Done Adulting Vol. 2 Ch. 41

Becky and Amanda sat down on their couch after getting Jamie tucked into bed. He’d fallen asleep before they got home from the hospital. Becky admonished Kazoo to be quiet, and he was sitting at their feet.

“Remember when we brought him home the first time,” Becky asked Amanda.

“Of course.” It had been a great but scary day. Up until then, having a little had been theoretical. They’d seen him in the hospital before he came home, but it wasn’t real until he was in their house, with no nurses to help take care of him. Suddenly they were responsible for this person all on their own. Becky was less fazed by it, but all of Amanda’s fears about being a good big sister were distracting her. She adored Jamie from the moment she saw him, but he was an actual little, needing all the things littles need and all the things Jamie needed. Would she be able to make him feel loved? Would she connect with him? Would he love her the way she already loved him?

They’d waited by his side, first together and then in shifts, not sure when he’d wake up. Each time he stirred in his sleep, they’d been ready, expecting his eyes to open. When they finally did, he’d been so frightened.

They’d heard different things from people about when your little first opens his eyes and sees you. Some said their little had sighed and snuggled into them, instantly bonding with their big.

Most said the anesthesia kept their little so zonked, the little seemed indifferent at first, making the first moments together a gradual realization.

Only a few said their little was afraid the way Jamie had been afraid. Becky recalled how he’d thrashed in her arms trying to get away and how she’d held him tight until she injected him with the sedative that almost instantly put him back to sleep.

“What made you think of that, Mom,” Amanda asked.

“Just the hospital, I guess.”

“He was such a good boy when that nurse tried to put that mitten on him. Imagine what he would’ve done if that had happened right after he got here.”

“He’d have bit her,” Becky hypothesized.

“Do you wanna go shower first,” Amanda asked as she sat up and raised her arms over her head in a yawn.

“Sure. Thanks.” As they stood, there was a knock at the door.

“That’ll be Mel,” Amanda said. Becky went upstairs while Amanda let Mel in.

“How is he,” Mel asked.

“Asleep. You can go see him.” The two of them walked to the nursery. Jamie was face down snuggled into his bear. “The doctor said holding his bear will make him more comfortable while his belly heals.”

“How’s your mom’s sewing project going? Wasn’t she going to make it a new coat?”

“She’s working on it.”

“Maybe we should get him a get well present.” Mel reached over the crib rail and stroked his hair. Jamie stirred and opened his eyes. Mel cursed herself silently. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

He sighed. “That’s okay. How are you?”

“You’re asking me that?” The sweetest bear. “I’m all better now that you’re okay,” Mel said.

“You wanna get up,” Manda asked.

“Mhmm.”

Mel lowered the crib rail. “How do you feel?”

“My abdomen hurts.”

“Want me to pick you up,” Mel asked. Jamie nodded. Mel slid one hand under Jamie’s knees and the other under his shoulders and lifted him up, cradling him. She rarely held him this way. “Drat,” she said.

“What?”

“I wanna gobble your belly and can’t.”

“No gobble the belly,” Jamie replied. He shifted himself so he was leaning more toward her.

“Are you telling your Aunt Mel what she can and can’t eat? Are you a food shaming little?”

“Hehehe,” Jamie laughed. He paused and sniffed. “May I have a bath,” he asked.

“A sponge bath,” Amanda answered.

“I’ll do it,” Mel said. “I think I just heard your mom get out of the shower if you wanna go clean up.”

“You just want some alone time with your nephew,” Amanda said. “Call me if you need anything.

Amanda went upstairs, and Mel carried Jamie across the hall. She took off Jamie’s sleeper and untaped his wet diaper. She ran a few inches of warm water and set Jamie in it. “Can you sit up on your own?”

“Yeah,” he said, “I’m not that wounded.”

“I just wanna be careful with the Jamie Bear.” She retrieved a clean washcloth from the cabinet and proceeded to wash him gently, avoiding his abdomen and focusing on his underarms, back, and diaper area. “Stand up for me.” She cleaned his bottom. “You’re not allowed to get sick again, understand?”

“Yeah,” he said with a giggle.

“I mean it,” she said, not smiling. Getting a text from Manda saying Jamie was in the hospital but was fine had been frightening. She processed the hospital part before the finepart.

“Sorry,” he said. “If it makes you feel any better, it wasn’t my idea.” He smiled innocently.

“Who’s got my Baby Bear,” Becky asked as she came around the corner dressed in fresh clothes and with wet hair.

“She threatened me,” Jamie said.

“She did?”

“Yes. She has a mean streak.”

“I do not,” Mel said.

“You never really know someone until moments of high stress,” Jamie said.

“You little stinker,” Mel replied.

Becky sat down on the edge of the tub. “The spark is back in your eye,” Becky told him.

“And the ‘smart’ is back in his ass,” Mel said.

“Mel!” Becky admonished her. Mel blushed, and the three of them all laughed. “Be nice to my Baby Bear. He’s just a little boy.”