I honestly don't remember when I agreed with Charlotte to babysit her daughter. It's possible that it was when I was drunk and that explains why I don't remember it.

I should control myself more.

Julie, as my guardian angel, is already on her way.

But it probably won't be fast enough, because at the moment I hung up, I heard crying.

I left the room. "What did you do?" I frowned at Acker, who just stood by the seat on the counter.

"Me? Nothing. I didn't even touch her." He put his hands in a defensive gesture.

I walked over to him, a child's cry echoing throughout my apartment. Nat had tears running down her cheeks and was red.

Oh god, why did I say yes?

"What's wrong with you?" I asked as if she could answer me.

"I'm pretty sure it's because of what's going on in her diaper. You wouldn't be too thrilled to have shit smeared all over your ass either..."

"You're not helping." I interrupted him. "Pick her up and rock her in your arms, maybe that will help." I nodded.

"Me?" He raised an eyebrow. "Maya, I don't think you understand me. I've never held a baby."

"What about your niece?" I frowned.

"She was adopted when she could walk and use the toilet. She," he pointed at Nat, "is small."

"And you think it's different with me?"

"Don't you have maternal instincts?"

"I'm not a mother, Acker, I don't know if you've noticed." I inadvertently raised my voice and Nat must have taken it as a challenge to a shouting match as she started to cry louder.

"She's got pretty big lungs for something so small." He acknowledged.

"That doesn't help."

"I'm sure you can handle it better than I can. Just take her out of it and be careful she doesn't fall."

"You don't say." I rolled my eyes and walked over to the counter. "Please, Nat, don't cry." I unfastened her from the seat and carefully went under her back. I slowly started to pull her out of it, her crying did not stop. "Come on." I pulled her to my body and patted her back a little.

I shouldn't have.

"Acker." I looked at him and saw him trying to hold back his laughter. "Tell me she didn't just throw up on my back."

"At least she's quiet." He couldn't take it anymore and laughed.

This is it. This moment. I will never have children.

But before I could say anything, she started crying again. "Oh, my God."

I smell like vomit and I have a baby in my hands who has a full diaper that will probably explode in a moment. How did I get here?

"Take her." I signaled to Acker and walked toward him, but he just stepped back.

"No way." He raised his hands.

"Sebastian," I warned him. "Take. Her." I pulled her away from me and tried to hand her to him.

"Maya, stop it."

"I swear if..." Before I could finish, the front door opened and Julie stood in it.

"Jesus, are you going to sacrifice her or are you playing the lion king?" She put her purse on the counter and immediately walked over to me. She took Nat from my hands and pulled her closer. "What's the stench?" She frowned.

"Which one?" Acker asked. "She has a full diaper and Maya's back is covered in vomit."

"Oh." She looked at me. "Are you okay?"

"Peachy." I faked a smile. "Charlotte left her things by the door. If you'll excuse me, I have to go wash up." I feel disgusting in my own skin.

I shook myself involuntarily and went to the room as quickly as possible, from where I took a new shirt and headed straight to the bathroom.

I stopped in front of the mirror and gagged when I saw the vomit on my shoulder.

"Oh God." I swallowed hard and carefully took off my shirt so I wouldn't accidentally smear it on my face. That would finish me.

After I undressed, I stepped into the shower and washed away the disgusted feeling.

I don't even know how long I stood under the stream of hot water. After some time, I turned off the water and dressed in clean clothes.

I stepped out, leaving the steamy bathroom behind me, and headed into the kitchen where I heard voices.

My eyes fell on Julie, with little Nat in her arms and a bottle from which she was feeding her. Acker just stood on the other side of the kitchen counter, his gaze on me the moment he noticed me.

"She's amazing with kids." He pointed his finger at Julie, and thus at the calm Nat.

"And I'm amazing with a bat." I crossed my arms over my breasts.

"Hint taken." He nodded and shut his mouth.

"She just needs to burp some more and she'll be fine," Julie spoke, placing the empty bottle on the counter and patting Nat's back gently before burping softly. "Now she'll sleep for a few hours without any problem." She walked over to the baby seat and carefully put her down there.

"For how long?" I asked.

"It depends on how long she's slept today and if she's comfortable in this." She pointed to the seat. "But it won't be for eight hours if you ask." She laughed and took her purse from the counter.

"Whoa, what are you doing?" I stopped her.

"Leaving?" She frowned. "I told Sebastian everything he needs to know, you can handle it."

"Wait, Julie." Acker stepped in front of her to stop her. "I wasn't listening to you. You can't leave. What if she needs to be changed? Or she starts crying? Do we look like we know what we're doing?" He raised an eyebrow.

Julie looked at me and back at Acker. "I can't stay, I have something. I can come to check on her in a few hours, nothing more, sorry." She shrugged.

"Eddie?" I asked and Julie just nodded. "Okay, sure, go. But I'll call you when we don't know what to do." I warned her.

"I didn't expect anything else." She laughed. "Good luck." She patted Acker on the shoulder before disappearing behind him and then walking out of my apartment.

Acker and I looked at each other desperately.

"Do you remember at least some of what she told you?" I asked after a while.

"Not even a thing." He smiled.

"Oh, that's good." I laughed desperately. "So we're absolutely fucked if she wakes up." I acknowledged.

"On one hundred percent." He nodded.

Well, shit.

*****

We were the luckiest people in the world. Nat slept for several hours and we tiptoed around so as not to wake her.

When she started crying again, we took her out...no, I took her out of the seat, risking another of my shirts. I buried her in my arms, which seemed to be effective.

