Chapter 50: BABY’S DAY OUT

"Would you like to have a cup of coffee ? It can work wonders for your busy day ahead," Audrey asked Dmitri who was now getting ready for the hospital.
"Darling, you spilled hot coffee on me and your daughter has made me a big fan of cold coffee," Dmitri replied.
"It"s a hot brew but it really helps you to cool off and think rationally. But if you want I can make a cold coffee too," Audrey said.
"Not required ! My recipe for iced coffee is very simple which your daughter can only help in making," Dmitri remarked.
"And what is that recipe ?" Audrey curiously asked.
"The recipe is - have a kid, make coffee, attend to her panic calls, forget you made coffee and then drink it cold, when you finally remember," Dmitri joked as they both laughed.
"Daddy, daddy catch !" Melody shouted in excitement.
"Melody, let's throw the ball and not daddy's pen," Dmitri said as he jumped to catch the pen which he had kept near his diary to be carried to the hospital.
"Good catch ! Never knew about your skill," Audrey complimented.
"No small item is safe here. She's either trying to eat it or throw it. You too will become a ninja overnight and will have all-star catching abilities," Dmitri explained as they all had breakfast.
"Where is Melody ? Why is it so silent when she's present and not napping ?" Dmitri asked in panic after he came out of his room ready to leave for the hospital.
"They say silence is golden !" Audrey remarked as she cleared the table.
"But that goes out the window in toddler land !" Dmitri replied as he looked for her in one room after another.
"Why are you so panicked ? She must be here somewhere as the main door is locked," Audrey replied calmly.
"No ! In such scenarios, you immediately panic because she very well might be coloring the walls, "painting" the bed linen, setting a new makeup trend by using all of your makeup or permanent markers, re-organizing our cabinets (that you just sorted), or jumping into the piles of freshly washed and folded laundry," Dmitri warned.
Finally, they found Melody colouring Audrey"s luggage near the closet.
"Audrey, I hope you don't have any professional engagements today ? Do you think you'll be able to strike work- life balance ?" Dmitri asked as he picked up Melody from the floor.
"After the fundraising event, I was on vacation here in this beach city with Rachel. So I'm all free. Also, there is no such thing as work-life balance. It's all about time management and prioritizing," Audrey replied. "And you can do it all your way if you write your own rules for optimization rather than follow others' rules for being perfect," she added. "We only have one life with many dimensions !"
"Good to hear that !" Dmitri replied.
"Darling, I had a talk with Rachel in the morning and there is some good news !" Audrey exclaimed in joy.
"And what is that ?" Dmitri asked.
"All the issues have been resolved between Rachel and Leo and she's very happy !" Audrey informed.
"This is really great news ! I'm really glad to know that both the best friends are going parallel in life," Dmitri remarked.
"Yes ! Quite the same destiny path we're traversing," Audrey replied.
"I guess, Alex will be discharged by tomorrow from the hospital, so you can call Rachel, Leo and Alex to stay here with us. We have spare rooms in this house," Dmitri suggested.
"Sure ! I'll call her and we all can stay together and Alex can get better attention and comfort at home than in a hotel room," Audrey replied.
"Audrey, I've a colleague who happens to be my best friend too. She is Dr. Isabelle and she lives close by. She and her husband, Kenji have been of great help. I'll request her to accompany you for grocery shopping as she has a day off today," Dmitri said as he knew that with the guests coming, they would require some more food inventory at home.
"I'll be glad to meet Dr. Isabelle," Audrey remarked as Dmitri kissed goodbye to Audrey and Melody as he left for the hospital.
Audrey organized her clothes in the closet and cleaned up the house with Melody. Toddlers love to help around the house, and you'll be surprised by how much they can do.
Audrey gave Melody a shower before she got herself ready for the day.
"No, me!" said Melody as she wanted zero help from her in getting dressed up.
She was adamant about doing everything by herself. Putting on her shoes, zipping up her jacket, putting on her hair- she wanted to do it all on her own.
By now, Audrey had become very familiar with the phrase, "Let me do it !"
Audrey received a call from Isabelle who was coming to pick her up for grocery shopping.
After getting ready, Audrey traded her designer handbag for grab and go, rough and tough, durable bag which Dmitri had given her and made sure that it was filled with wipes and snacks.
Once they were ready, the doorbell rang and it was Isabelle with her two lovely, naughty kids.
They both chatted for sometime as the kids played.
"Raising a spirited toddler isn"t that easy," Audrey remarked as she locked the door to go grocery shopping.
"Most days you'll probably see me walking from my car to the house carrying a toddler under my arm like a sausage," Isabelle said as she put the kids in the car seat. "Can you visualize it, Audrey ? Toddler under one arm. Three bags of groceries in the other with another one walking beside me and top of it one of them crying," Isabelle said.
