head—so much like her father. And her mother wasn’t only talking about her grief—Anna had always handled herself in a way that was very similar to the distant father she’d grown up with.
While Sandra had never understood Anna’s lack of desire to have kids, she’d respected it. She knew it had just been a part of what made Anna Anna . And here Anna was, with her brother’s children, having Babycinos and desperately trying to hold them all together with pancakes and animated movies, all the while slowly drowning in a life she had never wanted.
Anna missed adult company. Work was starting to look appealing, even with all the complications of balancing kids and rosters. Just the idea of meeting some new people and engaging her brain had Anna itching to get started. She missed the challenge, the distraction and focus it required. The woman she’d met in the elevator, Kym, seemed friendly. Maybe she’d try and take her up on the coffee offer—even if Anna didn’t feel like talking about her things, it seemed Kym had some stuff she’d openly talk about. It could help, distract her, get her feeling like herself again. Her mother would take the kids, give her a break, and give her some time for adult company.
The sneaky idea that she’d been burying herself in the kids had come over her.
So soon, she’d bury herself in work and the kids.
“No no no no nonononono!”
Anna stood stock-still, immobile, afraid any sudden movement would cause this to get worse.
“No no no!”
Her eyes were wide, and she had her hands raised slightly in the air as if someone was pointing a gun at her. The noise was almost ear splitting.
“Nononononononono!” Toby lay on the floor, kicking and screaming, red faced and covered in mucous and tears.
Anna had no idea what had happened. They’d been in the kitchen, unpacking the groceries, Toby his usual sweet and clingy self. He’d grabbed at the packet of doughnuts in her hand. She’d said, “As if. No way am I giving you that much sugar before nap time again,” and put them on the top shelf of the pantry. When she’d turned around, ready to pick him up and take him upstairs for a sleep, she’d paused in shock. Toby’s little face had been crumbling, his lower lip quivering, and then he’d fallen to the floor in a big floppy mess and was now in the middle of an excellent example of a tantrum.
It almost looked like he was having a seizure. And all Anna could do was stare, her mouth slightly open. Where had the incredibly cute, happy boy gone? He was clingy, yes. Some nights he woke up screaming and when she went in, he cried harder for his parents. But he’d always settled quickly. Nothing like this had ever happened.
Completely lost in this situation, Anna finally closed her mouth and tried to think what to do. You can’t talk sense to a sixteen month old, she told herself. She’d never been left in charge of a toddler throwing this kind of tantrum. When Ella had done it when she was younger, Anna had just sidled out of the room, leaving Jake to calm her down, or she’d edged down the store aisle and left Sally soothing her and trying to hide her frustration.
Thank God they weren’t in public. How embarrassing.
She stared at him, little fists thrashing, big tears on his screwed-up face, and considered calling her mother. She’d said to call if Anna had any questions, something Anna had taken her up on several times. But she had the feeling her mum would laugh at her for this one.
Apparently, Anna herself had been quite good at throwing tantrums as a toddler. Her mother loved to bring that up.
Slowly, she squatted down. “Uh…Toby?”
He didn’t even hear her. Did she do tough love? Or comfort? She kind of just wanted to ignore him. Maybe that was the way to go.
Sally had once made a joke in the store, when Ella was throwing a fantastic one, while people looked sideways at them, that if they were at home, she’d just walk out of the room. Maybe it
While Sandra had never understood Anna’s lack of desire to have kids, she’d respected it. She knew it had just been a part of what made Anna Anna . And here Anna was, with her brother’s children, having Babycinos and desperately trying to hold them all together with pancakes and animated movies, all the while slowly drowning in a life she had never wanted.
Anna missed adult company. Work was starting to look appealing, even with all the complications of balancing kids and rosters. Just the idea of meeting some new people and engaging her brain had Anna itching to get started. She missed the challenge, the distraction and focus it required. The woman she’d met in the elevator, Kym, seemed friendly. Maybe she’d try and take her up on the coffee offer—even if Anna didn’t feel like talking about her things, it seemed Kym had some stuff she’d openly talk about. It could help, distract her, get her feeling like herself again. Her mother would take the kids, give her a break, and give her some time for adult company.
The sneaky idea that she’d been burying herself in the kids had come over her.
So soon, she’d bury herself in work and the kids.
“No no no no nonononono!”
Anna stood stock-still, immobile, afraid any sudden movement would cause this to get worse.
“No no no!”
Her eyes were wide, and she had her hands raised slightly in the air as if someone was pointing a gun at her. The noise was almost ear splitting.
“Nononononononono!” Toby lay on the floor, kicking and screaming, red faced and covered in mucous and tears.
Anna had no idea what had happened. They’d been in the kitchen, unpacking the groceries, Toby his usual sweet and clingy self. He’d grabbed at the packet of doughnuts in her hand. She’d said, “As if. No way am I giving you that much sugar before nap time again,” and put them on the top shelf of the pantry. When she’d turned around, ready to pick him up and take him upstairs for a sleep, she’d paused in shock. Toby’s little face had been crumbling, his lower lip quivering, and then he’d fallen to the floor in a big floppy mess and was now in the middle of an excellent example of a tantrum.
It almost looked like he was having a seizure. And all Anna could do was stare, her mouth slightly open. Where had the incredibly cute, happy boy gone? He was clingy, yes. Some nights he woke up screaming and when she went in, he cried harder for his parents. But he’d always settled quickly. Nothing like this had ever happened.
Completely lost in this situation, Anna finally closed her mouth and tried to think what to do. You can’t talk sense to a sixteen month old, she told herself. She’d never been left in charge of a toddler throwing this kind of tantrum. When Ella had done it when she was younger, Anna had just sidled out of the room, leaving Jake to calm her down, or she’d edged down the store aisle and left Sally soothing her and trying to hide her frustration.
Thank God they weren’t in public. How embarrassing.
She stared at him, little fists thrashing, big tears on his screwed-up face, and considered calling her mother. She’d said to call if Anna had any questions, something Anna had taken her up on several times. But she had the feeling her mum would laugh at her for this one.
Apparently, Anna herself had been quite good at throwing tantrums as a toddler. Her mother loved to bring that up.
Slowly, she squatted down. “Uh…Toby?”
He didn’t even hear her. Did she do tough love? Or comfort? She kind of just wanted to ignore him. Maybe that was the way to go.
Sally had once made a joke in the store, when Ella was throwing a fantastic one, while people looked sideways at them, that if they were at home, she’d just walk out of the room. Maybe it
Similar Books
