Graddad and Grandmom
Graddad and Grandmom
"Mom, Dad, he - he hasn't come to see the twins since they arrived," said Nari.
It had been a week since she brought home Ava and Amelia from the hospital. While she met with her father during meals, he never came to see them in her room.
Only Yanmei, her siblings, and her grandparents came to check on the twins.
Amelia and Ava were in their individual bathtubs, getting their feet soaked in the water. Both were settled on Nari's bathroom countertop.
"Shhhh... sorry, baby! Mommy just needs to wash you," said Nari to the crying Ava.
"He doesn't want to see you struggle, Nari. Taking care of two babies is really tough," reasoned Yanmei. "Don't worry. I'll tell him to drop by."
"Is he... still angry with me?" Nari asked while taking Ava against the towel on her chest. After wrapping her baby girl with the towel, did she resume, "Does he not like Ava and Aemilia?"
"Of course he likes them! They are our grandchildren after all," said Yanmei.
It was Yanmei's turn to take Amelia from the bath and wrapped her in a towel. As they walked back to the bedroom and changed the twins, Yanmei resumed, "He, he is still unsettled over your situation with Luiz."
"Don't worry, Nari. He'll come around," suggested Yanmei. She caressed Nari's back and pecked on the side of her face.
"Mom, maybe you should sleep with Dad tonight. I can ask Unnie to stay with me," told Nari. "Maybe he ." Nari shed a tear before adding, "Maybe he did not like it that you have been staying with me these past few days."
Yanmei first settled the twins in their crib before she embraced Nari. She said, "No, sweetheart. That is not true. Your Daddy loves you. You know that very well."
She rubbed both Nari's arms and added, "Maybe it's my fault. I have not been taking care of your Dad lately since the twins arrive." She nodded and said, "Why don't you have your sister help you then."
"Of course, Nanny Lucille will be here to help you as well," reminded Yanmei.
While Yanmei employed a nanny for the twin's care, Nari was acted very motherly and felt awkward leaving the girls in the care of someone she did not know. She only trusted her family to really look after Ava and Amelia for longer hours.
Most of the time, Nari would fail to sleep altogether, always paranoid about who was looking after them. This was the same reason why the twins remained in her room and not in the nursery that Yanmei had prepared for Ava and Amelia.
Returning to her room, Yanmei startled her husband. He was earlier reading from his laptop when she arrived. He frowned and said, "Why are you here?"
"Why? This is my room too!" She protested.
After getting settled in the bed, Yanmei said, "Chan-Mi is sleeping with Nari tonight."
"I see," said Anton. "Well, I'm glad you are here. It's not the same sleeping without you."
"Goodnight, mine," said Yanmei before pecking on her husband's cheek.
She was still thinking of how to talk it over with her husband, when all of a sudden Anton asked, "Mine, why... Why do you think... Nari has not asked me to see the twins?"
That prompted Yanmei to get up, and she cried instantly, hugging her husband. She said while weeping, "Oh, mine. You are so silly!"
"Did it ever crossed your mind that your daughter needs you more and you need not an invitation?" She asked before letting go.
"It's just that... she only asked you for help," said Anton. "She never asked me. I thought maybe she was still upset at how I have been reminding her of her shortcomings."
"Well, as it turns out! She has been asking why you haven't come to see the twins!" She snapped at him and said, "It doesn't matter if she becomes upset or not! She needs us right now and you should know that by heart."
"Come!" Yanmei urged her husband to get up from the bed. "Let's go see the twins."
They easily made their way to Nari's room and found Chan-Mi feeding Amelia while Nari was putting Ava to sleep. Nanny Lucille was keeping the bathtubs away from the bathroom.
"Dad," called Nari.
There was silence as Anton made his walk towards Nari. He looked down and studied Ava. He smiled and probed, "Does she look like you or Luiz?"
"Um... I don't know yet, Dad. It's too early to tell," responded Nari.
"Let me see," suggested Anton before offering his hand.
Just like that, Anton started to cradle Ava in his arms and when the little girl acted to cry at the unfamiliar scent, he said, "Shhh... It's okay. It's grandpa!"
He shook his head for a second and declared, "That sounds so old."
Turning to Nari, Anton suggested, "Maybe we could have them call us... granddad instead. That's less old, don't you think?"
Nari wound up feeling teary-eyed, and she answered, "Yeah, that sounds great dad. Graddad and grandmom it is."
Yanmei gestured for Nanny Lucille to take a leave. Somehow, she felt they weren't leaving Nari's side that night. Only Chan-Mi stayed, observing the exchange between Anton and Nari.
After the door closed behind them, Anton offered to embrace Nari while still holding Ava. He said, "I'm sorry, Nari. I thought... you did not want me to help you look after them. It was wrong of me to assume."
"Dad, why would you think that?" Nari asked her tears remained to flow.
"You always say, Mom can you help me with the twins - Mom can you teach me to bathe them - Mom - Mom - Mom!" He announced. "I may be a businessman, but don't forget, I changed your diapers! All of you - you - your unnie and Geun!"
"Nari, sweetheart, you can also ask me to help you with the babies. I am an expert at everything," announced Anton.
From the bed, Chan-Mi and Yanmei chuckled, and they too got up to join the embrace while being careful with the tiny babies.
"I'm sorry, Dad," said Nari. "I hope you don't mind that I take that offer seriously?"
"Of course, Nari," said Anton.
"You really are the best, Dad!" Chan-Mi announced. "I know now I can lean on you to take care of my babies too - when I have them."
Anton pinched Chan-Mi's cheek and reminded, "don't hurry up. One set of babies at a time."
Chan-Mi just laughed and said, "I'll try, Daddy."
"Should I continue staying with Nari?" She asked, seeing how comfortable her father was holding Ava.
"We can stay with Nari, right, mine?" Yanmei suggested.
"Yes, I think, we'll help your sister tonight. Thank you, Chan-Mi," told Anton.
To Nari's surprise, Anton did live up to his words. In fact, he let both Yanmei and Nari rest for the first three hours only to ask for help when both the twins awoke at the same time.
"Dad, let me have Ava," said Nari as she struggled to get up. Nari had had several sleepless nights since the twins arrived, and Anton saw this in her tired face.
"No, Nari. You go to sleep. I and your mom will take care of them tonight." He urged her to lie back down and said, "Go ahead."
Assured that her twins were in good care, she surrendered to the exhaustion of her body and dozed off.
Meanwhile, granddad and grandmom got busy.
"Just like old times, mine?" Yanmei teased.
"Apparently," said Anton. "I remember the first time I held Chan-Mi. It was so rewarding."
"It's true love, mine. It's because... they are our flesh and blood that love just happens," suggested Yanmei as she also starts letting Amelia feed on her bottle.
"We should... let Nari rest for a few days. What do you think about letting the babies stay with us for two days?" Anton proposed.
***
Two weeks passed, and the babies were still in Anton and Yanmei's room. Nari came to see them one night and said, "Hey, Mom, Dad. Should the twins come back to my room now? Or should I just join you here in your room?"
"Yeah, that is a good idea, Nari. I'll arrange for a mattress for you to sleep on," said Anton while cradling Amelia.
'Seriously?' Nari silently asked.