When Micky came home that night, he found Elaine asleep in the rocker holding one baby, Naomi asleep on the couch holding the other baby, and both Naomi and Elaine snoring very loudly.
Micky walked over and peeked at the babies and they were still asleep. He looked at Elaine and she looked like she was already losing weight from the delivery, and it had only been two months.
When Micky sat on the couch and quietly turned on the TV a baby woke up. Micky went over to pick it up before it fell off of Elaine's lap. "Hello, my baby Micky," he said to the baby. The baby cooed and giggled.
Then Lilah woke up and tried to move off Naomi. Micky caught Lilah and put them both on the blanket on the floor. They just stayed there on their backs looking at their father. Micky cooed at them and smiled. He loved them so much. He wondered when they were last fed and carefully got up off the couch and walked to the fridge.
He saw Elaine had some bottles already prepared and so he took two of them out and warmed them up. He then sat on the floor and fed both babies at once. He was cooing and giggling with them while watching TV and feeding them.
Naomi rolled onto her other side and stared at the couch. She had a horrible overwhelming feeling that something was seriously wrong. "Where's the baby?" she asked.
"She's down here, Naomi. Don't worry." Micky said. Naomi rolled over onto her other side and saw both babies on the floor with Micky as he was feeding them.
"How was work?" Naomi asked Micky.
"Very busy actually," Micky replied. "I gave 10 drum lessons today scheduled and then 5 non-scheduled ones that were a rush due to performances and things."
"Wow!" Naomi said. "That's quite a schedule."
"Yes, it was very demanding. But coming home to my babies make it all worth while!" Micky said looking at them. "How was Elaine today?"
"She was fine. She still seems very tired and weak, but she'll be okay." Naomi said.
"The babies are every two hour sleepers right now since a month ago and that has me and Elaine alternating every two hours. We're sharing the responsibility."
"That's good." Naomi said. "She's very tired and she doesn't look like she's eating very well either."
"You think that too?" Micky asked.
"She's getting much thinner now." Naomi said. "I hope she's not downward spiraling again. It will kill all of us."
"No, she won't do that. I think she's got an exercise program going now because I found six exercise videos near the VCR the other night and they are all new."
"Six?" Naomi asked horrified. "Let me see them."
"They are over by the VCR." Micky replied. Naomi carefully walked over to the VCR and looked at the tapes. There were pregnancy exercise videos. Naomi smiled when she looked at the others.
"Awww, so sweet, Micky. She's got exercise videos for the babies too."
"Really?" Micky asked. "Let me see."
Naomi brought the videos over to Micky and let him see. "Newborn stretches; Baby's gentle range of motion exercises; Toddler exercise-a-go-go; and children's Yoga for beginners; along with Elaine's Pregnancy Workout; and Pre-Natal and Post-Natal Exercises."
"Well, I guess she wants the kids to stay fit." Micky said.
"Yep, I guess so," Naomi replied. "I should borrow this pregnancy workout video. May I put it in to see how it goes, Micky?"
"Sure, go ahead. We're just sitting here feeding." Micky replied. Naomi looked over at Elaine who looked so uncomfortable in the rocker with her head tilted halfway off of it.
"Will she fall out of the rocker, Micky?" Naomi asked pointing to Elaine.
"Oh dear," Micky said quickly putting the bottles down and moving over near Elaine to pick her up and carry her to bed. She was so exhausted.
Naomi kept an eye on the babies and they were just staring at the ceiling. They still couldn't move yet, so they weren't a danger to anything. Naomi turned on the VHS tape and sat in the chair watching the video. "Cool! It's like a dance routine-type format." she said to herself.
Micky came out of the bedroom and said, "She is so out of it. How long were you two sleeping?"
"Oh dear. Maybe about three hours." Naomi replied. "Maybe longer."
"She is so tired. I mean she didn't even move when I put her in the bed. She just stayed in the same position and I had to manually stretch her legs and arms out. Poor thing." Micky said. "I'm surprised the babies didn't wake up either."
"They were tired too, I guess." Naomi said smiling at Micky who was burping the babies now.
"Where's Peter, Naomi?" Micky asked.
"Peter?" Naomi asked. "Oh well, Peter has been going out frequently with Mike and Davy and leaving me all alone half the time. Don't ask me what they're doing because I haven't a clue. All I know is that I spend a lot of time with Elaine now, moreso than before."
"That doesn't sound like Peter, Naomi. They must be doing something that they don't want you knowing about." Micky said.
"Thanks, Micky! Just make my worst fears a reality why don't you," Naomi said putting the tapes down and leaving the apartment.
Micky finished burping the babies and put them into their swings. Then he went to check on Elaine who was still out of it and snoring very loudly. He stretched out on the couch and closed his eyes. He was so sleepy himself. He looked at the babies and they were smiling and cooing as they were swinging. He closed his eyes again and wrapped up with a blanket. He knew the babies were safe in their swings, so he ended up falling asleep.
Back at Naomi's apartment, she was walking around the kitchen when Peter walked in the door. "I swear if you're cheating on me, we can end this relationship right now!" Naomi said looking at him.
"What?" Peter asked shocked. "Where on earth did that come from?"
"You're never here with me when I need you here. You're gone long hours at night and during the day. You're always hanging out with Mike and Davy and you act like I'm a nuisance to you." Naomi said walking into her bedroom and slamming the door.
Peter blew out a breath and walked into the bedroom. "I didn't want to tell you so soon in your pregnancy, Naomi. But me and the guys are building furniture for the baby's room in Mike's woodshop he has."
"I thought he was a record writer." Naomi asked.
"He does woodshopping in his spare time as well, Naomi. He just doesn't tell many people." Peter said.
"Why didn't you do anything like that for Micky and Elaine?" Naomi asked.
"Because Micky had told Mike that Elaine had very specific furniture that she wanted in the room and that's why." Peter said. "I felt it would be a great addition to the spare room for when the baby comes."
Peter put on his pajamas and crawled in the bed. He wasn't going to fight with her. Naomi spent the night in the bathroom with one arm on the sink and her head in her arm. She wasn't going to be in the same room with him.
Chapter 14
Chapter 16
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