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Chapter 5
Katie sat on the couch with her feet tucked under her and her head resting on the arm, staring at the television. She'd seen this episode of SpongeBob about twenty-seven times already, but Noah loved it and at least the little yellow sponge provided enough distraction from the gloomy thoughts in her mind. She loved her Auntie being here to take care of them, but it had been two weeks since she had seen her husband, and she was going stir-crazy. She looked at her son, who was on the other side of the couch laying with his feet straight up the back and his head hanging over the front.
"Why are you sitting like that?" she asked curiously. It was something she often did in Little space but seeing her son do it made her curious.
"SpongeBob is super funny but he's even funnier upside down."
Katie giggled. "Mind if I join you?"
Noah patted the couch next to him. "There's plenty of space."
Katie moved into position next to him and he scooted closer still. She reached over and took his little hand in hers. "I love you buddy."
"Love you too," he answered, never taking his eyes off the screen.
"Okay my little couch potatoes. Up, up, up." Rose came into the room clapping her hands. She'd been laying the baby down for her afternoon nap.
"Wait, this is the good part!" Noah protested.
"It's always the good part," Rose countered as she reached the remote and shut off the television. "Flip off that couch. I have a mission for you."
Noah back flipped off the couch and jumped to his feet, regarding Rose with interest and suspicion. "What kinda mission? Is this one of those tricks where you tell me I need to clean my room now?"
Rose smirked. "Last I checked your room was pretty clean. So no, this is not a trick. I want you to go and get all the pillows and blankets you can find from all around the house. Just stay out of Claire's room."
"All of them?"
"Every. Single. One. Got it?"
"Got it." Noah ran off to do as he was told and Rose turned to Katie.
"Do I got a mission too?" Katie asked, still upside down.
"Yes, little girl. Get up and help me move some of this furniture."
"What are we doing?" Katie asked curiously as she rolled off the couch way less gracefully than Noah had.
"We're having some fun. How heavy is this couch?" Rose went to the side and lifted. "Not too bad. Grab the other side and let's move it all the way back to the wall."
Katie did as she was told, happy to let go and let Rose lead. With the current events it was easy for Katie to let herself slip into the dark places where anxiety and depression lived, and she hated letting those feelings win, but on days like today it was hard not to. She missed her Daddy, she missed taking the kids to the library or the park. She missed grocery shopping and smiling at people. Seclusion was yucky. She wasn't secluded though, she reminded herself, not completely. She had her kids and she had Auntie Rose and sometimes just that thought was enough to keep the dark away. Sometimes it wasn't.
Noah returned with all the bedding from his bed and dumped it on the couch before running back down the hall for more. He was such a little trooper. He’d mentioned Daddy a couple of times, but he hadn't complained at all about being stuck at home and he was excited for whatever Rose had planned.
Safe at home, not stuck at home, Katie reminded herself.
"You okay, sweet girl?" Rose asked, pulling her into a hug and kissing the top of her head.
"I'm trying to be," Katie answered honestly. She wasn't sure how to put into words what the emotional roller coaster felt like, but it didn't seem to matter to Rose. She squeezed tighter.
"How can I help?"
Katie shrugged and Rose popped her on the butt. "Don't shrug at me, little girl."
"Sorry." Katie hid her face in Rose's chest.
"Mmhmm. Do we need to have a little chat later?"
"No Ma'am."
