Sisters - Lea/Dianna
Title:Sisters
Word Count: 4,275
Rating: PG
Summary: Future Achele fic. Lea and Dianna are married with a five year old daughter named Lauren and a brand new baby. But the new baby takes up a lot of their time and Lauren begins to feel left out.
Pairing: Lea/Dianna
Half-a-day old
Hayden Sawyer Agron-Safarti was born at ten-thirty-nine PM on the 27th October, 2014. Her older sister, five-year-old Lauren had woken up the next morning to her nanny, Angela hovering over her, and immediately threw off a reign of questions. Where are my mommies? What are you doing here? Is the baby in mommy’s belly okay?
Angela answered her with a smile and a ruffle of Lauren’s long, dark hair. “Your Mommies are at the hospital. The baby’s here”
The drive to the hospital was filled with Lauren’s eager questions all the way up until Angela met with Lea just outside Dianna’s room in the maternity ward, a bouncing Lauren close behind. Angela waved to Dianna and ruffled Lauren’s hair, as Lea told her to take the day off, grasping onto Lauren’s hand.
“Hey little bear” Lea cooed, pulling Lauren up to her, “You wanna meet your baby sister?”
Lauren nodded slowly, looking over her Momma’s shoulder curiously. Dianna was lying back against her pillows, cradling something small and blanketed in her arms. Lea carried her over, setting her down on the edge of the hospital bed. Dianna smiled as Lauren looked over at the baby unsurely, her eyebrows creasing as she saw it. The baby was wrinkled and small, with a dark tuft of hair on the top of her head.
Her hazel eyes stared up at Lauren intensely, and Lauren looked away quickly, something about the baby making her uneasy. “She’s funny-looking” Lauren commented, electing laughs from both of her mommies.
“You used to look like that Laurie” Dianna giggled, reaching out to stroke the side of Lauren’s face. Lauren’s face twisted, horrified. “No” She denied, shaking her head quickly.
“Yes” Lea teased, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.
The baby let out a tiny mew and raised her little hand upwards. Lauren stared curiously, “What’s her name?” She asked, looking up at Lea.
“We haven’t decided yet sweetie” Lea answered, sitting herself down by Dianna’s feet and pulling Lauren onto her lap. “We’re stuck on two names”
“What are they?”
“Well…” Dianna started, bringing a hand to gently touch the side of her baby’s head, “The first one is Brooke-“
“And the second one is Hayden” Lea finished, running a hand through Lauren’s dark hair. Lauren wrinkled her nose, “There’s a girl in my class called Brooke” She said, “She’s mean. I think you should call her Hayden”
Dianna and Lea shared a smile before Dianna spoke, softly and gently, “Hayden it is then”
Hayden cooed softly and Lea smiled over at her, “Look,” She grinned, “She approves”
“Hey Lauren?” Dianna asked, shifting Hayden slightly in her arms.
“Yeah mommy?”
“Do you want to hold her?”
Lauren looked over doubtfully, eyeing the tiny baby in her Mommy’s arms. “Go on honey” Lea encouraged softly, “She wants to meet her big sister”
Reluctantly, Lauren allowed herself to be pulled up by Lea and placed on the chair beside Dianna’s bed. She waited patiently as Lea took Hayden from Dianna’s arms and held her arms out. Hayden was gently placed in her arms, and Lauren looked up at her Momma, unsure of what to do.
Lea smiled and turned quickly, reaching towards her bag and searching through it. “Di, honey, is the camera in here?”
“The front pocket” Dianna answered, climbing out of the bed to watch over Lauren, “Watch her head sweetheart”
Finding it, Lea spun around and held it up, grinning, “Okay Lauren, smile. Di, stay in the shot. I want a picture of my girls”
Dianna crouched down, and looked up towards the camera as Hayden started to cry. Lauren blinked as the baby screwed her face up and she thought it looked like a giant raisin, wrinkled and ugly. The baby spluttered and Dianna cooed to soothe her. She scrunched her little face tightly and then with a sudden splutter, she promptly threw up all over Lauren’s brand new dress.
Lauren’s mouth fell open as Hayden continued to cry, dribbling the gooey, white vomit from her mouth. She cringed, and sat horrified as Dianna took Hayden from her, with a short ‘Oh, honey’ and a ruffle of her hair.
Lea moved forward, her eyes twinkling in amusement and pulled Lauren up onto her feet, mumbling something about a sink and needing to give the dress a wash.
Lea plopped her onto the bench by the sink and started the tap, rubbing water onto the soiled dress. Lauren frowned as she caught Lea giggling quietly, “Stop laughing Momma!” She said crossly, “It’s not funny! Grandma bought me this dress!”
“I’m sorry baby” Lea chuckled.
“I don’t like her” Lauren continued, folding her arms in a huff, “She’s mean. And all she does is cry”
“That’s what babies do sweetheart,” Lea smiled toothily, “Just wait, when she gets a bit bigger, you’ll adore her. I always wanted a sister Laurie. You’re very lucky”
“You can have mine” Lauren said crankily, eyeing her ruined dress. “I don’t want her”
Lea only laughed, and to Lauren’s annoyance, carried her back into the room for a second shot at holding the baby.
--
One week old
Story time happened every night before bed; Lauren would pick out a book and Momma would read it to her, in a variety of silly, funny voices. This night, Lauren picked out her Mommy’s favorite, Alice in Wonderland, and pulled it open, waiting patiently for Lea to come in.
“What are we reading tonight, Little Bear?” Lea smiled, walking into the room.
“What’s that?” Lauren asked curiously, eyeing the white object in Lea’s hand.
