"Whaaa! Whaaa!"
"I'm coming! I'm coming!"
Vivian shouted as she raced into the spare bedroom, her feet barely brushing the ground in haste.
"Nicole, what's wrong? Do you need more milk?" Vivian asked the crying baby boy in the crib.
Vivian wiped her wet hands on her apron and picked up the baby gently, just how her neighbor Maria had shown her. One hand on the neck for support and another on the lower bottom.
"Whaaa! Whaaa!" Nicole cried, his crystal blue eyes teary and his skin red from crying.
"Its okay. It's okay." Vivian pattes Nicole's back as she moved back to the kitchen.
"Mommy. I'm a princess! Pretty princess!" A vibrant little girl came and grabbed Vivian's leg, her face beaming and covered with pink frosting.
"Natasha, you look lovely, but I told you not to play with the frosting. Where's Nikolai and Nikki?" Vivian asked, she managed to stay upright, having gotten used to sudden jumps by the girl.
"Niko is playing with stove and Nikki is-"
"Oh my goodness!" Vivian rushed to the kitchen, and grabbed the hand of a four year old who was trying to open a cooking pot.
"Niko, what were thinking? The stoves dangerous." Vivian said as she moved the boy away.
Nikolai was black haired four year old boy, with dark brown eyes, that were close to black and wore a black and red pajama suit. He scowled at his mother and walked away, not showing remorse.
Sigh, Vivian looked at the crying baby in her arms and gave a small smile.
Motherhood was a kick in the groin.
"Vivian, Nikki wants to eat glue. Should I stop him?" A low, young voice said behind her and she turned around to see another little boy.
This one had dark brown hair, hazel brown eyes and wore a yellow oversized sweater. On his nose were worn cheap glasses and his face was curious and judgmental.
And he was five years old!
"Nicholas, please stop your brother from eating glue. And tell your sister to stop spreading frosting on her face. And tell Nikolai to not get near the stove. And-"
"I'm going back to book now." Nicholas turned away and walked, his voice bored and disinterested.
Vivian groaned in defeat. Nicholas was almost the worst. He never called her mother,even Nikolai did, but Nicholas was utterly cold to her.
"Whaaa! Whaaa! Whaaa!" Nicole's cries finally filtered back into her ears and she started patting his back gently as she looked around for the milk bottle.
"Didn't I leave it here? I could have sworn, just last night, I left it here." Vivian frowned as she couldn't find it.
A bulb went ofc in her head.
"Natasha? Have you seen the baby bottle? Your brother's hungry." Vivian said.
"Huh?" Natasha gave a cute little thoughtful poute," Oh, Nikki threw it in the toilet when you went to pick Nicole. Hey that's mine!"
Natasha smacked Nikolai hand away from her doll and he smacked her back. Natasha and Nikolai started to smack each other.
"Mommy! He hit me!" "Mommy, she hit me!"
Vivian felt utter despair, was on the verge of screaming for peace when she felt four eyes on her.
Nicholas stood in the passage to the bedroom, holding a two year old boy in his arms awkwardly. The two year old had black hair like Nikolai and green emerald eyes.
"Nat, Niko, stop it. Now" Nicholas said and the twin brother and sister stopped fighting.
"Help me change Nik." Nicholas ordered and the two mumbled their dislike but helped carry the two year old to the bedroom,leaving Vivian alone with Nicole.
"Sometimes I feel like he's the tyrant of hell, eh, Chérie?" A sweet voice spoke and Vivian turned around with a beaming smile.
A woman with black curly hair, red mascara on blue eyes, wearing a fetching black , rose floral dress stood by the front door, holding a basket of fruit. This was Mariah De Winter, her neighbor and closest friend since Vivian became a single mother 6 months ago.
Antonio had found her a nice apartment block, near the city edge, with a medium level of comfort and room for kids. Mariah was just the gift from heaven that helped her settle in and learn the ways of mothering.
Mariah had three kids of her own, despite looking like a French model...which she had been, just last year. But had given it up, for a simple life.
Vivian thanked whatever deities had brought Mariah into her life. Being a mother...having kids...it...was...
"I'll take this one." Mariah moved in, shutting the door and taking baby Nicole," You take the basket, Chérie. Fresh cucumbers, tomatoes and sweet peaches for a nice lunch, no?"
"I was already making- oh my goodness! The pot!" Vivian raced to the forgotten pot and shut off the stove. She lifted the lid and cringed at the sight of her creation.
"I am guessing it is burnt, eh Chérie?" Mariah gave a knowing smile," You mustn't rush yourself. It took me forever to learn how to cook."
"You dated a chef. I only ordered from first class chefs. My experience and yours are worlds apart." Vivian sighed and removed the pot, putting it in the sink for washing later.
"Eh, I only learnt how to bake and cook an egg. When I was with Richardo, food was not on our minds. If you get my meaning. " Mariah chuckled as she pattes Nicole softy and he went back to sleep.
"I am a horrible mother."
"Yes, you are." Mariah replied and Vivian gave a small sigh.
"I thought you would disagree." Vivian admitted.
"Why would I? You are a horrible mother, but there is no such thing as a perfect mother. We women, learn as we go."
"I can't even put my baby to sleep and my oldest son doesn't even acknowledge me as his mother. That's failure, completely." Vivian started slicing up cucumbers.
"Firstly, baby's are too picky, like the Great Stravinski, they love you one moment and hate you the next. That's how most kids can be. As for Nicholas, I will never say that boy is a child. The look in his eyes, screams man in boys body."
"Yes, he is like a man in a boys body." Vivian gave a wistful smile.
"Now, she smiles. And that's all it takes. Remembering, these little ones are yours. You love them more than they will ever annoy you." Mariah said sweetly.
"They cut it close, hahaha" Vivian chuckled as she started slicing up the tomatoes too.
"Eh, kids are destined to drive us mad. But, we love them. " Mariah turned Nicole over and showed Vivian. Nicole was smiling at her, with his toothless little face.
"Oh, my sweet little boy. I'll buy you a new bottle, I promise" Vivian said as she served the food on small plates and kissed Nicole's cheek.
"What happened to the old one?" Mariah asked.
"Toilet." Vivian replied, "Nicholas, Natasha, Nikolai, bring Nikki and have lunch."