Chapter 1
SARAH
Poop. There is poop eve-ry-where.
I hold my breath as my eyes trace over the small, confined space.
“No!” I throw my hand out like a stop sign.
Frankie’s bottom lip puffs out, and she starts to cry, holding her arms out for me to pick her up.
Ok.
I quickly untuck my silky blouse and strip it off, setting it on the rocking chair. I tie my freshly dried waves back with a hair tie and grab the wipes off the top of the dresser, ready to enter the danger zone. I need elbow-length gloves, but alas, I’m diving in bare-handed.
“All right, Love Bug.” I scrunch my nose, carefully inspecting the damage. “I guess we’re getting a bath this morning.”Which I do not have time for.
I tug one arm out of her sleeve and then the other, delicately lifting the soiled shirt over her head.
“Ma-ma,” she whimpers, reaching for me, and I curl my spine, pulling my clean body away from her grasp.
“Hold on.” I rip a thousand wipes from the container to attempt to scrub away some of the dried mess stuck to her back and sides. She jolts at the cold and cries louder.
Her soaked bottoms sag, and I toss the handful of wipes into the pool of sewage spread over the crib sheet, then work to remove her pants.
One side of the diaper hangs open, the cheap tab having come loose in the night. Store-brand diapers are my number one enemy today. I’ll draft a letter to the company on behalf of all of mom-kind.
I hold her arm with one hand while trying to inch the sticky and stinky fabric over the bloated diaper. My nostrils flare as I suck in air through my mouth, which might be worse.
Ulk, yuck!
Frankie whimpers as I try to free her from the abhorrent mess. I release one chubby foot and then the other, letting the diaper fall to the sheet that will likely find its home in the trash.
I stare at it, holding her by the arms. “Ok. It’s ok. One thing at a time.”
I grip her under the armpits and hold her away from me, quickly moving to the bathroom, hoping to avoid getting poop on my skirt.
“Mama, I’m hungry,” Ollie whines from the couch as I scurry across the hall with a smelly baby. “In a minute, bud.”
She stands along the side of the tub while I turn on the water, needing it to warm quickly.
“Ma-ma-ma-ma.” Fat tears drip onto her cheeks.
“Shhh. It’s ok. We’ll get you all clean.”As quick as possible. I run a hand over her hair, feeling the stiffness along the back. I can’t even think about it.
Damn diapers.
I check my watch and blow out a breath. Frankie’s cries turn to a fuss as the water pools around her squishy little feet.
After the quickest sanitizing bath of Frankie’s life, I wrap her in a towel and head back across the hall where the morning Poopgate remains.
“All right, you little dung beetle, now that you smell fresh, let’s get you dressed.”
With a diaper and fresh clothes, I hurry to the living room and sit her beside the basket of toys. I check my watch again, knowing Helen will arrive any minute, and I’m only in my bra.
I stop at the edge of the couch and lean down to plant a quick kiss on the top of Ollie’s head. He laughs as Bandit crawls across the screen, ‘baaing’ like a sheep. My little guy is snuggled up with his big-eyed, stuffed blue fish, giggling at Bluey. The giant fur ball next to him raises his head from Ollie’s lap, cocking his head as if I’d forgotten him.
“M-mama. I’m hungry,” Ollie whines.