“It’s a baby monitor. It means that I can hear everything in Hayden’s room” Lea explained, setting the baby monitor down. “So when Hayden cries, I can hear her”
Lauren nodded, then smiled brightly, holding out the book. “Alice in Wonderland” Lea chuckled, “Mommy’s favorite”
Lea settled herself on Lauren’s side, opening the book to the first page when the monitor went off. The distinct noises of a baby crying were heard and Lea sighed, pressing a kiss to the top of Lauren’s head and climbing off the bed. “I’m sorry sweetie” Lea apologized, “We can’t do story time tonight, I’ve got to go and settle the baby”
“Why can’t Mommy?” Lauren asked, frowning.
“Mommy’s gone down to the store” Lea said, running her hands though her hair.
“I’ll wait for you” Lauren said desperately. “Honey, I’m going to be a while” Lea said fondly, pulling the book out of her hands and putting back on the shelf, “Go to sleep sweetheart, we’ll have story time tomorrow”
And then she left, baby monitor in hand, leaving Lauren with a sinking feeling of resentment towards a certain story-time-interrupting baby.
--
Four weeks old
Lauren scowled as her mother’s fawned over Hayden, cooing in delight as she smiled reaching out her little hand. What was the big deal? Lauren was pretty sure that she could do a number of things that were vastly more interesting.
She looked back down at her paper and smiled, lifting her purple crayon to finish the picture, “Mommy!” She said, lifting her picture up, “Mommy, look at my picture”
Dianna continued as if she hadn’t heard her, moving to press kisses to the baby’s head as Lea picked her up. “That’s my girl” Dianna said lovingly, “So clever”
“Mommy” Lauren whined impatiently, “Mommy, look!”
Lea grinned as Hayden giggled, her golden-green eyes shining brightly.
“Mommy!”
“Hold on Lauren” Dianna said distractedly, brushing her fingers through Hayden’s short blonde hair, “I’ll be there in a minute”
Lauren frowned, dropping her picture to the table and waiting patiently as Dianna pressed a last kiss to Hayden’s tiny fingers.
“Okay angel-face,” Lauren beamed as she felt her mommy’s arms wrap around her, “What did you want to show me”
Promptly, Lauren held up her picture, “There’s me” She pointed to the smallest person she had drawn, “And there’s you, and there’s Momma” She smiled and looked up to see what her Mommy thought of it.
“That’s very good Laurie” Dianna praised, “But where’s Hayden?”
Lauren frowned darkly, shooting a look over to where Hayden and Lea were playing. “She didn’t fit” Lauren said sullenly, pulling her picture back out of Dianna’s grasp.
Dianna pulled another sheet of paper up from the table, “Why don’t you draw another one” She suggested, stroking the top of Lauren’s head, “And put Hayden in it. Then we can stick it up on the fridge”
She pressed a gentle kiss to Lauren’s cheek and gave her shoulders a light squeeze before moving to join Hayden and Lea on the floor.
Lauren’s shoulders sagged and she dropped the new piece of paper and picked up her drawing, casting a sad glance backwards at the small party on the floor who were all giggling and laughing without her before trailing off to her bedroom.
--
Six weeks old
Aunt Heather, Uncle Cory, Uncle Mark and Aunt Naya came to visit together, and Lauren watched from her bedroom window as they knocked on the front door, masses of gifts and balloons in their hands She heard the excited greetings trail up the staircase and ignored them, instead picking up one of her plastic horses and walking him along the carpet of her room.
As she expected, they all walked past her room, chattering and noisy, and Lauren’s heart clenched unpleasantly when not even her goofy Uncle Cory stopped in to say hello. She climbed onto her bed and sat cross-legged, listening to their conversation through the wall.
“Aww, look at her tiny little feet!”
“Wow, Di, she looks so much like you!”
“She’s so small. She must get that from Lea”
“Look! She yawned! How sweet is that?”
Lauren frowned sadly, resting her hand on the wall. They had all forgotten about her. She reached for her plastic pony and curled her fingers around him. She glanced up at the single knock on her door before the door was opened, and Heather stood smiling, “Hey Lauren”
Lauren felt a sudden rush of happiness and jumped off her bed, running into Heather’s arms, “Aunt Heather!”
Heather laughed and swung the door shut, dipping down to sit on the floor next to Lauren. “How are ya cutie?” She asked, tapping the tip of Lauren’s nose. “You like your new sister?”
Lauren scowled at the mention of her, “No. Everyone thinks she’s so special but she’s not. All she does is cry and poop. Everyone’s forgotten about me” Her eyes downcast, looking at her cream carpet. Heather laughed, and scooped Lauren up into her arms, “Hey, trust me Lauren, they all did the same for you too. Aunt Naya held you for like, an hour before she’d let your mommies have you back and your Uncle Mark cried when you first said his name”
Lauren wrinkled her face, unable to picture her big, strong Uncle Mark crying.
Heather sighed, tightening her grip around Lauren’s waist, “Hey, Lauren… what I meant was… everyone wants to get to know her because she’s new. That doesn’t mean they love you any less”
Lauren peered up at looked at her Aunt Heather’s kind, blue eyes. Heather smiled gently, “You’re still my favorite kid in the whole wide world”
Lauren frowned doubtfully, “The whole wide world?”
“The whole wide world” Heather affirmed, pulling Lauren closer, “I promise”
Lauren thought that her Aunt Heather was kind of the coolest.
--
Eight weeks old
“Sweetie, we’re just going to pick up some things from the store” Dianna assured her, while pulling on her shoes, “You’re not missing out on anything”
“But mommy!” Lauren whined, tugging at Dianna’s fingers, “I wanna come”
“No Lauren,” Lea repeated for the fifth time from the door, “Mommy and I need you to stay here with Nanny Angela and take a nap like a good girl”
Lauren watched in dismay as Lea pulled a pink hat over baby Hayden’s head. She was never left behind when Lea and Dianna went out to go shopping or buy groceries. Never. And the fact that Hayden was being prepped to go was only making her more upset. She felt Dianna press a gentle kiss to the top of her head, “We’ll be back before you know it” Dianna smiled, running a finger over Lauren’s cheek. “Be a good girl”
Nanny Angela reached to take her hand as her mommies left and Lauren’s eyes welled up, a tear falling down her cheek. Her mommies had replaced her. Lauren was never left with Nanny Angela at times like these. Sure, when both her mommies were working, or when one of them needed to go out but never when they went out together on a family outing. And now her mommies were taking Hayden out, their new family and Lauren wasn’t a part of it.
