Noah and Kim were grinning from ear to ear, looking like they were having way too much fun with this. The couple was going away for the weekend, spending some time together. He promised he’d babysit the girls and Scarlett accepting his invitation when he asked her to join him.
She was excited about it.
The poor woman didn’t know what she was getting herself into. It was fun to be around the girls for a few hours but babysitting them more than a day would test your patience. He remembered that one time Olivia threw a tantrum and all he could do was stare at her.
Noah told sometimes you needed to be the bad guy, showing them who was in charge.
Scarlett had been giving him the look after she cuddled with Rose for the night. She caught Rose on a good day. Baby Rose was an angel most of the time but there were also times the baby showed them how loud she could be.
It surely would change Scarlett’s mind about her baby wishes she was trying to not so subtly hide.
“You can call us any time,” Kim reassured them.
Noah threw him a pointed look, his brother preferred it if they wouldn’t call. He had more experience these days so he was sure he didn’t have to bother Noah on his trip. The couple said goodbye to their kids. Lily wasn’t too happy with her parents leaving but she was okay when Lucian scooped her up in his arms and kissed her hair.
“I’m here, sweetheart. We’re going to watch a movie have lots of ice-cream and your mom and dad can’t do anything about that.” He said teasingly.
Kim glared at him, “Don’t you dare.” She mouthed to him.
He grinned at the woman. He knew that once the weekend was over the girls would be insufferable if he messed up their schedule. Noah and Kim would have to start all over again with teaching their kids some responsibility without throwing horrendous tantrums.
He wouldn’t try and mess things up too much, but right now the promise of fun things ahead would keep them from crying and making the parents feel bad about leaving for a day or two.
Lucian held Lily close to him as he walked Noah and Kim out. Kim wanted to kiss her girl goodbye one more time but Lily turned her head. She was sulking but he knew once they’d play that kids movie with the blonde queen singing about letting it go she’d be fine.
He was over and done with the song but the kids weren’t.
Scarlett was holding Rose, cuddling with her like last time. She’d get one hell of a surprise when Rose would use her diaper. She had been fed before Kim left so the little girl would be using it soon. It was mean of him but it was reality. Scarlett needed a dose of reality when it came to these girls.
They were cute but children weren’t quiet little angels all the time, that was part of life.
“You promised we’d eat ice-cream.” Lily let him know when he put her down on the couch.
He glanced at the little girl, “I’m going to put the film on first then I’ll grab you girls some ice-cream.”
Olivia sat down beside her sister, she didn’t look happy too. The older sister didn’t seem to mind that her parents were gone for the weekend, but for some reason, she was still pouting. Well, he wouldn’t call it pouting. The little girl looked pissed.
“What’s wrong, Liv?” He asked her, stepping to her once the film started to play. He sat down beside her and gently brushed her hair back.
“Why is she here?” Olivia asked not so quietly as she nodded toward Scarlett who was going to put Rose to bed since the little girl dozed off.
He shared a look with Scarlett. She tried to hide it but he could tell that the words of little Liv hurt her feelings a little. He flashed her a reassuring smile. Jealousy was unavoidable. He placed his hand on top of her head which made Liv look at him.
“Scarlett is here to help out.” He told her.
Liv wasn’t having it, “We don’t need her.” Liv told him, “You are here.”
He wasn’t going to back off as he quietly continued, “The more the merrier.” He told her, ruffling her hair, “I’m going to get you two some ice-cream. A promise is a promise after all.”
After giving the girls their ice-cream, he settled on the couch between them. Scarlett was getting dinner ready, humming in the kitchen when it happened. Rose loudly let them know she needed their attention. Olivia and Lily looked at him expectantly.
“I’ll get it.” He was actually grateful he could escape the movie, quickly making his way to the nursery to check on the little girl, “Hey, princess why are you so sad.” He picked her up, kissing her little head. He then smelled it, “Guess someone needs a diaper change.”
He expertly changed her diaper, after Oliva and Lily he was a pro too. Not on the same level as Kim and Noah but he was getting there. Rose made content little noises, kicking her legs and moving her arms. She was awake and happy.
“You don’t want to nap some more?” He asked hopefully, picking her up again.
She was moving around a lot in his arms so he knew putting her in her bed wouldn’t make her happy. He headed down the stairs with her, checking on Scarlett in the kitchen.
“She’s awake already?” Scarlett asked as she stirred the tomato sauce.
“I guess her dirty diaper woke her up.”
Scarlett smiled, giving the little girl a kiss on her chubby cheek, “She’s the cutest.”
Lucian glanced at her knowingly, “Until she’ll have an opinion of her own, right?”
He knew it was mean of him to bring it up, he shouldn’t have done that. Thankfully Scarlett only threw him a glare and focused back on her cooking.
“I just need to put the pasta in the pot and prepare the salad. You think the girls will get ready for dinner?”