That was until I felt her diaper fill up.

I couldn't hand her over to Acker faster.

Since he was watching Julie change her diaper, it was up to him. I have to say, I think he nailed it.

While she slept, Acker tried to find something on the Internet to entertain her. Finally, he found some videos on YouTube and sat down with her in front of the TV.

That was three hours ago.

Now, Acker is lying on his back, all the pillows under his head, and Nat on his chest, half asleep. From the sofa, I can see the little saliva that dripped directly onto Acker's shirt.

I couldn't help but take a picture.

When I was putting my cell phone down, Julie texted me if we needed her, to which I just sent her the photo.

She immediately spammed my messages with hearts. I can't blame her, they are adorable.

While I was enjoying the sight of Acker with the baby, I heard a soft knock on the door.

I looked at the clock and saw that it was already ten o'clock in the evening. The time really flies around here.

I stood up quietly and walked even more quietly to the door. I opened them and found Charlotte and Ronald standing there in formal clothes.

Charlotte, a tall blonde with blue eyes and a gorgeous red dress, had a smile on her face. Ronald, in his thirties, taller than Charlotte, with brown eyes and hair, was wearing a blue suit with a white shirt and was holding a woman's coat in his hand.

"Hi." Charlotte smiled.

"I thought you'd be longer," I whispered. "Come in." I moved out of the way.

"Hi, Maya." Ronald gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before Charlotte hugged me.

"Hey, Ron." I smiled at him and closed the door behind us.

"Oh wow." I stopped next to Charlotte who was looking at her daughter with Acker. "Yours?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Mine." I couldn't help but smile.

Mine.

"Lucky girl." She nudged me with her elbow, to which I just laughed.

I don't even know why I said that. Mine. But it sounds good. And it sounds right.

"He must be something else since Nat fell asleep like that," Ronald spoke. "It's magic."

"He's right, she's never been so calm around a stranger." She laughed. "Were there any complications?" She raised an eyebrow.

"One T-shirt and our ears suffered, but no." I shook my head.

"Maya, would you mind if I use the bathroom?" Ronald asked.

"Oh, of course not. First door on the left." I showed him where with my finger and he thanked me.

When he closed the door behind him, Charlotte turned to me with a huge smile. Oh no.

"I didn't know you were with someone." She poked me. "Why didn't you tell me anything?"

"It's fresh." Plus, we're not dating. We're just sleeping together.

And you paint together. And he brings you flowers and beer. He takes care of you when you are drunk or sick. You told him about Christian. And you are slowly falling in love with him.

Falling in love? That one beer really hit me in the head.

"Well, whatever it is, you should stick with him." She smiled.

"You have a husband." I pointed at her.

"Oh, I know. Just saying." She raised her hands in a defensive gesture. "They look so peaceful I don't want to take her away from him." She frowned. "Any chance she could sleep here?"

NO WAY!

"Just kidding." She laughed. "Calm down, Maya." She grabbed my hand. "I wouldn't do that to you." She winked at me and walked into the living room. "Hi, sweetie." She whispered and slowly took Nat in her arms, who snuggled against her chest.

I assume Acker is still sleeping since he hasn't moved.

Charlotte walked over to me with Nat in her arms while Ronald was just coming out of the bathroom. He placed a quick kiss on Nat's hair and began packing Nat's belongings on the counter.

"I really don't know how to thank you," Charlotte spoke up. "Feel free to stop by my work anytime and you'll get everything for free."

Charlotte works in a salon that is the best in town, which means the prices are high too. I'd be a fool to say no.

"That's more than enough." I laughed.

And mainly because Acker and Julie did most of it.

She slowly placed Nat in the seat and took it in her hand. "Thank you." She hugged me.

"Anytime." Oh hell no.

"You really helped us." Ronald hugged me with a smile.

"Of course."

I escorted them to the entrance and said goodbye.

I let out a breath as I closed the door. So that was a day.

I pushed myself away from the door and walked into the living room, where Acker was still sleeping. His chest rose slowly and regularly.

I couldn't stop looking at him. He looked so calm.

Strands of hair fell on his face and his mouth was slightly open. His t-shirt was slightly rolled up, showing the tattoos on his stomach, and his hand was still where Nat lay.

I walked up to him and on the way I took a blanket from the sofa. I stood next to him and carefully covered him so he wouldn't wake up.

I don't even know why, but I was smiling.

I turned around, ready to go to sleep in his room, when I felt a hand on my wrist.

I looked at Acker, his eyes slightly ajar. He didn't say anything, he just pulled me to him.

I almost fell on him when he pulled me again. I take that as a hint that he wants me to lie down.

He lifted the blanket and I crawled under it. He covered us both and pulled me as close as possible with his hand on my stomach.

"Tell me I didn't squish up Nat in here somewhere." He whispered in my ear.

"No." I laughed. "She left a while ago with her parents."

"Hmm." He buried his head into my neck, his breath sending shivers down my body.

"You did well with her." I acknowledged. "You would be a good father."

"Perhaps." He said tiredly.

"Do you want children?" I remembered the conversation with Raymond.

"It's not up to me" He muttered. "I'm not the one carrying the baby for nine months and then pushing it out." I smiled at his answer and was glad he couldn't see my red face.

"But do you want children?"

"I'm not going to rush into it, but if it ever happens, I'm going to be there for them. I'm not going to be like my parents." I heard a little pain in his voice, which for some reason hurt me too.

"Good night," I whispered and pressed myself closer to his chest, feeling safe in his embrace.

"Night, Mimi."