"Oh God !" Audrey retorted.
"You"re not going to believe this, but mostly Ethan"s mad that I won"t let him drive the car.
"What ?" Audrey asked in surprise.
"Yep, he"s five going on 30, and he wants to drive. He wants to sit in the driver"s seat and turn the wheel, turn on the wipers, beep the horn and flash the lights," Isabelle said.
"Oh ! How cute !" Audrey said.
"It"s kind of adorable unless you have somewhere to be on time, of course," Isabelle replied as the kids enjoyed looking out of the window as they drove.
"I've experienced some of the toddler tantrums since yesterday, so I can empathize with you," Audrey chuckled.
Isabelle was in her usual relaxed jolly mood. So she narrated many funny incidents she had encountered in her journey of motherhood. And Audrey learned and enjoyed every bit of that as they both bonded so well.
"You know what ! It's all the more embarrassing to have a toddler throwing an epic meltdown in public. I thought about how everyone was looking at me in the mall recently, wondering what in the world possessed this child to throw such a temper tantrum, " Isabelle admitted when she went dress shopping with Sarah.
"Oh poor you !" Audrey sympathized.
"These are the days I pray that onlookers don"t think I"m the world"s worst mom. I pray they know that I empathize with my toddler"s very big emotions more than anyone. I pray they know I really am trying here," Isabelle wished as Sarah asked for her drinking cup.
"I can see Rachel, Dmitri and you are sailing in the same boat, now I too have boarded the same boat," Audrey remarked as for the first time she was experiencing motherhood.
"Some days are tough though. You do all the right things, and still there are temper tantrums and epic meltdowns. Most of course are reserved only for moments in public when everyone is watching you. The grocery store. The bank. You know, places where a lot of people are watching ?" Isabelle enlisted incidents of public shame while laughing as they walked through the grocery aisles with the kids pushing the carts.
Isabelle and Audrey bonded over a hearty lunch which they had at the former's home.
"You're quite well maintained while having two kids and a demanding career," Audrey complimented.
"Thanks ! Such a compliment coming from a supermodel means a lot to me. I follow a healthy lifestyle," Isabelle replied.
"Like ?" Audrey asked.
"See, wine is made from fermented grapes, so it"s basically a fruit, and you're fully convinced it most definitely counts as a daily fruit serving. So, I make sure to take it regularly," Isabelle answered as they both laughed till tears came out of their eyes.
Audrey came to know about Calvin's shared past with Isabelle and his present crush on Dr. Hazel, as they both chatted while the kids took a nap.
"Mommy, come to the park, you had promised !" Melody insisted after she had a nap at Isabelle's place.
Ethan and Sarah also demanded to go to the park. So the two ladies agreed.
"I once dreaded going to the park in fear of awkwardly socializing with other moms, or being surrounded by little monsters you don"t know," Isabelle gave a shudder as she said.
"Then what changed your perspective ?" Audrey asked curiously.
"Well now, if I don"t make it to the park or a strenuous activity, I'm stuck with what feels like a rabid dog in a cage the rest of the day, " Isabelle replied with a hearty laugh.
Isabelle and Audrey buckled Sarah and Melody inside their respective strollers.
"No, me!" Sarah said as she wanted to get out of the stroller all of the time and demanded to either push the stroller or be carried the rest of the way.
"Mostly, I end up pushing an empty stroller and carrying my tot. Ethan loves going outside on walks. But he also likes to stop every five feet and look at bugs, mud, flowers, and everything else," Isabelle said as Ethan jumped into the bushes. "Slow down ! Sit down ! Get off that ! Put that down !" If you"re not saying "no" to your toddler, you might be saying one of these phrases instead. You"re making sure that they don"t hurt themselves, hurt someone else, or break something," Isabelle said as she saw all three kids running to the swings.
"It seems universally kids are alike," Audrey noted as she remembered the conversations that happened in the park, on the day Alex fell down.
"See. That"s why I told you not to do that. I told you so," Isabelle said as Sarah came sobbing after she slipped near the see saw. Eventually the boo-boo was kissed after the right ointment was applied from Isabelle"s emergency medical kit.
"Melody got so many things from the park !" Audrey exclaimed surprised at the things shoved in her hands.
"You become a treasure holder. I can"t tell you how many rocks, sticks, leaves, and flowers I"ve had to carry with me, along with their cup, stroller, hat, and toys," Isabelle blew out a breath as both the moms had their hands full with the stuff their kids had collected from the park as they returned home.
"Oh yes, I can see that," Audrey grinned as she too joined in the joys of motherhood.