Nanny Angela picked her up as she began sobbing, and she cried all the way up the stairs until Nanny Angela put her into her bed, pulling up the covers and pressing a kiss to her forehead, “Don’t cry Lauren” She said kindly, “Just go to sleep and your mommies will be home when you wake up”
As Lauren’s sobs died down into soft sniffles, Nanny Angela backed out of the room, closing the door behind her with a soft click.
Lauren felt betrayed and hurt, ‘They don’t want me anymore’, She thought to herself, ‘They want Hayden instead’.
Her hand reached out to her plastic pony and her mind flitted back to when Aunt Heather had come to visit her. ‘I’m still Aunt Heather’s favorite’ She thought, running her fingers over the pony, ‘Aunt Heather still wants me’. She dropped the pony aside as a brilliant plan filled her mind. Eight weeks of feeling left out and forgotten would end; she would go and live with Aunt Heather! It was perfect. If her mommies didn’t want her anymore then she would go and live with someone who did.
Slipping out of her bed, Lauren wiped her tear-stained face and reached for her backpack. She put in her Dora the Explorer flashlight and pulled her favorite coloring crayons out of her drawer and into her bag. She continued packing, and found her favorite pink sneakers that lit up when she walked, pulling them onto her feet and sticking out her tongue as she tried to tie her laces like her Momma taught her too. Successful, she zipped her backpack and took a last look around her bedroom, holding her plastic pony tightly in her hand.
She trod down the staircase, catching a glimpse of Angela washing the dishes with her headphones blasting loudly before opening the front door and stepping outside. It wasn’t like she was never going to see her mommies again. They would visit her and Aunt Heather at her new home. Optimistically, she walked down the long driveway and onto the street.
Her pony clutched firmly in her hand, she wandered the streets of Toluca Lake, trying to remember which way Aunt Heather’s house was. She passed house by house and frowned, unable to recognize any as being her Aunt Heather’s.
She wandered in and out of side streets until the big hand on her Cinderella watch had passed from the three onto the nine until finally seeing the house she had been looking for. Joyfully, she bounded up the steps and rapped on the door, numerous times to no answer. She frowned and decided that maybe Aunt Heather was out, and walked around the gate to wait on Aunt Heather’s patio furniture until she got home.
Lauren watched the big hand on her watch pass from the nine back to the three, and shifted in her seat, starting to get tired of waiting. Just as she was about to move, she heard a car pull up in the driveway, followed by the slamming of a car door and a loud familiar voice, “Whoa, whoa, Di, slow down, I can’t understand you” Lauren recognized her Aunt Heather’s voice, “Dianna? What do you mean she’s missing? Have you checked her room? Whoa, okay, sorry, of course you did”
Lauren jumped off of her seat and pulled her backpack up, ready to greet her aunt.
“Okay Di, I will. I’ll just grab my running sneakers and go out looking. Okay. Yes I’ll call you. Bye”
Heather was fumbling with her keys as Lauren stepped out from behind the gate, smiling and calling out to her, “Hi, Aunt Heather”
Heather dropped her keys, startled and then relieved as her eyes fell upon Lauren. “Lauren!” She moved forward to pull Lauren into a tight hug, “You’re okay!”
She frowned, pulling Lauren back and holding her at arm’s length, “Honey, your mommies are worried sick, what are you doing here?”
“I came to live with you” Lauren said softly, looking through her dark eyes to see her Aunt Heather’s reaction. Heather frowned, “What? Lauren, why do you want to live with me?”
“Because you’re the only one who hasn’t forgot about me” Lauren said, “You said that I’m your favorite kid”
“Forgot about you?” Heather questioned, “What do you mean?”
“My mommies love Hayden more than me now” Lauren said, her brown eyes so big and sad that Heather’s heart broke at the sight of it. “Momma doesn’t want to read me stories anymore because she wants to be with Hayden all the time and Mommy doesn’t want me to come to our family shopping trips. And even Uncle Cory and Uncle Mark like her more. That’s why they always want to play with her instead of me”
Heather squeezed her eyes shut and sat down on the middle step to her front porch, pulling Lauren to sit beside her. “Lauren,” She started, wrapping an arm around the girl’s shoulders, “Nobody has forgotten about you. I promise”
“Not you” Lauren said, her eyes shining in adoration.
“Sweetie, your mommies love you so, so much. Hayden is new. She’s just a baby. She can’t do anything for herself. Your mommies have to feed her and bathe her and look after her because she can’t do anything for herself. Honey, Hayden is a lot of work” Heather pushed back a loose lock of Lauren’s dark hair.
Lauren looked up at her skeptically and Heather decided to try a new approach.
“Do you know who I was just talking too?”
Lauren shook her head. “That was your mommy. She was so worried about you”
Lauren shrugged, “Are you going to tell her that I’m okay because I live with you now?” Heather sighed. “Sweetie, you can’t live with me”
Lauren’s little face fell, “Why not?” She asked softly and sweetly, “Don’t you want me too?”
“Lauren, I would love for you to live with me. You know that. But do you know why you can’t?”
Lauren shook her head.
“Because your mommies would be so sad if you didn’t go home to them. They love you so much” Heather pressed earnestly.
Lauren pondered thoughtfully, and Heather tried her closing line, “You don’t want your mommies to be sad do you?”
Lauren shook her head quickly and Heather smiled, brushing her hair back out of her face. “Here’s what we’re gonna do. I’m gonna call your Mommy back and tell her that you’re here, and then you’re gonna tell your mommies how you feel, okay?”
