Harrison Avenue // H.S.

Wish You Were Here

[Ellison]

            

"Elle, is it normal for Dylanne to make that face?" I hear Matt yell from the other side of the room.

I know he's sat on the ground next to her because that's where he's been for the last hour, playing with her as she crawls in circles around him, almost like a shark circling its prey... only Dylanne's cute and most likely, most likely, she won't bite.

I'm in the kitchen with my head in the fridge when I hear his voice and I quickly note that Matt doesn't sound panicked, but he also sounds uneasy... so I close the fridge and turn around to walk in his direction. I get past the small island in the kitchen and then walk toward the velvety couch that he's sat on the other side of, leaning against it as I find Dylanne on the floor. She's lying on her tummy, her dark hair sticking up in a few places because I'm sure she's been rolling between her tummy and her back plenty in between her circling of Matt, and she's making a face I know too well.

"Yeah, Matt," I shake my head. "She's taking a shit."

"Ah, serious? Again?" Matt makes a disgusted face despite my casualness in my observation. "How can such a cute, tiny person shit so much?"

"It's honestly remarkable," I laugh.

I'm surprised that Matt hasn't caught onto Dylanne's poop face yet. He's been staying with me for the last three weeks now. I suppose Dylanne does switch it up though with the expressions and sometimes it's a total sneak attack and she'll give no indication of filling her diaper. Then the next thing I know the room smells horrible thanks to her. Sometimes I catch her laughing at me once I realize this, like she knows. I like to blame Harry for that. I'm sure he's trained her into thinking that stinking up a room is a funny thing.

Despite Matt's disgusted reaction, he scoops Dylanne up and walks her to her room to change the diaper she's just ruined. Once he's out of sight I hear him let out another groan. Then I hear Dylanne giggle, most likely at Matt's suffering, and again... I'm going to blame Harry for that.

Matt has honestly been a savior these last few weeks and I can't even begin to thank him for putting his life in California on hold to come live with me temporarily. He keeps telling me that it's no problem. He likes New York and it's only a little bit inconvenient to his job but nothing he can't manage. I can tell he wants to be here with Dylanne too, and Dylanne really does love her uncle Matt. He's really sweet with her and changes her diapers so I don't have to and I really don't know what I would do without him right now.

When Matt returns with my baby who's got a fresh new diaper, they are both all smiles, Dylanne giggling as Matt tickles at her tummy. I'm on the couch now, my socks pulled up high as I rest my feet to the side of me. It's a Sunday and we're certainly treating it as such, being as cozy and lazy as possible. Matt sort of dances around the room with Dylanne in his arms, waltzing his way to me. Then he teases Dylanne, pretending to hand her to me, only to pull her way at the last second, making this whooping noise that makes her laugh every time. Eventually though, he hands her to me and I give her a little squeeze before settling her on my lap.

Matt finds a spot on the ground again, spreading his legs in front of him and leaning back on his hands as he lets out a deep sigh of exhaustion.

"Don't know how you do it, Elle," he shakes his head. Dylanne bounces a little in my lap, pulling at the neck of my shirt, clearly wanting my attention. I look down at her for a second, gently bopping her on the nose, and she laughs again. "I've only been helping out for a few weeks now and I'm dead. How the hell did you manage before I got here? Harry's been gone for two months now."