Drabble: Family
Ric understood, honestly he really did. Mark couldn’t help it that he kept vanishing off at random points during the night and day, that it was an annoying side effect of his mutation but lately Ric was starting to question just how much was coincidence? For the last couple of months Mercutio, their first born son but second child, had been waking up in the middle of the night crying and crying and crying. Nothing would put him back to sleep; not a bottle, rocking, baths, reading bedtime stories, or ignoring him (though really none of them had been able to do that), night lights, music, rocking heck he’d even resorted to trying to convince Phe to influence him emotionally... but that had earnt him an emotional backlash overload which took a good day to recover from.
So yes, the three of them had just about tried everything before Ric gave up and took the little one to the Doctor (without Phe or Mark knowing - come on! He wasn’t that stupid), who had simply suggested that maybe Mercutio was teething
Great! Just great.
Now where Lucia, their eldest, had been a relatively easy baby, Mercutio was proving to be quite the handful. Ric was just about functioning on four hours sleep each night before he’d be woken up by a rather grumpy and demanding eight month old baby who dribbled, cried, bit and grumbled for the next two or more hours.
Phe was ever the doting mother and admittedly between the three of them they had quite the perfect routine down, however Ric was the only one who worked and currently this lack of sleep was having a serious impact on his ability to stay awake during meetings.
Lucia on the other hand was thriving, not much of a surprise though really, seeing as she was turning six only in a few months and was proving to be a typical lively, energetic and sociable child. She was a social bumblebee, invited to every party and always eager to make new friends just like her Daddy.
And a drama queen too.
Just like her Daddy.
Now Ric had already been told off for contemplating spiking Mercutio’s bottle of warm milk with just a touch of whiskey, Mark had made his point after he’d ranted at him for a good two hours. Instead Marie had shown him how to sooth his gums and use frozen bagels for Merc to suck on when he was restless. Ric could only hope that those teeth came through quickly before he resorted to throwing a temper tantrum just so he could get put in time out.
Mercutio wailed loudly, the lights on the baby monitoring flashing brightly in the dark room. It was early Sunday morning and Ric rolled over to stare at the alarm clock, it was nearly three am and the house was quiet. It took him a few moments, as he blinked blearily at the little red digits, to realise the other side of the bed was empty. With a sigh Ric got out of bed, shoving on a t-shirt, stumbling down the corridor to Merc’s room and pushing open the door.
What surprised him was not the fact that already their little one was starting to quieten, his cries less insistent but still demanding but it was the fact that somehow Mark had managed to climb into the crib with his son and was laying there with him sprawled across his chest. Leaning against the doorframe Ric watched them both as Mark soothed the distraught baby, rubbing his back in soft circles and cuddling him against his body as Mercutio hiccupped out his gradually softer protests. Within minutes he had dozed off peacefully, fists gripping tightly into the fabric of Mark’s t-shirt and lips parted in a gentle pout.
“A little help here please.” Mark whispered, trying to wriggle free as Mercutio clung tighter, fidgeting so that he could settle back across his Daddy’s chest. There was no way in hell Mark was going anywhere any time soon.
“You look plenty fine to me.” Leaning against the door Ric stifled a yawn, head resting against the wooden frame as two slender, pale arms wound their way around his waist. “Mornin’ Phe. What are you doing up?”
Pointing at the cribs, words still beyond her in this lethargic state, Ophelia looked as tired as Ric felt; all messy haired and still half closed eyes. Peering around Ric she took in the sight of Mark and their son cuddled up in the cot and gave a sleepy smile before melting against Ric. Scooping her up into his arms Ric again yawned and nodded his head back towards the bedroom. “I’m gonna get this one back to bed. Have fun.”
As much as Ric might grumble and complain about how Mark would randomly vanish he wouldn’t change this for the world. Dysfunctional, flawed, crazy, odd but so very perfect in their own unique way.
This was his family.