“Okay” Lauren said slowly. Heather stood up, holding out her hand for Lauren to take. Opening the front door, Heather led her into the house, reaching for the fridge and pulling out a small bottle of apple juice. “Go have a drink while I call Mommy” Heather urged, “You must be thirsty”
Lauren nodded and took the bottle with a quiet ‘Thank-you’ and hoisted herself up onto one of Aunt Heather’s bar stools.
“Di? She’s here. I have her” Heather said into the phone, watching as Lauren opened the bottle and took a small sip, “She’s fine. Where are you? Jeez Di, she’s only three feet tall, how far did you think she could walk?” Alright, alright, I’m sorry. Yes, okay, here she is”
Heather held out the phone, “It’s Mommy, Lauren”
Lauren put down her apple juice and took the phone, holding it up to her ear, “Hello mommy”
“Hi baby” Dianna cooed, her voice strained and tense, “Don’t move, alright sweetie? Momma and I are coming to get you right now”
“Okay Mommy” Lauren said happily, leaning on her elbows.
“Okay beautiful, we’re about two minutes away” Dianna continued, “Hang tight okay? I love you”
“I love you too Mommy” Lauren chirped, “Bye”
Lauren handed back the phone, beaming, “They’re coming to get me” She announced, “Thank you Aunt Heather”
Heather grinned, slipping the phone into her pocket, “No problem. Anything for my best kid”
Lauren smiled toothily.
Barely a minute later, the screech of tires on the driveway alerted Lauren to her mommies arrival, and she jumped off her seat, finding that she missed them already. Heather almost ran to the door as the frantic knocking began, and opened it, almost getting toppled over by Dianna.
“Where is she? Where’s my baby?” Dianna gasped in a frenzied rush. She didn’t wait for an answer as she spotted Lauren and ducked past Heather, scooping Lauren up in a tight hug.
“There you are, my beautiful girl” Dianna held her tightly, squeezing her. “Don’t you ever do that to me again”
Heather watched the embrace from the door with a light smile on her face.
“We were so worried,” Dianna continued, pulling back to plant kisses to the top of Lauren’s head, “I love you so much baby”
The clatter of flip-flop’s hitting Heather’s tiles and Lea’s voice, loud and panicked, jerked all their heads to the door, “Dianna Elise!” She panted, rushing through the open door, “Don’t you ever jump out of a moving car again! Ever! I swear to god, between the two of you, you’ll both give me a damn heart attack!”
She reached out to pluck Lauren from Dianna’s arms, before pressing a hot kiss to her wife’s temple. “You little monkey!” She scolded, though she sounded more relieved than angry, “Mommy and I were sick with worry! Don’t you ever, ever do that again” She grasped onto Lauren tightly, pressing her cheek against Lauren’s head and rocking her back and forth.
Heather let them calm down, reaching into her fridge for a bottle of water and chugging it quickly. “Where’s Hayden?” She asked suddenly, “Did you leave her with Angela?”
“What?” Lea scoffed, “So she could lose another one of my babies? I don’t think so”
“Hayden’s with Cory” Dianna added in, moving to take Lauren back from Lea.
“It wasn’t her fault” Lauren piped up, “Don’t be mad at her”
“Honey, her job is to look after you” Lea explained, “And letting you run around the streets all by yourself is not looking after you”
“She didn’t let me” Lauren frowned, “I snuck away when she wasn’t looking. It’s not her fault”
“Yeah, about that…” Lea said, “Why did you run away like that Little Bear? It’s not like you”
“Because I thought you loved Hayden more” Lauren said, curling herself into Dianna’s embrace, “Because you always play with her and never with me”
“Lauren” Dianna said, her eyes widening in shock.
“And you took Hayden on our special shopping trips but not me”
“Honey, you know what it’s like when we go out” Lea said, clearly agitated. Lauren did know. Strange packs of scary men followed them around with cameras and sometimes yelled her name. But she was never scared. Her Momma yelled and yelled if one of the men got a little too close to her.
“Then why could Hayden go?” Lauren crossed her arms.
“Sweetheart, Hayden’s too little to be left with Nanny Angela” Dianna tried to explain, “But you’re a big girl and we thought you’d be alright”
“Never mind” Lea leaned forward to press a kiss to Lauren’s forehead. “We’ll talk more when we get home. Say thank-you to Aunt Heather, Lauren”
“Thank-you Aunt Heather” Lauren chimed. Heather smiled, “You’re welcome kiddo”
Dianna moved forward to take Lauren into the car, mouthing a ‘Thank-you’ to Heather and exiting out the front door.
“Thank you so much” Lea pulled Heather in for a hug, “I don’t know what we would have done”
“She’s used to being the center of your world” Heather said, looking Lea straight in the eye, “It can’t be easy for her now that she has to share”
“I know” Lea smiled, “Thanks again”
--
Ten Weeks Old
Lauren leaned over Hayden’s basinet, looking down at the baby, “I guess we can share” She sighed dutifully, “If we have to”
Hayden gurgled in response.
Lauren reached out to touch Hayden’s blonde hair, which was curling at the ends. “But please don’t cry during story time. You can’t hog them all the time. They’re my mommies too”
Hayden’s golden-green eyes sparkled as she started to giggle, her hands reaching up to try to grab onto the ends of Lauren’s hair.
“Also, Uncle Mark says that since I’m the oldest, I get to boss you around and stuff when you get big like me” Lauren said, skillfully dodging the baby’s grabby hands.
From the door, Lea and Dianna watched on, proud smiles adorning both of their faces. “Look at our girls” Dianna whispered fondly as Hayden wrapped a hand around Lauren’s finger.
Lea reached over and wrapped her arm around her wife’s waist, leaning up to plant a kiss on her lips. “Do you think that they’ll be alright?” Lea asked thoughtfully.
