etc. // hs

viii.

*Norah's POV*

"Is daddy coming back?" Theo asked softly as I washed him in the bathtub. "I really miss him, mommy."

"I do too, baby," I smiled a little. "He'll be back soon, okay? Mommy and daddy are just really busy right now."

He seemed satisfied with my answer and for the rest of the bath we sang songs and made little beards out of suds, until he finally started yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"Come on, darling," I sighed as I lifted him up and wrapped a fluffy towel around his little body. I grabbed another smaller one and dried his hair, despite his vehement protests and threats to have his transformers overpower me.

I wrestled him into his superman pajamas and read him a story, then kissed him goodnight and left to take care of Stella. She was acting strange at dinner and had hardly eaten anything at all so I decided to tuck Theodore in first so I could spend a little more time with his sister.

I slowly opened her door and peeked inside, where Stella was curled up in a little ball in the middle of the king bed, her tiny body looking even smaller in comparison to the room.

"Stel," I said softly, folding my hands in my lap as I sat on the edge of the bed. "Baby, tell mommy what's wrong."

I waited a minute and eventually she turned over, her big blue eyes red and her cheeks flushed with tears. My heart had never ached so much as it did in that moment. Seeing my baby so upset made me feel like the worst mother in the world. How could I do that to her?

"I miss daddy," she whimpered, another tear rolling down her full cheek. "Is he coming home soon?"

I couldn't do this anymore. Seeing the tears stream down Stella's cheeks was enough to break down my resolve and sucker punch all my anger right out the window.

"He's coming home tonight," I assured her with a big smile. "Don't worry, baby, daddy's on his way right now."

That perked her right up. "Really?"

"Promise, darling. Do you want to take a bath with mommy until he gets here?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good." I left a small kiss to her forehead and picked up my phone, then let her dial Harry's number while I went in the next room and started the bath.

"Mommy," she giggled as she came toddling into the bathroom after me. "It's ringing."

He answered on the second ring and the first thing I heard was a huge sigh of relief, then noise like girls laughing.

"Norah, thank god."

"Daddy!" Stella squealed gleefully into the receiver. "Daddy, it's me!"

"Stella!" Harry laughed in reply, his voice sending Stella into her own fit of giggles and random noises. "Sweetheart, you sound so grown up! Are you on mommy's phone?"

Stella bit her finger and looked at me. "No."

"Puppy," Harry said in a warning tone. "You're not lying to daddy, are you?"

"Maybe," she drawled out with another giggle. "Mommy can't talk right now."

"Why not, baby?"

"She's taking a bath."

"Oh really? Is your brother in the bath or is mommy in the bath?"

"Mommy's in the bath with Uncle Liam."

I put my hand over my mouth to muffle my laugh and Stella smiled widely as she stared at me.

"Uncle Liam?" Harry finally asked. "Why is Uncle Liam there?"