151 - Reading Nook

*I love your kids, and I’ll treat them just like my own. I solemnly swear to watch over Vin while he is here and do my best to ensure that he is up to absolutely no good. Always. - Aramis*

Camille found Priscilla in the reading nook that used to be hers. The walls were now gray and purple horizontal stripes. Each stripe was the same width as the bookshelves that had been painted the same horizontal striped pattern. White ivy was stenciled on the purple rows with pictures of the family with the baby on the gray rows.

Priscilla’s sister-in-law and Camille’s sister, Charlotte, had taken the professional pictures. The family all wore matching purple and gray. Looking around the glider, she saw the maternity pictures that her sister had sent her to, as Charlotte phrased it, “Do your magic.” The pictures were all black and white except for the sheer purple maternity dress that Priscilla wore.

Her favorite pictures were still the ones of Priscilla standing in the field with the wind blowing her hair and the sheer dress. There was a whole series with the father either kneeling before her kissing her belly or standing behind her. Camille looked at the picture of the linked fingers over the large belly and imagined what a picture like that with Darkness would look like.

The red couch had been replaced with a glider rocker and matching ottoman. A small changing table sat under the sconce that was now small purple crystal wall chandelier. Two toy boxes from Sticks’ company sat against the opposite wall, both were overflowing with toys, with a portable bassinet between them.

Nessie’s secret library that was not-so-secret now covered the upper shelves and children’s books covered the lower shelves. Camille knew that the encyclopedia collection had been moved up to her old room. She had not been upstairs yet to see the new shelves that Cookie had built.

During the lockdown, Nessie had made an inventory of the different encyclopedia volumes and Trevor worked with Camille to make a checkout system. At any point in time, she could pull up the app and see who had checked or requested any of her encyclopedias. She had also gotten good at guessing what class and subject was being researched.

She looked at her friend with the newborn baby at her breast. Priscilla wore a pair of loose basketball shorts, a nursing camisole and a large flannel shirt with the sleeves cut off. For years Priscilla had been known for stealing hoodies. Now her shirts were her own, but Camille was certain that this one belonged to her friend’s husband.

Automatically, her eyes went to the large dark colored tattoo on her friend’s upper arm. It was the first time she had seen it since it had been fixed. What had once been only about four inches tall just below her shoulder now crested her shoulder and extended below her elbow.

The thick lines and dark shading were now covered by the work of a more skilled artist. Multiple shades of black, purple, red, blue and green added more depth and hid the original tattoo. It was only if you knew where to look, would you see the original artwork.

It was hidden, but the fact that some could still see the original tattoo gave a deeper meaning to the newer inked artwork.

Leaning against the doorframe, she must have made a noise because the new mother looked up at her old friend. Priscilla started wearing contacts to color her eyes blue like the rest of the family in eighth grade. Since then, Camille could count on her right hand how many times she had seen her closest friend in public with her natural-colored eyes.

Including today, the count was up to the grand total of … two.

“She’s going into a boob coma,” Priscilla said softly with a smile.

“Boob comas are good,” Camille replied just as softly as the baby fell off her mother’s breast.

Priscilla shifted her daughter and refastened her camisole in place. She then placed the baby on her shoulder and gently coaxed a burp out of the infant. Camille walked over and held out her hands for her niece.

“She’s going to need a diaper change in a few minutes,” Priscilla warned.

“I only get a few days with her; I’ll take a few times at diaper duty.”

Handing over her daughter, Priscilla started to rock again.

“I love what you’ve done with the place,” Camille said as she walked around and looked at the different pictures.

Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes. “You don’t mind, do you?”

“No,” her friend assured her quietly as she watched her friend slow in her movements.

The baby scrunched against Camille’s chest. It was not long after the warmth spread out through the diaper that the sweet tangy scent of baby poop filled the small room. At the changing table, she found wipes, diapers, cream and everything else that she needed.

Camille made quick work of changing the diaper and rearranging the baby bag that the little girl wore. It was the same type that Sid made for all of her kids and grandkids. She had always called them Sweet Pea baby bags after what the Popeye character wore. It was big enough that babies could wear them up until they started walking.

With her task complete, she turned back to see that her friend was asleep in the rocking chair that had stopped moving. Carrying the sleeping infant down the hall, she headed towards the main room where her other friends were gathered with her husband and kids.

Sitting down on the couch next to Darkness, he shifted her to sit on his lap. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her temple, and softly murmured, “You look good with a baby in your arms.”

Camille snuggled into her husband’s chest and could not help but smile.

“Did Priss fall asleep?” Athos asked.

“Yeah,” Camille nodded.

Porthos chuckled, “You know she did. I’ll go get her and put her to bed.”

Camille laughed, “How many times did you guys put me to bed after I got pass out drunk.”

“I’ve got her,” Priscilla’s husband said with a gentle hand on Porthos’ leg to stop him from getting up.

Porthos nodded as he settled back into his chair. The other man stood up and quietly left the group. Conversations around them picked up and Camille continued to simply watch the baby sleep against her chest.

Darkness reached up and gently caressed the tiny head that had a light dusting of dark brown hair. It was not hard to imagine having a baby with this man. He was kind and considerate, thoughtful and attentive.

Leaning onto his chest, she lay her head on his shoulder. She had seen baby pictures of both Darkness and Jasper and the three kids. It was not hard to imagine a baby with a little lighter skin and sharing their features.

With this imagined baby in her mind, the large brown eyes that suddenly opened took her by surprise. They were a lighter color shared with her biological father.