Dianna smiled knowingly, “They’ll be perfect”
Word Count: 4,275
Rating: PG
Summary: Future Achele fic. Lea and Dianna are married with a five year old daughter named Lauren and a brand new baby. But the new baby takes up a lot of their time and Lauren begins to feel left out.
Pairing: Lea/Dianna
Half-a-day old
Hayden Sawyer Agron-Safarti was born at ten-thirty-nine PM on the 27th October, 2014. Her older sister, five-year-old Lauren had woken up the next morning to her nanny, Angela hovering over her, and immediately threw off a reign of questions. Where are my mommies? What are you doing here? Is the baby in mommy’s belly okay?
Angela answered her with a smile and a ruffle of Lauren’s long, dark hair. “Your Mommies are at the hospital. The baby’s here”
The drive to the hospital was filled with Lauren’s eager questions all the way up until Angela met with Lea just outside Dianna’s room in the maternity ward, a bouncing Lauren close behind. Angela waved to Dianna and ruffled Lauren’s hair, as Lea told her to take the day off, grasping onto Lauren’s hand.
“Hey little bear” Lea cooed, pulling Lauren up to her, “You wanna meet your baby sister?”
Lauren nodded slowly, looking over her Momma’s shoulder curiously. Dianna was lying back against her pillows, cradling something small and blanketed in her arms. Lea carried her over, setting her down on the edge of the hospital bed. Dianna smiled as Lauren looked over at the baby unsurely, her eyebrows creasing as she saw it. The baby was wrinkled and small, with a dark tuft of hair on the top of her head.
Her hazel eyes stared up at Lauren intensely, and Lauren looked away quickly, something about the baby making her uneasy. “She’s funny-looking” Lauren commented, electing laughs from both of her mommies.
“You used to look like that Laurie” Dianna giggled, reaching out to stroke the side of Lauren’s face. Lauren’s face twisted, horrified. “No” She denied, shaking her head quickly.
“Yes” Lea teased, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.
The baby let out a tiny mew and raised her little hand upwards. Lauren stared curiously, “What’s her name?” She asked, looking up at Lea.
“We haven’t decided yet sweetie” Lea answered, sitting herself down by Dianna’s feet and pulling Lauren onto her lap. “We’re stuck on two names”
“What are they?”
“Well…” Dianna started, bringing a hand to gently touch the side of her baby’s head, “The first one is Brooke-“
“And the second one is Hayden” Lea finished, running a hand through Lauren’s dark hair. Lauren wrinkled her nose, “There’s a girl in my class called Brooke” She said, “She’s mean. I think you should call her Hayden”
Dianna and Lea shared a smile before Dianna spoke, softly and gently, “Hayden it is then”
Hayden cooed softly and Lea smiled over at her, “Look,” She grinned, “She approves”
“Hey Lauren?” Dianna asked, shifting Hayden slightly in her arms.
“Yeah mommy?”
“Do you want to hold her?”
Lauren looked over doubtfully, eyeing the tiny baby in her Mommy’s arms. “Go on honey” Lea encouraged softly, “She wants to meet her big sister”
Reluctantly, Lauren allowed herself to be pulled up by Lea and placed on the chair beside Dianna’s bed. She waited patiently as Lea took Hayden from Dianna’s arms and held her arms out. Hayden was gently placed in her arms, and Lauren looked up at her Momma, unsure of what to do.
Lea smiled and turned quickly, reaching towards her bag and searching through it. “Di, honey, is the camera in here?”
“The front pocket” Dianna answered, climbing out of the bed to watch over Lauren, “Watch her head sweetheart”
Finding it, Lea spun around and held it up, grinning, “Okay Lauren, smile. Di, stay in the shot. I want a picture of my girls”
Dianna crouched down, and looked up towards the camera as Hayden started to cry. Lauren blinked as the baby screwed her face up and she thought it looked like a giant raisin, wrinkled and ugly. The baby spluttered and Dianna cooed to soothe her. She scrunched her little face tightly and then with a sudden splutter, she promptly threw up all over Lauren’s brand new dress.
Lauren’s mouth fell open as Hayden continued to cry, dribbling the gooey, white vomit from her mouth. She cringed, and sat horrified as Dianna took Hayden from her, with a short ‘Oh, honey’ and a ruffle of her hair.
Lea moved forward, her eyes twinkling in amusement and pulled Lauren up onto her feet, mumbling something about a sink and needing to give the dress a wash.
Lea plopped her onto the bench by the sink and started the tap, rubbing water onto the soiled dress. Lauren frowned as she caught Lea giggling quietly, “Stop laughing Momma!” She said crossly, “It’s not funny! Grandma bought me this dress!”
“I’m sorry baby” Lea chuckled.
“I don’t like her” Lauren continued, folding her arms in a huff, “She’s mean. And all she does is cry”
“That’s what babies do sweetheart,” Lea smiled toothily, “Just wait, when she gets a bit bigger, you’ll adore her. I always wanted a sister Laurie. You’re very lucky”
“You can have mine” Lauren said crankily, eyeing her ruined dress. “I don’t want her”
Lea only laughed, and to Lauren’s annoyance, carried her back into the room for a second shot at holding the baby.
--
One week old
Story time happened every night before bed; Lauren would pick out a book and Momma would read it to her, in a variety of silly, funny voices. This night, Lauren picked out her Mommy’s favorite, Alice in Wonderland, and pulled it open, waiting patiently for Lea to come in.
“What are we reading tonight, Little Bear?” Lea smiled, walking into the room.
“What’s that?” Lauren asked curiously, eyeing the white object in Lea’s hand.
