Crazy = Genius

Chapter 24: Act Like You Love Me

'Stay here and lay here right in my arms, It's only a moment before you're gone, And I am keeping you warm'

Lilianna sighed in relief as she closed the door to Hannah's room. She had successfully gotten her to sleep after an hour of reading. Turns out singing was the way to go the whole time.

She stepped into Rochelle's room, noticing the baby was restless and was bound to wake up soon. Lilianna walked into the closet and rummaged through the drawers until she found a simple, lightweight onesie to keep the baby cool. She set the onesie on the changing table to fix her up for the night. She turned to wake the wriggling baby, her mind stopping her as more ideas popped into her head.

"She needs a bath." She sighed to herself, knowing the fever Rochelle was running would feel better with a cool baby bubble bath.

Lilianna stuck her head around the door and looked around the hallway. Her eyes narrowed on a door that was left open and she headed towards it. Sure enough, she stood before a spotless white marble washroom with a shower, jacuzzi tub, and three sinks. A large white wardrobe was placed next to the door. She slowly searched through the drawers before finally stumbling across the two drawers that belonged to the two children of the house. Rochelle's was stacked with animal print hooded towels and baby bath products, a few different coloured rubber ducks kept in a small plastic container with her name printed across the top in red sharpie.

She set a towel, shampoo, body wash, and bubble bath next to the sink before walking back to the baby's room. As she entered, she pushed back the sleeves of her hoodie and leaned over the crib. The second her hand came in contact with Rochelle's body, her wide blue eyes shot open to stare right into her own green ones. "Hey princess, how do a bath and some bedtime food sound?"

Rochelle sniffled and whined, reaching for Lilianna, getting her wish as she was cuddled into the young woman's chest. Lilianna set her on the changing table and changed her diaper quickly, the baby whining the whole time.

"I know, you're hungry, I know. We're gonna have sweet potato and banana with Greek yogurt. Sounds yummy right?" She smiled, distracting her from the change process. Once Lilianna was finished, she settled Rochelle back into her arms with a fleece blanket draped around her as well as Lilianna's shoulder. She quietly descended the stairs, her eyes flickering to her watch as she realized it was almost ten at night. She grabbed the containers she needed from the fridge and a bottle of formula. Once all the food was prepped, she set the child in her high chair and sat before her at the dining room table.

"Open up princess." Lilianna encouraged, letting the plastic spoon sit close to her lips. "It's good, I promise."

Rochelle turned her head away from the yogurt, her face scrunched up in disgust. "Oh come on."

Terrence wracked his hand through his hair for the thousandth time since he started working. He slammed his MacBook closed in frustration and downed the last sip of whiskey in his tumbler. Turning his wrist over he checked the time on his twenty-four karat gold Rolex, cursing under his breath and making his way out of his office and towards his bedroom. Upon entering he stopped in his tracks. The room was empty and left looking the same way it did when he had first entered to talk to Lilianna that morning. He popped his head into the en-suite and the closet to come up short. He stood in the middle of the room, his eyebrows pulled together as he wondered where she would be if she wasn't already in bed and sleeping. He jogged down the stairs and checked the living room, nothing. Then he heard a frustrated groan come from the kitchen and he followed the noise. There she sat with Rochelle, attempting to feed the child what looked to be yogurt with fruit.

"It's tasty, Rochelle, please!" She begged, her shoulders slumping in defeat as she spoke to the baby. She had gotten Rochelle to finish the potato and was stuck on the yogurt. "I won't give you the bottle until you eat two bites. You got me?"