“Up to you.”
If there was an award given for mean sister of the year, I was a serious contender. Jack was truly asleep. Disturbing him to give him a bath was unkind, but I did it and he didn’t go quietly.
His tiny little cry travelled all the way through me, and when I glanced up at Alex and noticed him chewing his bottom lip, I knew it was affecting him too.
“He doesn’t like the water, Charli,” he muttered.
I lifted the baby to my shoulder and covered him with a towel. “He’s a Blake. How could he not like the water?”
Alex didn’t speak again. He didn’t need to. Jack was protesting enough for the both of them. As I lowered the tiny boy into the water, his cry amplified. “Jack, please,” I begged. “I know I’m a bit out of practice, but you’re making me look bad.”
He obviously wasn’t listening. The heartbreaking little trill continued. After just a minute, Alex had reached his limit. Rather than step in and take over, or demand that I hand him his son, he decided to leave. “I’m going upstairs to see Gabi,” he muttered. “I’ll be back soon.”
He didn’t give me a chance to tell him what a coward I thought he was. He practically bolted for the door.
I lifted the clean but wailing baby out of the bath and bundled him up in a towel. “Don’t take it personally, Jack,” I whispered. “Dad doesn’t do crying.”
***
Settling the baby was easier than I thought it would be. As soon as he was dressed and comfortable, he quietened down. I spent a long time cradling him in my arms as we wandered around the nursery. I would’ve ventured further but didn’t want to push my luck. According to Hannah, I was already breaking rules by being in there unsupervised to begin with. Fortunately, I had a good view of the reception area from the doorway.
Micky was the nurse on duty that morning, and she had her work cut out for her trying to discharge the Davis family. Wade stood at the counter, presumably taking care of the paperwork while Jasmine sat on the small sofa surrounded by their army of mini Beautifuls.
I hadn’t seen the twins in a long time, and was surprised by how much they’d grown. Cheynie was bouncing around on the cushion beside Jasmine – who seemed oblivious to the fact that her daughter was coming dangerously close to whacking her newborn baby in the head with the kiddy size umbrella she had in her hand. Lincoln was standing to the left of the couch, stripping the leaves off a decorative pot plant.
“Is your name really Micky?” Wade asked, leaning over the counter to get a better look at her nametag.
“Yes.” Her dull reply sounded nothing like the upbeat girl I’d met the day before. “It really is.”
Wade flashed her his best beefcake grin. “Oh, Micky, you’re so fine you blow my mind.”
Wade’s mind had been blown long before that moment. Perhaps Micky realised it too, which is why she didn’t call security and have him ejected from the building. “Like I haven’t heard that before.” She shoved a stack of papers at him. “Sign these, please.”
“Hurry up, babes,” demanded Jasmine, bouncing Lachlan far too roughly on her knee. “I’ve got a nail appointment at eleven.”
Slightly appalled and extremely amused, I turned around and headed over to Jack’s cot. “You’re going to grow up with those monsters,” I whispered to him. “I hope you’re ready for that.”
27. LIMITS
It was a long morning. I was bored, but determined to stay put. I hated that Jack spent so much time alone but on the plus side, it didn’t seem to bother him. It brought comfort that he was so quiet. Gabrielle was probably going to need a lot of recovery time, and a placid baby would probably make things easier.
Hannah came on shift at twelve. We chatted for a little bit, mainly about the Lost Boys. “Don’t take any nonsense from them, Charli,” she warned. “Tyler takes a few too many liberties at times.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” I grinned at
If there was an award given for mean sister of the year, I was a serious contender. Jack was truly asleep. Disturbing him to give him a bath was unkind, but I did it and he didn’t go quietly.
His tiny little cry travelled all the way through me, and when I glanced up at Alex and noticed him chewing his bottom lip, I knew it was affecting him too.
“He doesn’t like the water, Charli,” he muttered.
I lifted the baby to my shoulder and covered him with a towel. “He’s a Blake. How could he not like the water?”
Alex didn’t speak again. He didn’t need to. Jack was protesting enough for the both of them. As I lowered the tiny boy into the water, his cry amplified. “Jack, please,” I begged. “I know I’m a bit out of practice, but you’re making me look bad.”
He obviously wasn’t listening. The heartbreaking little trill continued. After just a minute, Alex had reached his limit. Rather than step in and take over, or demand that I hand him his son, he decided to leave. “I’m going upstairs to see Gabi,” he muttered. “I’ll be back soon.”
He didn’t give me a chance to tell him what a coward I thought he was. He practically bolted for the door.
I lifted the clean but wailing baby out of the bath and bundled him up in a towel. “Don’t take it personally, Jack,” I whispered. “Dad doesn’t do crying.”
***
Settling the baby was easier than I thought it would be. As soon as he was dressed and comfortable, he quietened down. I spent a long time cradling him in my arms as we wandered around the nursery. I would’ve ventured further but didn’t want to push my luck. According to Hannah, I was already breaking rules by being in there unsupervised to begin with. Fortunately, I had a good view of the reception area from the doorway.
Micky was the nurse on duty that morning, and she had her work cut out for her trying to discharge the Davis family. Wade stood at the counter, presumably taking care of the paperwork while Jasmine sat on the small sofa surrounded by their army of mini Beautifuls.
I hadn’t seen the twins in a long time, and was surprised by how much they’d grown. Cheynie was bouncing around on the cushion beside Jasmine – who seemed oblivious to the fact that her daughter was coming dangerously close to whacking her newborn baby in the head with the kiddy size umbrella she had in her hand. Lincoln was standing to the left of the couch, stripping the leaves off a decorative pot plant.
“Is your name really Micky?” Wade asked, leaning over the counter to get a better look at her nametag.
“Yes.” Her dull reply sounded nothing like the upbeat girl I’d met the day before. “It really is.”
Wade flashed her his best beefcake grin. “Oh, Micky, you’re so fine you blow my mind.”
Wade’s mind had been blown long before that moment. Perhaps Micky realised it too, which is why she didn’t call security and have him ejected from the building. “Like I haven’t heard that before.” She shoved a stack of papers at him. “Sign these, please.”
“Hurry up, babes,” demanded Jasmine, bouncing Lachlan far too roughly on her knee. “I’ve got a nail appointment at eleven.”
Slightly appalled and extremely amused, I turned around and headed over to Jack’s cot. “You’re going to grow up with those monsters,” I whispered to him. “I hope you’re ready for that.”
27. LIMITS
It was a long morning. I was bored, but determined to stay put. I hated that Jack spent so much time alone but on the plus side, it didn’t seem to bother him. It brought comfort that he was so quiet. Gabrielle was probably going to need a lot of recovery time, and a placid baby would probably make things easier.
Hannah came on shift at twelve. We chatted for a little bit, mainly about the Lost Boys. “Don’t take any nonsense from them, Charli,” she warned. “Tyler takes a few too many liberties at times.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” I grinned at
Similar Books
