Read Online Perfectly Unpredictable by Linda O'Connor - Free Book Online
Authors: Linda O'Connor
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Kalia got in beside the baby in the
back seat, and Krista drove. As they pulled out of the hospital parking lot,
the baby opened his eyes and started to whimper.
By the time they arrived home, Mani was
screaming at the top of his lungs. His little face was red and the cries
continuous.
“Well, we know his lungs are fine,” Krista
said, covering one ear with her hand. “What is wrong with him?”
“I think he’s hungry,” Kalia replied,
biting her lip. “I should have fed him before we left, but I thought we could
make it home. Hold on little fella,” Kalia crooned, rubbing Mani’s chest and
hands. “We’re almost home.”
“Holy cow. For a little guy he sure makes a
lot of noise,” Krista said as she pulled into the driveway.
As soon as the car stopped, Kalia unbuckled
her own seat belt, unfastened the baby’s, and lifted the car seat out. The cries
subsided as she hurried into the house, threw off her jacket, and undid the
straps holding him in. He’s so light, she thought, as she lifted him, carefully
supporting his head, and took him up to the nursery.
She cuddled him and, lifting her blouse,
brought him to her breast. She laughed as he sucked furiously. “Well, that was
obviously what you were after. We’ll be quicker about it next time, little
one.” She watched his eyes flutter closed as he continued to suck until that
too, slowed down. She lifted him to pat him on the back and burp him, and then
put him to the other breast. He latched on, and his little cheeks worked
furiously as he sucked away.
“Not sure if you’re getting anything, but
it seems to soothe you,” Kalia said as she stroked the top of his head.
She leaned back to relax. She was so happy
to be home again and felt lucky and blessed that her hospital stay had been
short.
Slowly Mani stopped sucking and let go of
the breast as he fell softly into sleep. The quiet was startling after that
miserable ride home.
Note to self: do not get into a car with a
hungry baby,she thought . You cannot breastfeed a baby in a car
seat.
Kalia gently burped him one more time and
then carried him over to the twin bed and laid down, keeping Mani on her chest.
She wasn’t quite ready to set him in the crib on his own. She wanted to hold
him close a little bit longer. Such a warm little bundle. She threw a blanket
over them both and drifted off to sleep.
Krista finished unloading the car. She took
off her coat and headed to the nursery, curious now that it was quiet. She took
one look at Kalia’s exhausted face and the tiny baby cuddled contentedly on her
chest.
It was a lot of trouble. She hoped Kalia
didn’t regret it. The thought of changing diapers grossed her out, but she
could make it easier for Kalia by cooking the meals, looking after the laundry,
and keeping the house tidy. Kalia would shoulder the brunt of looking after
Mani while she was breastfeeding, but Krista could keep house.
Krista closed the door quietly and headed
to the kitchen. When they woke up, Kalia was probably going to be hungry.
Chapter 9
Mack Challen unlocked the front door of his
house. He stepped inside, flicked on the light in the front hall, and dropped
his bag on the floor. He was exhausted after the tour.
Six weeks on the road with a sold-out concert
almost every other night in a different city had taken its toll. Their fourth
CD had hit the sweet spot – they were riding a wave of popularity across
North America. It was crazy to hear Shades songs on the radio and even crazier
now that they were played with startling frequency. But sleeping every night on
the converted bus in a small bunk with little privacy had quickly lost its
appeal.
A shower to wash away the grit of travel
and then sleep was all he wanted. Continuous, uninterrupted sleep, in a king-size
bed, in a dark, quiet room. Alone.
He swayed with fatigue. Maybe he would skip
the shower. But then he caught a whiff of himself. Maybe not. Quick shower,
long sleep.
It
back seat, and Krista drove. As they pulled out of the hospital parking lot,
the baby opened his eyes and started to whimper.
By the time they arrived home, Mani was
screaming at the top of his lungs. His little face was red and the cries
continuous.
“Well, we know his lungs are fine,” Krista
said, covering one ear with her hand. “What is wrong with him?”
“I think he’s hungry,” Kalia replied,
biting her lip. “I should have fed him before we left, but I thought we could
make it home. Hold on little fella,” Kalia crooned, rubbing Mani’s chest and
hands. “We’re almost home.”
“Holy cow. For a little guy he sure makes a
lot of noise,” Krista said as she pulled into the driveway.
As soon as the car stopped, Kalia unbuckled
her own seat belt, unfastened the baby’s, and lifted the car seat out. The cries
subsided as she hurried into the house, threw off her jacket, and undid the
straps holding him in. He’s so light, she thought, as she lifted him, carefully
supporting his head, and took him up to the nursery.
She cuddled him and, lifting her blouse,
brought him to her breast. She laughed as he sucked furiously. “Well, that was
obviously what you were after. We’ll be quicker about it next time, little
one.” She watched his eyes flutter closed as he continued to suck until that
too, slowed down. She lifted him to pat him on the back and burp him, and then
put him to the other breast. He latched on, and his little cheeks worked
furiously as he sucked away.
“Not sure if you’re getting anything, but
it seems to soothe you,” Kalia said as she stroked the top of his head.
She leaned back to relax. She was so happy
to be home again and felt lucky and blessed that her hospital stay had been
short.
Slowly Mani stopped sucking and let go of
the breast as he fell softly into sleep. The quiet was startling after that
miserable ride home.
Note to self: do not get into a car with a
hungry baby,she thought . You cannot breastfeed a baby in a car
seat.
Kalia gently burped him one more time and
then carried him over to the twin bed and laid down, keeping Mani on her chest.
She wasn’t quite ready to set him in the crib on his own. She wanted to hold
him close a little bit longer. Such a warm little bundle. She threw a blanket
over them both and drifted off to sleep.
Krista finished unloading the car. She took
off her coat and headed to the nursery, curious now that it was quiet. She took
one look at Kalia’s exhausted face and the tiny baby cuddled contentedly on her
chest.
It was a lot of trouble. She hoped Kalia
didn’t regret it. The thought of changing diapers grossed her out, but she
could make it easier for Kalia by cooking the meals, looking after the laundry,
and keeping the house tidy. Kalia would shoulder the brunt of looking after
Mani while she was breastfeeding, but Krista could keep house.
Krista closed the door quietly and headed
to the kitchen. When they woke up, Kalia was probably going to be hungry.
Chapter 9
Mack Challen unlocked the front door of his
house. He stepped inside, flicked on the light in the front hall, and dropped
his bag on the floor. He was exhausted after the tour.
Six weeks on the road with a sold-out concert
almost every other night in a different city had taken its toll. Their fourth
CD had hit the sweet spot – they were riding a wave of popularity across
North America. It was crazy to hear Shades songs on the radio and even crazier
now that they were played with startling frequency. But sleeping every night on
the converted bus in a small bunk with little privacy had quickly lost its
appeal.
A shower to wash away the grit of travel
and then sleep was all he wanted. Continuous, uninterrupted sleep, in a king-size
bed, in a dark, quiet room. Alone.
He swayed with fatigue. Maybe he would skip
the shower. But then he caught a whiff of himself. Maybe not. Quick shower,
long sleep.
It
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