“It’s a baby monitor. It means that I can hear everything in Hayden’s room” Lea explained, setting the baby monitor down. “So when Hayden cries, I can hear her”
Lauren nodded, then smiled brightly, holding out the book. “Alice in Wonderland” Lea chuckled, “Mommy’s favorite”
Lea settled herself on Lauren’s side, opening the book to the first page when the monitor went off. The distinct noises of a baby crying were heard and Lea sighed, pressing a kiss to the top of Lauren’s head and climbing off the bed. “I’m sorry sweetie” Lea apologized, “We can’t do story time tonight, I’ve got to go and settle the baby”
“Why can’t Mommy?” Lauren asked, frowning.
“Mommy’s gone down to the store” Lea said, running her hands though her hair.
“I’ll wait for you” Lauren said desperately. “Honey, I’m going to be a while” Lea said fondly, pulling the book out of her hands and putting back on the shelf, “Go to sleep sweetheart, we’ll have story time tomorrow”
And then she left, baby monitor in hand, leaving Lauren with a sinking feeling of resentment towards a certain story-time-interrupting baby.
--
Four weeks old
Lauren scowled as her mother’s fawned over Hayden, cooing in delight as she smiled reaching out her little hand. What was the big deal? Lauren was pretty sure that she could do a number of things that were vastly more interesting.
She looked back down at her paper and smiled, lifting her purple crayon to finish the picture, “Mommy!” She said, lifting her picture up, “Mommy, look at my picture”
Dianna continued as if she hadn’t heard her, moving to press kisses to the baby’s head as Lea picked her up. “That’s my girl” Dianna said lovingly, “So clever”
“Mommy” Lauren whined impatiently, “Mommy, look!”
Lea grinned as Hayden giggled, her golden-green eyes shining brightly.
“Mommy!”
“Hold on Lauren” Dianna said distractedly, brushing her fingers through Hayden’s short blonde hair, “I’ll be there in a minute”
Lauren frowned, dropping her picture to the table and waiting patiently as Dianna pressed a last kiss to Hayden’s tiny fingers.
“Okay angel-face,” Lauren beamed as she felt her mommy’s arms wrap around her, “What did you want to show me”
Promptly, Lauren held up her picture, “There’s me” She pointed to the smallest person she had drawn, “And there’s you, and there’s Momma” She smiled and looked up to see what her Mommy thought of it.
“That’s very good Laurie” Dianna praised, “But where’s Hayden?”
Lauren frowned darkly, shooting a look over to where Hayden and Lea were playing. “She didn’t fit” Lauren said sullenly, pulling her picture back out of Dianna’s grasp.
Dianna pulled another sheet of paper up from the table, “Why don’t you draw another one” She suggested, stroking the top of Lauren’s head, “And put Hayden in it. Then we can stick it up on the fridge”
She pressed a gentle kiss to Lauren’s cheek and gave her shoulders a light squeeze before moving to join Hayden and Lea on the floor.
Lauren’s shoulders sagged and she dropped the new piece of paper and picked up her drawing, casting a sad glance backwards at the small party on the floor who were all giggling and laughing without her before trailing off to her bedroom.
--
Six weeks old
Aunt Heather, Uncle Cory, Uncle Mark and Aunt Naya came to visit together, and Lauren watched from her bedroom window as they knocked on the front door, masses of gifts and balloons in their hands She heard the excited greetings trail up the staircase and ignored them, instead picking up one of her plastic horses and walking him along the carpet of her room.
As she expected, they all walked past her room, chattering and noisy, and Lauren’s heart clenched unpleasantly when not even her goofy Uncle Cory stopped in to say hello. She climbed onto her bed and sat cross-legged, listening to their conversation through the wall.
“Aww, look at her tiny little feet!”
“Wow, Di, she looks so much like you!”
“She’s so small. She must get that from Lea”
“Look! She yawned! How sweet is that?”
Lauren frowned sadly, resting her hand on the wall. They had all forgotten about her. She reached for her plastic pony and curled her fingers around him. She glanced up at the single knock on her door before the door was opened, and Heather stood smiling, “Hey Lauren”
Lauren felt a sudden rush of happiness and jumped off her bed, running into Heather’s arms, “Aunt Heather!”
Heather laughed and swung the door shut, dipping down to sit on the floor next to Lauren. “How are ya cutie?” She asked, tapping the tip of Lauren’s nose. “You like your new sister?”
Lauren scowled at the mention of her, “No. Everyone thinks she’s so special but she’s not. All she does is cry and poop. Everyone’s forgotten about me” Her eyes downcast, looking at her cream carpet. Heather laughed, and scooped Lauren up into her arms, “Hey, trust me Lauren, they all did the same for you too. Aunt Naya held you for like, an hour before she’d let your mommies have you back and your Uncle Mark cried when you first said his name”
Lauren wrinkled her face, unable to picture her big, strong Uncle Mark crying.
Heather sighed, tightening her grip around Lauren’s waist, “Hey, Lauren… what I meant was… everyone wants to get to know her because she’s new. That doesn’t mean they love you any less”
Lauren peered up at looked at her Aunt Heather’s kind, blue eyes. Heather smiled gently, “You’re still my favorite kid in the whole wide world”
Lauren frowned doubtfully, “The whole wide world?”
“The whole wide world” Heather affirmed, pulling Lauren closer, “I promise”
Lauren thought that her Aunt Heather was kind of the coolest.
--
Eight weeks old
“Sweetie, we’re just going to pick up some things from the store” Dianna assured her, while pulling on her shoes, “You’re not missing out on anything”
“But mommy!” Lauren whined, tugging at Dianna’s fingers, “I wanna come”
“No Lauren,” Lea repeated for the fifth time from the door, “Mommy and I need you to stay here with Nanny Angela and take a nap like a good girl”
Lauren watched in dismay as Lea pulled a pink hat over baby Hayden’s head. She was never left behind when Lea and Dianna went out to go shopping or buy groceries. Never. And the fact that Hayden was being prepped to go was only making her more upset. She felt Dianna press a gentle kiss to the top of her head, “We’ll be back before you know it” Dianna smiled, running a finger over Lauren’s cheek. “Be a good girl”
Nanny Angela reached to take her hand as her mommies left and Lauren’s eyes welled up, a tear falling down her cheek. Her mommies had replaced her. Lauren was never left with Nanny Angela at times like these. Sure, when both her mommies were working, or when one of them needed to go out but never when they went out together on a family outing. And now her mommies were taking Hayden out, their new family and Lauren wasn’t a part of it.
