Hush Little Baby

Bart closed his eyes and then opened them. He tried once more to concentrate on his reading material but he was finding that no matter how much he tried he just couldn't. Throwing the book down onto the table he exhaled sharply.

The loud, piercing wails had been going on for what had to be 2 hours at the least. He ran a shaky hand through his hair trying to calm himself but it was of no use. Why the hell weren't they calming the boy he wondered briefly before standing up from his chair.

He looked around the room once and contemplated ignoring the crying child (after all he had hired a whole staff of people to take care of the baby and there really wasn't a pressing need for him to get involved) but, the crying continued and it seemed the more it did the more agitated Bart felt himself becoming).

He would just check on Charles he decided (just check and see that the staff was doing the job they'd been hired to do) Before he even realized it, Bart he found his legs making their way, down the foyer, then to the room that housed the baby.

He stood outside the open door for about five minutes watching as the two nannies tried to calm the child to no avail. The baby was turning red (he'd been crying so hard and long). Bart could feel his body becoming even tenser as he watched the baby have a fit.

"What's wrong with him?" he asked as he walked into the room. He was now standing right in front of the lady that was currently holding the boy while sitting down in the rocking chair (her rocking chair). For a moment Bart had a flash of his wife sitting there holding the baby, and as quickly as the flash came it was gone. Bart almost groaned as he felt himself being dragged back to the present.

The young lady shook her head. This was her first position as a nanny and to be honest she was a bit confused as to why the child was refusing to stop crying, (Charles had been one of the most fickle, spoiled, demanding babies she had ever encountered in her life).

"I don't know!" she spoke quietly but Bart could still hear her agitation slipping through. He turned his attention to the older nanny. "Is he sick or something?" he asked her and the lady looked at him and whispered "no" in her thick Spanish accent.

"I check him for fever, no fever, no hungry, no dirty diaper. He just restless" she said in a liquid flow of words. Bart nodded and stood looking at the angry child. He placed his hands in his pockets and studied the baby for a few moments.

For those few moments, he'd blocked out all sounds and movement everything but the babies face. He studied the boy and was surprised when the 6 month old looked at him (right in his eyes, almost looking through him it seemed) and screamed harder.

Bart felt as if Charles was trying to tell him something, catch is attention. And, he had it, at the very moment Charles had his undivided attention.

"You two can leave" Bart forced out (his voice hoarse). He took the boy from the younger lady and took her seat in the rocking chair.

As soon as the two nannies had left the room the boys wails began to calm. Charles relaxed in Bart's arms and he looked at his dad in awe. Moments later the baby's voice was completely silent except for the deep breaths he was being forced to take because of the fit he'd thrown.

Bart reached down and gently wiped the tears away from the boy's skin then he nestled the boy, leaned back into the rocking chair, and watched his son.

"Hush little baby don't say a word, Daddy's going to buy you a mocking bird" he whispered. Charles looked up at him and smiled before closing his eyes and falling into a peaceful sleep.

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April 10, 1991

She'd been lying on the bed for the last few weeks. She'd started hemorrhaging a bit at the end of last month and had been placed on bed rest, but that didn't impede her excitement.

She was so thrilled to be having a baby, (His baby that not even bed rest could take away her exhilaration). She sighed and moved a little deeper into her pillows. (The baby was kicking again and it was causing a bit of discomfort)

Bart had put lots of pillows behind her back in an attempt to relieve some of the pain (she had still felt the pain though but she didn't want to mention it. She knew the doctors would suggest taking the baby early. She'd wanted her baby to come when he was ready. So she was waiting patiently).

She smiled up at him when he entered the room. He sat on the side of the bed and kissed her forehead. Then he smoothed some of her hair back and smiled at her.

"What are you doing?" he asked causing her smile to become wider. "I was thinking about singing!" she said he chuckled at her excitement. (She got excited so easily)

"Singing what?" he asked. She reached over to the side table and grabbed a small nursery rhyme book." I was thinking about us singing this to him every night" Bart looked at her and nodded before kissing her again on the lips.

"I don't sing. I can't sing" he said eliciting an even broader smile from her face.

"I'll sing, you'll hum he'll love it." She added before breaking out into song.

Hush, little baby, don't say a word,
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird.

If that mockingbird don't sing,
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring.

If that diamond ring turns to brass,
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass.

If that looking glass gets broke,
Mama's gonna buy you a Billy-goat.

If that Billy-goat won't pull,
Mama's gonna buy you a cart and bull.

If that cart and bull turns over,
Mama's gonna buy you a dog named Rover.

If that dog named Rover won't bark,
Mama's gonna buy you a horse and cart.

If that horse and cart falls down,
you'll still be the sweetest little baby in town.

At some point during her singing, Bart had laid his head down on her legs. And he was now perfectly still. "What do you think?" she asked softly as she ran a hand down his back and he ran his hands over her belly.

"I think you are right, I think…He'll love it" Bart whispered.

The End for now!

Thanks for reading. Please review! Reviews tell me what you think. Reviews are my inspiration to write more. By the way the song is a popular Lullaby tiled Hush Little Baby!