Halcyon

One of Those days

It's a couple of days after New Year now and Poppy has just got back home from her first day back at school for the new year, Nikki has also collected Maddison from the nursery. Jack, on the other hand, has stopped late at work to catch up on work. 
Nikki has just gotten in with both girls and puts her things down in the hallway as she has Maddison glued to her hip and Poppy hovering around her feet. "Poppy, you need to move or Mummy won't be able to take her shoes off" Nikki speaks softly to her three-year-old who has been complaining she doesn't feel well since she picked her up from school half an hour ago. 

"Mummy I feel hot and my tummy hurts" Poppy whines as she removes her school shoes and jacket. 
"Okay darling, go sit on the sofa, I need to sort Maddie's nappy then I shall get you some Calpol" Nikki smiles as she carries her eight-month-old upstairs. 

Poppy sighs and heads into the lounge and lies herself down on the corner sofa and grabs the throw and covers herself up. 
By the time Nikki returns from changing Maddison's nappy, Poppy is asleep on the sofa. Nikki walks into the lounge and places Maddison down on her play mat and walks over to Poppy. She sighs as she feels Poppy's forehead with the back of her hand and sighs. "Oh Pops" Nikki sighs as she feels how warm she is. 

Nikki gets up and decides to let her sleep, she grabs her laptop from the bookcase and sits down and opens it up before logging onto her work emails and going through them. 
Half an hour later Jack finally returns home, "Hey" Nikki smiles as she looks over her shoulder at her Fiancé who has just walked into the room. "You're home early, I wasn't expecting you back until seven" She speaks. 

"Yeah, couldn't focus" He speaks.
"What do you mean you couldn't focus... that is unlike you" Nikki replies placing her laptop down on the coffee table and getting up, she walks over to Jack and wraps her arms around his neck. "What's wrong Jack? you can tell me" She smiles kissing his cheek. 

He places his hands on Nikki's hips and kisses her back on the lips, "Just wasn't feeling it" He replies. 
"This doesn't have something to do with a certain woman?" She questions as she cups his cheek while standing on her tiptoes. 

Jack closes his eyes for a moment and breathes steadily, "Don't bring her up, she's dead to me, quite literally" Jack replies. 
"Jack... she's your Mother" Nikki sighs. 
"I know, Jack, please... she has good intentions, she just wants to see her granddaughters... and I'm not stopping her from seeing them, I would give anything for my Mum to see the girls right now" Nikki sighs as she removes her hand from her fiancée's face. 

Jack rolls his eyes and moves away from her and looks across at Poppy who is still fast asleep on the sofa, "What's wrong with Poppy?" He asks. 
"I'm sure, she's running a bit of a temperature, probably a viral" Nikki explains as she walks back to the sofa and sits herself down and grabs her laptop as she continues to work on a few things for the coroner. 

Later that evening Nikki has just finished the dinner for the four of them. While sitting at the dinner table Poppy sits playing with her food as she still feels unwell and is just pushing her veg around the plate. 
Nikki puts her knife and work down and picks up Maddison's spoon and feeds her some more of her blended meal. "Come on Poppy eat a little bit" Nikki sighs as she blows on Maddison's food before feeding it to her. 

"Mummy, my throat is sore and my ears hurt" Poppy whines as she pushes her plate away. Nikki looks up at Jack for some help but he seems pre-occupied. 
"Jack?" Nikki speaks and he snaps out of his daydream, "A little help... talk to her... get her to eat something" She speaks. 

"Oh yeah... sure" He speaks as he attempts to get Poppy to eat something. 

Nikki just sighs as she feeds Maddison a little more and then glances back at Poppy and Jack with another sigh feeling like she is on a losing battle with both of them.