Trouble at Home

    Marie's mother smiled at her and said thank you before returning to her meal. Candice pat Marie on her shoulder. Marie stared at her food before deciding she wasn't hungry anymore. She stood up, washed her plate and Baldr's, apologized and took him to his crib before laying down for a nap.

    Marie woke with a start. Baldr was being quiet. He hadn't made a single sound all night, and Marie rushed to his crib to make sure he was alright. She found him calmly sleeping, and breathed a sigh of relief. She stood there watching him sleep, and smiled.
    Marie walked out to the living room and turned on a light. She picked up a book she was slowly reading and sat down on the couch to resume it. She flipped through the pages looking for her bookmark, when it fell out. This caused Marie to swear quietly, but it was still too loud. Baldr started crying and she put her book back down to go take care of him.
    Feeling a strangely inspired, she started singing softly to him.
    “Hush now little one,
    The day has not yet begun.
    Dream of happy sights to see,
    Like mighty knights and majestic kings.
    Or perhaps of racing cars,
    Driving fast and driving far.
    Hush now little one,
    It's too early for the sun,
    Dream of great adventures to have,
    Fighting monsters dark and bad.
    Maybe exploring new lands,
    Seeing new sights would be grand.
    So, hush now little one,
    The day has not yet begun.”
    By the time she finished, Baldr was already deep asleep. Marie smiled and went back to her book. She found a passage that looked familiar and began reading.

    “I hear humming,” thought Marie. She looked up from her book and saw Candice walking out of the bedroom. Candice was buttoning up her blouse as she hummed the same song Marie had been singing. Marie turned red and hid behind her book.
    Candice looked over at her and asked how long she'd been awake. Marie said she didn't know and went back to her book. Candice started heating formula for Baldr, letting Marie have a break. She pulled the formula when she thought it was ready, and Marie took it from her. She immediately put it down and told Candice it was too hot.
    “I let it come to a boil first.”
    “You don't do that. You heat it OVER hot water.”
    “I'm sorry okay?”
    “I'm just glad I noticed.”
    “I was just trying to be helpfu--”
    Candice got cut short by Baldr crying. She didn't realize she had been shouting, and went to the room. She picked him up and tried comforting him. Baldr kept crying and Marie came in the room.
    Marie tried handing a bottle of properly heated formula to Candice. Candice reached for it, but instead Baldr started reaching for Marie. Candice sighed, and held him at arms length. She then handed him over, apologized again, and ran out of the apartment.