Amanda adjusted as she felt yet another twinge in her belly. She shifted around on the couch, rubbing her sides. “Babe?” Niels questioned as he walked into the living room.
“I’m ok. Braxton-Hicks,” she explained. She shifted yet again, sighing when the pain disappeared. “See?” She tried to smile at him but it looked more like a grimace. She looked as fretful as she felt despite her best efforts to seem fine. For hours she’d been trying to coax herself off the couch to shower and retire to bed, as early as it was, but she simply didn’t have the energy. The kids were still running around; Angelo was no doubt fighting sleep. They could tell her was tired, but he simply didn’t want to go to bed. Every time Niels tried to capture him, he’d only scream “nooo” and wriggle out of his hands again. Emi wasn’t much help either, dancing around and insisting that Amanda checked out her new ‘choreography’. “Emi, sweetie. Give mummy a break, okay?” Niels had said several times. But once Emi was in a dancing mood, there was just no stopping her. Amanda’s head was starting to throb. After a while, she couldn’t take all of the noise anymore. She pushed herself off the couch and had to steady herself, waiting for the dizzy spell to pass before she walked further. Before her vision fully cleared, she felt Niels gently grasp her elbow. “Let’s get you to bed and then I’ll get the kids to bed,” he told her. She nodded and followed him in silence. She could hear Angelo whining about her leaving but she didn’t have the energy to reply to him. Somehow, she managed to climb into the shower and return to bed, only to hear her children whining outside of her door. “But I just want to say nighty night,” Emi was saying. “Let them in,” Amanda called out. She watched as the door opened and in ran Emi and Angelo. “Careful,” Niels managed to say before the kids hopped into bed and cuddled close to Amanda. Angelo climbed into her lap, hugging her belly more than the rest of her, while Emi maneuvered Amanda’s arm around her body so that she held on to her. There was no resisting the smile that spread across her face. As drained of energy as she felt, as annoying as they could be, it was this little family of hers that kept her going on a daily basis. She kissed the top of her little ones’ foreheads and bid them good night before Niels whisked them away to their own rooms. Alone, Amanda gently stroked her belly. It was all worth it.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Amanda at a GlanceNames: Amanda Pontremoli, Amanda van Loon Archives
August 2017
Categories |