“I’ll let them know.” He walked with Rose in his arms to the living room and smiled when Olivia and Lily greeted him with a smile, “You guys finished your ice-cream? It’s almost time for dinner.”
Lily made a face, after her ice-cream she probably wasn’t in the mood for dinner. She still needed to eat a bit. She didn’t protest though which was a good sign. Oliva got to her feet, her little bowl empty. She took her sister’s bowl too and made her way to the kitchen.
Lily glanced at him, “Liv doesn’t like your girlfriend?” She whispered.
She tried to be quiet about it yet her whispering was still very loud. He couldn’t help but laugh. He was aware that Olivia wasn’t a fan of Scarlett. Scarlett would be around from now on so she had to tolerate his girlfriend even if it upset her.
Liv probably needed time.
“It will be okay.” He reassured the whispering girl.
Lily didn’t look convinced, “If you say so uncle Lucy.” She hopped off the couch, “I’m going to set the table.”
It was always hilarious to him to see them behave like grownups or at least they tried from time to time. He paused the movie, not sure if they could finish it before bed. He kind of hoped dinner would run late so he didn’t have to continue watching that movie.
It made him a horrible person but he didn’t care.
***
The worst part of watching the girls was putting them to bed. Olivia took care of her own bath, she didn’t want Lucian to check on her and she threw a dirty look at Scarlett when she suggested it. Scarlett did hover at the door to make sure Olivia didn’t get hurt.
She was still young, she could easily slip and break something.
“Uncle Lucy!”
Lucian shared a look with Scarlett. She shrugged, not looking too worried about being left alone with Olivia. She was brave.
“I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll be okay.” She reassured me.
He went to check on Lily who already was tucked in bed, laying down like a starfish. Entering her room Lucian kneeled down beside her.
“What’s wrong?” He whispered.
She rolled to her side and stared at him. A little smile spread across her face, “Can I have waffles for breakfast?”
He had to make sure he wouldn’t laugh at her question, he didn’t want her to get all riled up so she wouldn’t be able to fall asleep. Gently running his fingers through her hair he nodded.
“We could arrange that.” Lucian promised her, kissing her hair, “Go to sleep, okay? Then tomorrow morning you and I will make some waffles for breakfast.”
“With whipped cream?”
“Sure.”
She looked happy. Lucian was about to get to his feet when a sharp cry startled him. Lily laughed at him, nearly crying from laughter.
“I have to check on Rose.” Lucian got to his feet and made his way to the door, making sure to keep it ajar. Passing Scarlett in the hallway he reassured her with a smile, “I’ll check on her. Liv ready yet?”
Scarlett shook her head, “She’s stalling.” She whispered.
Lucian nodded, “If she keeps doing that I’ll switch with you, okay?”
Scarlett didn’t look happy about it, she probably didn’t want to look like she couldn’t handle this. She couldn’t help it that Olivia just didn’t like her. Liv just hadn’t warmed up to her yet. It would take time but he was sure it would happen eventually.
Scarlett would be around for a long time after all.
Rose was awake, he checked her diaper but that was okay. She wasn’t supposed to have her bottle yet either so he held her in his arms and paced the room, trying to get her back to sleep. She wasn’t crying anymore. He figured she just wanted to cuddle.
Once all the girls were tucked into bed after a long period of getting them in bed and making sure they stared there he had a private moment with Scarlett in the guest room. They were both exhausted and if they really thought about it they hadn’t done much.
A work day at the company was supposed to be more tiring.
“You still enjoying your time here?” Lucian asked Scarlett who was getting ready for bed while he waited for his turn to take a shower.
Scarlett wrapped herself up in her robe, “It still fun, but I definitely have more respect for Noah. Three girls is hard.” She whispered.
She was probably paranoid that one of the girls heard her and would hold it against her for the rest of her life. It could happen. Olivia was definitely one to hold a grudge. Getting up from the bed, he approached Scarlett and wrapped the fluffy woman up in his arms.
“You did fine for your first time, nothing went wrong. Liv will eventually get over it.”
She leaned her head against his shoulder and held on for dear life, “It’s tiring but I’m not regretting it. I kind of am looking forward to when I can do it.”
She didn’t mention that she could do this with their kids but the silence implied that much. He tightened his hold on her and kissed her hair.
“When that does happen we’ll be ready.”
She pulled away from him and stared up at him with wide eyes. She looked at him as if he just told her he bought her a rainbow unicorn. She moved her hands over his arms and then wrapped her arms around his neck.
“I can’t believe this is real.”
Smiling at her he leaned in and kissed her, “It is real, I’ll be here for a long time so you have time to wrap your little head around it.”
She chuckled, shaking her head at him.
“Such a silly man you are, Lucy.”
She didn’t give him time to respond by kissing him and making sure to deepen it. The kiss was getting heated but they both knew not to go too far. They weren’t doing that in his brother’s house. It felt weird. The kisses were enough to still the hunger.
For now.