Nanny Angela picked her up as she began sobbing, and she cried all the way up the stairs until Nanny Angela put her into her bed, pulling up the covers and pressing a kiss to her forehead, “Don’t cry Lauren” She said kindly, “Just go to sleep and your mommies will be home when you wake up”
As Lauren’s sobs died down into soft sniffles, Nanny Angela backed out of the room, closing the door behind her with a soft click.
Lauren felt betrayed and hurt, ‘They don’t want me anymore’, She thought to herself, ‘They want Hayden instead’.
Her hand reached out to her plastic pony and her mind flitted back to when Aunt Heather had come to visit her. ‘I’m still Aunt Heather’s favorite’ She thought, running her fingers over the pony, ‘Aunt Heather still wants me’. She dropped the pony aside as a brilliant plan filled her mind. Eight weeks of feeling left out and forgotten would end; she would go and live with Aunt Heather! It was perfect. If her mommies didn’t want her anymore then she would go and live with someone who did.
Slipping out of her bed, Lauren wiped her tear-stained face and reached for her backpack. She put in her Dora the Explorer flashlight and pulled her favorite coloring crayons out of her drawer and into her bag. She continued packing, and found her favorite pink sneakers that lit up when she walked, pulling them onto her feet and sticking out her tongue as she tried to tie her laces like her Momma taught her too. Successful, she zipped her backpack and took a last look around her bedroom, holding her plastic pony tightly in her hand.
She trod down the staircase, catching a glimpse of Angela washing the dishes with her headphones blasting loudly before opening the front door and stepping outside. It wasn’t like she was never going to see her mommies again. They would visit her and Aunt Heather at her new home. Optimistically, she walked down the long driveway and onto the street.
Her pony clutched firmly in her hand, she wandered the streets of Toluca Lake, trying to remember which way Aunt Heather’s house was. She passed house by house and frowned, unable to recognize any as being her Aunt Heather’s.
She wandered in and out of side streets until the big hand on her Cinderella watch had passed from the three onto the nine until finally seeing the house she had been looking for. Joyfully, she bounded up the steps and rapped on the door, numerous times to no answer. She frowned and decided that maybe Aunt Heather was out, and walked around the gate to wait on Aunt Heather’s patio furniture until she got home.
Lauren watched the big hand on her watch pass from the nine back to the three, and shifted in her seat, starting to get tired of waiting. Just as she was about to move, she heard a car pull up in the driveway, followed by the slamming of a car door and a loud familiar voice, “Whoa, whoa, Di, slow down, I can’t understand you” Lauren recognized her Aunt Heather’s voice, “Dianna? What do you mean she’s missing? Have you checked her room? Whoa, okay, sorry, of course you did”
Lauren jumped off of her seat and pulled her backpack up, ready to greet her aunt.
“Okay Di, I will. I’ll just grab my running sneakers and go out looking. Okay. Yes I’ll call you. Bye”
Heather was fumbling with her keys as Lauren stepped out from behind the gate, smiling and calling out to her, “Hi, Aunt Heather”
Heather dropped her keys, startled and then relieved as her eyes fell upon Lauren. “Lauren!” She moved forward to pull Lauren into a tight hug, “You’re okay!”
She frowned, pulling Lauren back and holding her at arm’s length, “Honey, your mommies are worried sick, what are you doing here?”
“I came to live with you” Lauren said softly, looking through her dark eyes to see her Aunt Heather’s reaction. Heather frowned, “What? Lauren, why do you want to live with me?”
“Because you’re the only one who hasn’t forgot about me” Lauren said, “You said that I’m your favorite kid”
“Forgot about you?” Heather questioned, “What do you mean?”
“My mommies love Hayden more than me now” Lauren said, her brown eyes so big and sad that Heather’s heart broke at the sight of it. “Momma doesn’t want to read me stories anymore because she wants to be with Hayden all the time and Mommy doesn’t want me to come to our family shopping trips. And even Uncle Cory and Uncle Mark like her more. That’s why they always want to play with her instead of me”
Heather squeezed her eyes shut and sat down on the middle step to her front porch, pulling Lauren to sit beside her. “Lauren,” She started, wrapping an arm around the girl’s shoulders, “Nobody has forgotten about you. I promise”
“Not you” Lauren said, her eyes shining in adoration.
“Sweetie, your mommies love you so, so much. Hayden is new. She’s just a baby. She can’t do anything for herself. Your mommies have to feed her and bathe her and look after her because she can’t do anything for herself. Honey, Hayden is a lot of work” Heather pushed back a loose lock of Lauren’s dark hair.
Lauren looked up at her skeptically and Heather decided to try a new approach.
“Do you know who I was just talking too?”
Lauren shook her head. “That was your mommy. She was so worried about you”
Lauren shrugged, “Are you going to tell her that I’m okay because I live with you now?” Heather sighed. “Sweetie, you can’t live with me”
Lauren’s little face fell, “Why not?” She asked softly and sweetly, “Don’t you want me too?”
“Lauren, I would love for you to live with me. You know that. But do you know why you can’t?”
Lauren shook her head.
“Because your mommies would be so sad if you didn’t go home to them. They love you so much” Heather pressed earnestly.
Lauren pondered thoughtfully, and Heather tried her closing line, “You don’t want your mommies to be sad do you?”
Lauren shook her head quickly and Heather smiled, brushing her hair back out of her face. “Here’s what we’re gonna do. I’m gonna call your Mommy back and tell her that you’re here, and then you’re gonna tell your mommies how you feel, okay?”
