So, she had to call another last minute baby-sitter and now she had to face the guilt of coming home late. Leave the job and the stress in the office, she told herself. She took a deep breath and walked through the door of apartment number nine.
�Mommy, mommy! Mommy�s home!� Erin hollered and jumped up from in front of the television. In the background she could hear Bethany crying. The baby-sitter came around the corner, coming out of the bedroom Sarah and Bethany shared. Erin ran up and hugged his mom�s legs.
�There you are. I tried to put Bethany to bed, but she wouldn�t stop crying.� Rebecca said. �I have to get home and finish my homework. Can you pay me now?�
�Mommy, Befany�s been crying a long time.� Erin said tugging on Sarah�s dress.
The baby�s shrieks were already beginning to cut into Sarah�s head, creating a painful, throbbing headache.
�Mom, I�m hungy.� Erin whined
How was she going to deal with all of this? Home was this supposed to be a relief from work. Right about now she would almost welcome the stale air, florescent lights, bad coffee and maybe even the horny boss.
�I�m sorry Rebecca, but I�m broke right now. I�ll pay you as soon as I take money out of the bank.� She looked down at Erin. �Hold on honey, I�ll cook dinner in a minute.�
�That�s okay Mrs. Blanchette. I�ll call tomorrow night and see if you have it then.� Rebecca walked out the door without another word. The door slammed behind her. It must feel good to walk away from hungry and screaming children.
Erin ran over to the television and turned it up. On the screen Tom and Jerry were violently chasing each other. Sarah opened the freezer and took out lasagna. She preheated the oven then went to get Bethany from her crib.
�Mommy, when�s daddy gonna come home?� Erin asked before she could leave the room.
�In a couple of days. Could you turn down the Television? Mommy�s got a headache.�
Bethany screamed from the other room.
�I�m coming honey.� Sarah called.
She went into the bedroom and picked up the baby. How was she going to explain to Erin that the bastard left for good after she got pregnant with the crying baby? How was he going to understand that his father had no heart and even less patience for crying and hungry children?
�Of course you are crying. How did Rebecca expect you to get to sleep without dinner in your tummy?� She took the child into the kitchen and laid her next to her older brother.
Beep-beep, oven preheated. Ring-ring, telephone, business call? Crying baby, pounding headache, blaring television, Erin misses his dad. Alone. When was the last time she had sex? Hell, when was the last time she got a hug from a grown man?
�Erin, I told you to turn down the television!� She was yelling now. �Bethany, stop crying or I�m gonna throw you in the oven with the lasagna! Telephone, you are just going to have to wait.� She turned to her son and now silent daughter. �Erin, watch your sister. I need to change into some more comfortable clothes and take some Tylenol for my headache. Keep an eye on her!�
Sarah went into the bathroom and took some Tylenol. She was about to change when she looked down at the bathtub. She saw her dog-eared romance novel, her lilac scented candle and, of course, the tub itself. She opened the door and went back into the kitchen. She put the lasagna in the oven, set the timer and turned to her babies.
�Erin, mom�s going to take a bath and relax for a while. The lasagna will be done in forty-five minutes. Will you watch Bethany and knock on the door when the oven beeps?�
�Uh huh.� Erin said without looking up from his cartoons.
�Thanks baby.� Sarah said and then went in to enjoy her bath.
She didn�t remember falling asleep in the bathtub; nevertheless Erin�s knocking on the door woke her up. She sat up in the lukewarm bath.
�Mom, the uben beeped.�
�I�ll be right out.� Sarah got out of the tub and put a towel around her head and threw on a bathrobe.
She walked out of the bathroom and into the kitchen. Erin was once again in front of the television. She walked to the oven and noticed the lasagna smelled a little funny. She opened the oven and a scream escaped her lips. She turned white and sat down hard on the floor. A hand went to her mouth to stifle more screaming, and maybe a little vomiting too.
Erin looked from the television to his mother. �Befany started crying so I frew her in the uben wif the lasagna, just like you said mom,� he said, very much proud of himself.