Evander down, he was gone. How was Kathryn?"
Before Julia could answer, she was tucking Jude a little snugger into the crook of her arm, Evander's insistent nudges for the baby to vacate the space next to his mummy that was rightfully his.
Between Kathryn and Evander, Jude was in for a hell of a fight for his physical place with his mother.
"Gentle Ev," she reminded him, even as she snuggled him in close against her and laid her cheek against the top of his head. How did she get so lucky, to have not one, not two, but three of the sweetest boys in the world for her own? Sitting in that bed with the child that was born beneath her heart and the other within it, Julia knew there was nowhere else she'd rather be. Just three years ago, she'd been a single, childless woman and happy in the life she'd built for herself.
Never had she thought to find so much bliss and contentment in domesticity, surrounded by the love of her family and children. "Kathryn isn't interested right now," she said, slightly distracted as she guided Evander's hand in a much gentler touch than was currently being experienced by Jude. The infant didn't seem to notice, bewildered by the new world he was in as it was. "We have to be sweet with baby brother. He's too little and can't play yet."
"Not too little, Mummy," Evander insisted, his eyebrows crinkling over his big round eyes, "Adi's babies play?"
"He's not a doll, like Adi's babies, lovebug," she explained, as Jude began to fuss and root around, obviously hungry after his determined battle to not leave his comfortable womb. The toddler didn't seem to agree with her assessment, peering down at Jude with the sort of scrutiny usually reserved for bugs and interesting puddles his father told him to keep out of. He poked at the blanket, and then, as though a lightbulb suddenly came on, the little boy reached into his pocket, pulling out one of his toy cars.
Or rather a toy car. Julia figured it could have very well belonged to the waiting room and their son had simply decided it was his now. "Baby brother can have this," he said, setting it proudly down on the newborn's head.
Evander was certainly proving himself a handful in the absence of a playmate, despite his attempts to get Kate interested. Edith could have told him that was a lost battle before it had begun.
"Easy now," Julia said softly, welcoming her boy into the bed as he gave a little flourish to mark his arrival. She wrapped her free arm around his middle to pull him closer - though he needed no help in that endeavor - and dropped a kiss on his cheek. "Missed you my sweet love. See your baby brother? Easy...gentle hands." Evander's crow of 'baby' and his bouncing did numbers on her stomach that wasn't quite settled yet, but she couldn't help the laugh that rose up when he settled in so close it made the newborn's unfocused eyes cross.
"That Maddox. I swear, Julia. I don't know what you'll do with him. Sleep! He went to sleep, at a time like this! God forbid it be his OWN SON in here, and his wife who bore him."
Julia tutted as Edith fussed with her gown, and her hand rose to catch that of her sister-in-law's. "That's why I have you, sister." She smiled, squeezing the hand of the woman who had started out as an enemy and had grown to be one of her most beloved friends. Edith's gaze softened only momentarily, returning the squeeze of the new mother, before continuing her speech of exasperation.
"By the time I turned to let him know he could take Evander down, he was gone. How was Kathryn?"
Before Julia could answer, she was tucking Jude a little snugger into the crook of her arm, Evander's insistent nudges for the baby to vacate the space next to his mummy that was rightfully his.
Between Kathryn and Evander, Jude was in for a hell of a fight for his physical place with his mother.
"Gentle Ev," she reminded him, even as she snuggled him in close against her and laid her cheek against the top of his head. How did she get so lucky, to have not one, not two, but three of the sweetest boys in the world for her own? Sitting in that bed with the child that was born beneath her heart and the other within it, Julia knew there was nowhere else she'd rather be. Just three years ago, she'd been a single, childless woman and happy in the life she'd built for herself.
Never had she thought to find so much bliss and contentment in domesticity, surrounded by the love of her family and children. "Kathryn isn't interested right now," she said, slightly distracted as she guided Evander's hand in a much gentler touch than was currently being experienced by Jude. The infant didn't seem to notice, bewildered by the new world he was in as it was. "We have to be sweet with baby brother. He's too little and can't play yet."
"Not too little, Mummy," Evander insisted, his eyebrows crinkling over his big round eyes, "Adi's babies play?"
"He's not a doll, like Adi's babies, lovebug," she explained, as Jude began to fuss and root around, obviously hungry after his determined battle to not leave his comfortable womb. The toddler didn't seem to agree with her assessment, peering down at Jude with the sort of scrutiny usually reserved for bugs and interesting puddles his father told him to keep out of. He poked at the blanket, and then, as though a lightbulb suddenly came on, the little boy reached into his pocket, pulling out one of his toy cars.
Or rather a toy car. Julia figured it could have very well belonged to the waiting room and their son had simply decided it was his now. "Baby brother can have this," he said, setting it proudly down on the newborn's head.
i'm the violence in the pouring rain
I'm A Hurricane