“Okay” Lauren said slowly. Heather stood up, holding out her hand for Lauren to take. Opening the front door, Heather led her into the house, reaching for the fridge and pulling out a small bottle of apple juice. “Go have a drink while I call Mommy” Heather urged, “You must be thirsty”
Lauren nodded and took the bottle with a quiet ‘Thank-you’ and hoisted herself up onto one of Aunt Heather’s bar stools.
“Di? She’s here. I have her” Heather said into the phone, watching as Lauren opened the bottle and took a small sip, “She’s fine. Where are you? Jeez Di, she’s only three feet tall, how far did you think she could walk?” Alright, alright, I’m sorry. Yes, okay, here she is”
Heather held out the phone, “It’s Mommy, Lauren”
Lauren put down her apple juice and took the phone, holding it up to her ear, “Hello mommy”
“Hi baby” Dianna cooed, her voice strained and tense, “Don’t move, alright sweetie? Momma and I are coming to get you right now”
“Okay Mommy” Lauren said happily, leaning on her elbows.
“Okay beautiful, we’re about two minutes away” Dianna continued, “Hang tight okay? I love you”
“I love you too Mommy” Lauren chirped, “Bye”
Lauren handed back the phone, beaming, “They’re coming to get me” She announced, “Thank you Aunt Heather”
Heather grinned, slipping the phone into her pocket, “No problem. Anything for my best kid”
Lauren smiled toothily.
Barely a minute later, the screech of tires on the driveway alerted Lauren to her mommies arrival, and she jumped off her seat, finding that she missed them already. Heather almost ran to the door as the frantic knocking began, and opened it, almost getting toppled over by Dianna.
“Where is she? Where’s my baby?” Dianna gasped in a frenzied rush. She didn’t wait for an answer as she spotted Lauren and ducked past Heather, scooping Lauren up in a tight hug.
“There you are, my beautiful girl” Dianna held her tightly, squeezing her. “Don’t you ever do that to me again”
Heather watched the embrace from the door with a light smile on her face.
“We were so worried,” Dianna continued, pulling back to plant kisses to the top of Lauren’s head, “I love you so much baby”
The clatter of flip-flop’s hitting Heather’s tiles and Lea’s voice, loud and panicked, jerked all their heads to the door, “Dianna Elise!” She panted, rushing through the open door, “Don’t you ever jump out of a moving car again! Ever! I swear to god, between the two of you, you’ll both give me a damn heart attack!”
She reached out to pluck Lauren from Dianna’s arms, before pressing a hot kiss to her wife’s temple. “You little monkey!” She scolded, though she sounded more relieved than angry, “Mommy and I were sick with worry! Don’t you ever, ever do that again” She grasped onto Lauren tightly, pressing her cheek against Lauren’s head and rocking her back and forth.
Heather let them calm down, reaching into her fridge for a bottle of water and chugging it quickly. “Where’s Hayden?” She asked suddenly, “Did you leave her with Angela?”
“What?” Lea scoffed, “So she could lose another one of my babies? I don’t think so”
“Hayden’s with Cory” Dianna added in, moving to take Lauren back from Lea.
“It wasn’t her fault” Lauren piped up, “Don’t be mad at her”
“Honey, her job is to look after you” Lea explained, “And letting you run around the streets all by yourself is not looking after you”
“She didn’t let me” Lauren frowned, “I snuck away when she wasn’t looking. It’s not her fault”
“Yeah, about that…” Lea said, “Why did you run away like that Little Bear? It’s not like you”
“Because I thought you loved Hayden more” Lauren said, curling herself into Dianna’s embrace, “Because you always play with her and never with me”
“Lauren” Dianna said, her eyes widening in shock.
“And you took Hayden on our special shopping trips but not me”
“Honey, you know what it’s like when we go out” Lea said, clearly agitated. Lauren did know. Strange packs of scary men followed them around with cameras and sometimes yelled her name. But she was never scared. Her Momma yelled and yelled if one of the men got a little too close to her.
“Then why could Hayden go?” Lauren crossed her arms.
“Sweetheart, Hayden’s too little to be left with Nanny Angela” Dianna tried to explain, “But you’re a big girl and we thought you’d be alright”
“Never mind” Lea leaned forward to press a kiss to Lauren’s forehead. “We’ll talk more when we get home. Say thank-you to Aunt Heather, Lauren”
“Thank-you Aunt Heather” Lauren chimed. Heather smiled, “You’re welcome kiddo”
Dianna moved forward to take Lauren into the car, mouthing a ‘Thank-you’ to Heather and exiting out the front door.
“Thank you so much” Lea pulled Heather in for a hug, “I don’t know what we would have done”
“She’s used to being the center of your world” Heather said, looking Lea straight in the eye, “It can’t be easy for her now that she has to share”
“I know” Lea smiled, “Thanks again”
--
Ten Weeks Old
Lauren leaned over Hayden’s basinet, looking down at the baby, “I guess we can share” She sighed dutifully, “If we have to”
Hayden gurgled in response.
Lauren reached out to touch Hayden’s blonde hair, which was curling at the ends. “But please don’t cry during story time. You can’t hog them all the time. They’re my mommies too”
Hayden’s golden-green eyes sparkled as she started to giggle, her hands reaching up to try to grab onto the ends of Lauren’s hair.
“Also, Uncle Mark says that since I’m the oldest, I get to boss you around and stuff when you get big like me” Lauren said, skillfully dodging the baby’s grabby hands.
From the door, Lea and Dianna watched on, proud smiles adorning both of their faces. “Look at our girls” Dianna whispered fondly as Hayden wrapped a hand around Lauren’s finger.
Lea reached over and wrapped her arm around her wife’s waist, leaning up to plant a kiss on her lips. “Do you think that they’ll be alright?” Lea asked thoughtfully.
Dianna smiled knowingly, “They’ll be perfect”