The cries of a newborn baby filled the Toro household, late at night. Everyone was asleep, Ray holding Mikey close and tight, their ten year old daughter sleeping in her bed. Their little family was the sweetest, Grace was the best big sister to baby Rowan.
Somehow, the cries didn't wake Mikey. He was so exhausted he could sleep through anything, even after a week after giving birth, taking care of a fussy newborn, he got tired very easily. It wasn't much better for Ray, either. He was stressed that he needed to go back to work, despite being on paternity leave for another three weeks. He wanted to back to make sure he could better provide for his family while Mikey stayed at home with the kids. He was stressed because he didn't think he was a good enough father, or a husband. He felt like he was doing awful, and that Mikey was going to leave him.
Rowan didn't seem to quieten down. She was clearly desperate for something. Mikey grumbled sleepily and checked the baby monitor. What he saw was shocking but so heartwarming.
"Its okay Rowan, i got you." Grace whispered, holding her baby sister close and bouncing her in her arms a little. "Whats wrong? Are you hungry?"
Grace hadn't been exactly thrilled when Mikey announced he was expecting. She told him she didn't want a stupid baby sister or brother and that she'd hate the baby. Mikey understood that, he didn't personally know how it was to have a sibling. He talked to Gerard about it, since he was three when Mikey was born. He told Mikey that he also got jealous around a new baby, and that Bandit reacted the same way when the twins arrived.
"Come on Rowan, its okay. Do you need a diaper change? I just don't wanna wake mom and dad up, they're super tired." Grace continued. Mikey had to share this heartwarming moment with Ray. Their eldest daughter who refused to go near Rowan when she was born, now holding her close and getting her to sleep. "Oh, your diaper is wet. Oh God, i've never changed one before."
Mikey watched the monitor as Grace gently lay her down on the changing table and looked in the cupboards for a fresh diaper. Mikey gently nudged Ray till he woke up.
"Ray, look at this." Mikey whispered, smiling bigger than usual. They watched the monitor together, Grace was being so gentle and didn't seem to mind as she cleaned her baby sister up. She had seen her parents do it multiple times so it couldn't be too hard.
Rowan finally stopped crying, Grace scooped her up and took her back to the beanbag chair she was previously sat in. She was gently playing with Rowans fluffy brown hair, while also fiddling with her own curls.
"I think you're gonna have curly hair too. I can teach you how to make them look poofy and i can teach you how to look after them nicely. I love you so much Rowan, you're so cute."
Rowan let out a little yawn, reaching her little hands up at Grace. Grace let Rowans little fingers wrap around her thumb, giggling each time she cooed and mumbled something. Mikey couldn't understand Graces sudden mood change. Grace said she hated Rowan, that she never wanted to go near her or talk to her. She said Rowan wasn't her sister because she never wanted a sister, she just wanted her parents to herself. While Mikey was pregnant, she'd purposely hide things for the baby, she didn't know what it was going to do, it wasn't like Mikey would suddenly decide to put Rowan up for adoption. She could see how excited her parents were, and she hated it. She hated how Mikey would spend all day in bed. Sure, she enjoyed spending time with him while he was stuck on bed rest, but it annoyed her so much every time he talked about the baby or when he'd ask if she wanted to feel the baby. She absolutely hated Mikey when he was pregnant. All the attention was on him to make sure he and the baby were doing well.
Of course, Mikey and Ray weren't doing that on purpose. They weren't trying to exclude Grace and ignore her, but Mikey had a rough time each time he was pregnant. They always reassured Grace that they made the same preparations for her as they do for Rowan. She refused to listen, she didn't want her baby sister. She hated her.
"Nonono, no more crying Row. Shhh. Its okay, its okay. Let mommy and daddy sleep." Grace whispered. She grabbed a pink blanket out of the crib and gently wrapped her baby sister inside it, and held her close. "I love you so so much Rowan. You're so pretty. You look like mommy, y'know?"
True. Grace looked more like her father and Rowan looked like her mother. Grace had her dads poofy afro, Rowan had Mikeys face and his mousy brown hair. The couple were amazed at their children's appearances.
"She hated Rowan.." Ray whispered.
"Mhm. Thats why its so cute! Should we go in and help?"
"No, shes got this."
"Can't believe she actually changed a diaper."
Rowan started crying even louder, Grace was struggling to calm her down. Mikey was about to get out of bed to help when Grace started to sing. She sung lullabies to Rowan, gently rocking her in her arms. Rowan mumbled and cooed and whined as Grace gently lulled her to sleep.
Rowan finally drifted off, Grace didn't want to get up and move in case she accidentally woke her baby sister up again. She lay back in the beanbag chair, closing her eyes while Rowan snoozed on her chest. Mikey and Ray really couldn't help themselves, they had to see this properly.
They walked into Rowans nursery, Grace immediately looked up at her parents with Rowan tightly in her arms.
"Whats going on in here Grace?" Mikey asked, kneeling down to Graces height while she lay on the beanbag.
"Rowan was crying and i didn't want to wake you guys up."
Mikey folded his arms and giggled, "I thought you hated Rowan? Thought you'd never go near her?"
"I just didn't want you to wake up, you're both super tired."
He grinned, "You told me you hate her, but you told her you love her. Admit it! You love your baby sister!"
Grace giggled, "Shes cute." Mikey gently lifted Rowan out of Graces arms. He smooched her forehead, and then gently lay her back in her crib. Ray gave his baby daughter a little kiss, followed by Grace doing the same.
"I love her." Grace said with a little smile.
"Did you really think i believed you when you told me you hated her, but asked us for sonogram pictures?" Ray giggled quietly.
"Come on Grace, sleep in our bed tonight. We'll watch movies and cuddle." Mikey said with a smile, as he played with the one of her curls.
