downstairs. We can clean up the paintbrushes and then start moving furniture.”
“Sounds good.”
Jaime walked back downstairs to his new room, wondering about the fact that Srikkanth had noticed he was shirtless and cared enough to say something about it, even teasingly. He knew what he wanted the observation to mean, but he didn’t figure it was terribly realistic. They’d been very clear about their boundaries when they’d moved in together. Still, a man could hope, couldn’t he? Pulling a clean sweatshirt over his head, he went out into the kitchen to help Sri clean up.
“Damn, this armoire is heavy,” Jaime grunted as they maneuvered the piece of furniture up the stairs.
“It’s solid cherry,” Srikkanth reminded him, his voice strained as they pushed and pulled on the box, trying to get it up to Sophie’s nursery. “Maybe we should’ve bought something cheaper.”
With a final heave, they pushed the chest into the upstairs hallway. “If we had, we’d only end up replacing it in a couple of years,” Jaime reminded him. “Yes, it’s heavy, but it’s good quality. And it’s the biggest piece. The rest should be easier.”
Srikkanth wasn’t sure about that, but they’d see how it went. He grabbed his utility knife and cut away the cardboard box around the armoire so they could position it in one corner of Sophie’s bedroom. Another trip brought up the chest of drawers that also doubled as a changing table. They brought up the bed on the final trip, setting out all the pieces so they could assemble it.
“This is going to be one of those projects that takes forever, isn’t it?” Jaime groused.
“It might be,” Srikkanth shrugged, “but Sophie will be far more comfortable here than in that little napper. I can’t believe she’s almost outgrown it already. She’s only two months old.”
“Babies grow fast,” Jaime said. “And she’s eating well, so there’s no reason she shouldn’t. I think I remember reading that most babies double their weight by the time they’re six months old.”
Srikkanth shook his head. “We’ll have to get new clothes for her before long.”
“Let’s see if the ones she has will last until it warms up a little more. That way we can buy spring and summer things in the next size. They’ll last longer that way.”
“Makes sense.”
They spread the directions out on the floor and started assembling the bed, attaching the side rails to the headboard and footboard with long screws and then positioning the bedsprings at the highest level so they could reach her easily while still supporting her head. Finally, they got the bed together and the sheets on the mattress. “I think everything’s ready,” Jaime declared. “Now she just needs to wake up so we can show her her new room.”
As if on cue, Sophie started fussing in the other room. Laughing, the two men went into Srikkanth’s bedroom. “You do the honors,” Jaime said. “She’s your daughter.”
“Come here, Sophie,” Srikkanth said with a smile, picking her up. “Do you want to see the room Uncle Jaime and I made for you?”
“What’s she going to call you?” Jaime interrupted.
“Daddy,” Srikkanth said, eyes tearing up as he thought about the unexpected blessing.
“Call yourself Daddy when you’re talking to her so she knows who you are,” Jaime suggested. “That’s the way babies learn names.”
“Do you want to see the room Uncle Jaime and Daddy made for you?” Srikkanth repeated, the appellation awkward on his tongue, but he’d get used to it. Eventually.
Srikkanth carried her into the nursery, Jaime trailing behind him, not wanting to intrude on the moment between father and daughter, but Srikkanth didn’t let him hang back for long, gesturing him into the room. “What do you think, betti ?” he asked. “Do you like it? Uncle Jaime picked out the sheets and quilt.
“Sounds good.”
Jaime walked back downstairs to his new room, wondering about the fact that Srikkanth had noticed he was shirtless and cared enough to say something about it, even teasingly. He knew what he wanted the observation to mean, but he didn’t figure it was terribly realistic. They’d been very clear about their boundaries when they’d moved in together. Still, a man could hope, couldn’t he? Pulling a clean sweatshirt over his head, he went out into the kitchen to help Sri clean up.
“Damn, this armoire is heavy,” Jaime grunted as they maneuvered the piece of furniture up the stairs.
“It’s solid cherry,” Srikkanth reminded him, his voice strained as they pushed and pulled on the box, trying to get it up to Sophie’s nursery. “Maybe we should’ve bought something cheaper.”
With a final heave, they pushed the chest into the upstairs hallway. “If we had, we’d only end up replacing it in a couple of years,” Jaime reminded him. “Yes, it’s heavy, but it’s good quality. And it’s the biggest piece. The rest should be easier.”
Srikkanth wasn’t sure about that, but they’d see how it went. He grabbed his utility knife and cut away the cardboard box around the armoire so they could position it in one corner of Sophie’s bedroom. Another trip brought up the chest of drawers that also doubled as a changing table. They brought up the bed on the final trip, setting out all the pieces so they could assemble it.
“This is going to be one of those projects that takes forever, isn’t it?” Jaime groused.
“It might be,” Srikkanth shrugged, “but Sophie will be far more comfortable here than in that little napper. I can’t believe she’s almost outgrown it already. She’s only two months old.”
“Babies grow fast,” Jaime said. “And she’s eating well, so there’s no reason she shouldn’t. I think I remember reading that most babies double their weight by the time they’re six months old.”
Srikkanth shook his head. “We’ll have to get new clothes for her before long.”
“Let’s see if the ones she has will last until it warms up a little more. That way we can buy spring and summer things in the next size. They’ll last longer that way.”
“Makes sense.”
They spread the directions out on the floor and started assembling the bed, attaching the side rails to the headboard and footboard with long screws and then positioning the bedsprings at the highest level so they could reach her easily while still supporting her head. Finally, they got the bed together and the sheets on the mattress. “I think everything’s ready,” Jaime declared. “Now she just needs to wake up so we can show her her new room.”
As if on cue, Sophie started fussing in the other room. Laughing, the two men went into Srikkanth’s bedroom. “You do the honors,” Jaime said. “She’s your daughter.”
“Come here, Sophie,” Srikkanth said with a smile, picking her up. “Do you want to see the room Uncle Jaime and I made for you?”
“What’s she going to call you?” Jaime interrupted.
“Daddy,” Srikkanth said, eyes tearing up as he thought about the unexpected blessing.
“Call yourself Daddy when you’re talking to her so she knows who you are,” Jaime suggested. “That’s the way babies learn names.”
“Do you want to see the room Uncle Jaime and Daddy made for you?” Srikkanth repeated, the appellation awkward on his tongue, but he’d get used to it. Eventually.
Srikkanth carried her into the nursery, Jaime trailing behind him, not wanting to intrude on the moment between father and daughter, but Srikkanth didn’t let him hang back for long, gesturing him into the room. “What do you think, betti ?” he asked. “Do you like it? Uncle Jaime picked out the sheets and quilt.
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