Done Adulting Vol. 2 Ch. 9

“Whadduya think,” Becky asked when they had settled into their bungalow. They had a bit of private beach in back, and behind them a paved trail led toward the main building where they could eat at the restaurant, swim at the pool, or join activities, and the rest of the property backed up to a state nature preserve.

“It’s terrific, Mom,” Manda said as she came in from the porch. “This is awesome.” Becky had wanted to make this a special trip and hadn’t tried to do it on a budget. “What do you think, Jamie,” Amanda asked as she picked him up on his way out of the room he had.

“There’s an actual bed in there and a crib. Can I sleep in the bed?”

“Hmm, we’ll see,” Becky answered noncommittally. She didn’t want him falling out. “Maybe tomorrow night. How are you feeling?”

“Tired. Hungry. Not hungry at the same time.”

“How about I feed you and then go to the grocery store for the week, and Manda can stay here while you rest?”

“Okay.”

“Fine with me, Mom.”

Manda got on her phone to text Amy to let her know they’d arrived and then flipped through the TV. Becky sat on the other half of the sectional couch and opened her blouse. Jamie crawled across the sofa and waited patiently until Becky was ready and then let himself be placed in her lap.

While he nursed, Becky brushed his hair back from his ear and rocked him slightly. She was sure he’d take a good nap when he was done.

“Anything special you want from the store, Manda,” Becky asked as she patted her little’s bottom.

“Some of those mini candy bars, the wafer ones. Ooo, what’s their name? They’re so good frozen when we come in from the beach.”

“I know which ones you mean.” Becky always got mini candy bars for the freezer when they went on vacation. They both associated it with hot summer days at the beach.

“Peanut butter,” Jamie said when he picked his head up off of Becky.

“Peanut butter,” Becky asked.

“And cheesy puffs,” he added as he looked intently at Becky’s other breast. Becky covered herself and switched sides. Amanda giggled quietly. Jamie could be very single minded sometimes.

When he was done, Becky set him down on the couch, and he sat heavy, still, and quiet. He was still like that, leaning against the cushion when Becky left. He started to wobble.

“Is my bear sleepy? Is he ready to hibernate?”

“I’mma sweep and den I dunno. Maybe not gonna fwy again.”

“What,” Amanda asked. She cocked her head to the side. Jamie didn’t respond. “What did you say?”

“I’mm sweep ... sweep ... s-leep. Heh. Got it. And dens not gonna fwy ... fwy ... f-wy. O, well.” He looked spaced out.

She scooted over to him and looked at his eyes. “Jamie. How many fingers,” she asked half-jokingly as she held up two.

He looked at his hands and then held them up for her to see. “Ten.”

“What the heck,” she said under her breath and picked him up. She carried him into his room where his bag from the plane was and set him on the bed. She rummaged in his bag until she found the air sickness pills and read the bottle. “Do not breastfeed little within eight hours of administering pill as intoxication may occur. Not a medical emergency,” she read.

“The pwane ... pwane ... p-l-wane. Hmm. It went up, staid up, then down, den up and down, den up, den dat table fell. Didna like dat.”

“O geez,” Amanda said. “Jamie?”

“Not gonna lie.”

“Jamie?”

“No lies between us. I pooped. Didna mean to. Is okay, but gonna hold it next time. Good ting I’mma wittle ... wittle ... w-ittle. Dat’s fwustating. Fwust … fuck it.”

“Jamie,” Amanda asked trying not to laugh, “How ya feeling?”

Jamie bent his mouth upward and bobbed his head. “Pwetty fuckin’ good. P-wuh-retty. Huh. I useta be able to say dat.”

“Okay,” Amanda said, “why don’t we get you into a bath and then maybe you’ll be fine by the time Mom gets back.” She picked him up again and headed toward the bathroom. She turned the tap on and set him on the edge of the tub. He looked at her. She waited.

“Arms up,” she asked. He knew the drill; he sat and did nothing.

“O!” he exclaimed, “We’re takin’ a bath!”

Amanda held in a belly laugh. “O!” She said in response.

“O!”

“O,” she popped as Jamie collapsed in a fit of giggles.

She had to do most of the work to get him undressed, including grabbing him by the ankle and pulling him back when he tried to sit up with his diaper still on and get into the tub.

The water seemed to make him sleepy, and Manda got him out and dried off and into a new diaper. She left him shirtless and pantsless and got him a bottle of water.

“How about you take a nap with me?”

“Mhmm,” he said. He lifted his head and then put it back on her shoulder, turning into dead weight.

“I gotta try one of those pills with one of your bottles,” she joked. She pulled back the covers on the bed and laid him in, undressed herself, and got in after him. Picking him back up, she laid him down so he was on top of her with his head coming up to just under her chin and folded her arms over him. She stroked his hair and sighed. “Best bed partner ever, Baby Bear.” She looked down at him. “Please don’t be hungover later.”