"Ooh honey, look at this one!" Booth pointed to a cream lace bassinette. He was enjoying baby shopping way more than Brennan expected. He looked so funny, running between the tiny baby items, his cap perched jauntily on his head, slightly crooked, as he pointed to another white wicker bassinette with fine netting edged in silver. For her it was an enjoyable outing, although she had trouble believing there were so many choices of cribs alone, not to mention all the other baby items that they were there to look at and hopefully purchase. And they were all so expensive!
"Are you sure we can afford this?" she asked, picking up the price tag and feeling a jolt in the pit of her stomach. Business had been good recently and they had lived comfortably, but now they were selling up with no clear plans for their immediate financial future. She was trying to be careful about how much money they were spending. "It's for our first kid Brennan!" Booth said, slightly miffed at his wife, his bottom lip pouting.
"I know, but that will only last for about two to three months and then the baby will be too big. I would rather buy a really lovely crib that can be used from birth until they are about three." Brennan said, trying to divert Booth's attention to a white glossy crib with apple green linen she had been admiring. "This is lovely! And it would be great for either a boy or a girl" she said, her fingers stroking the fabric of the quilt.
Booth came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her body, his hands covering her belly. He could feel the slight swell of his child and it made him proud. He rested his chin on her shoulder and looked at the crib. Her hand was resting on the rail, her fingers sliding across the glossy finish. He knew she loved this one. He picked up the price tag and pushed out his bottom lip. "This isn't exactly cheap!" he exclaimed. Brennan, laughed and turned to look at him "No. But it is practical. And it will last a few years. Who knows? We might need it for another one by then!" she said.
Booth stood up and threw his hands up "Woah horse! Can we just get this one baked and out of the oven first?" Brennan shook her head and they laughed together. Booth waved to the sales lady and pointed down at the crib "We're taking this one" he called out "And we're still shopping" he added as the woman walked towards them.
"Of course. I'll have a new one brought up from the warehouse." she said. Brennan smiled, "We want this linen as well please" she said. The sales woman nodded "Of course. I'll grab a set for you and add it to the purchase". Booth stopped and turned around "Um, are these things do it yourself put together?" he asked. The woman nodded. "Yes sir, they are flatpacked."
"Oh no. Does this place have an assembly service?" he asked pointing vaguely at the ceiling. The sales lady nodded "We do, it is fifty dollars per item for the first two, then twenty five each for any additional items. Booth looked at Brennan, frowning mouthing pricey! But then thought better of it and nodded. "Done. We'll have this assembled and delivered. I'm not exactly what you'd call handy" he laughed. The woman laughed as well "You're not alone Sir." She said before walking to the sales counter to ring up the sale and arrange for the product to be brought out of the warehouse and assembled.
Booth wandered down an aisle of baby clothing, stopping every now and then to pick up something and inspect it, turning it over in his hands. "These are so small!" he commented holding up a tiny singlet, his hand inside it, two fingers poking out of the neck and his thumb and little fingers poking out of the arm holes. He jiggled his hand around as if it was a puppet. "Hello mommy, I'm your new baby. I'm cute and look just like Daddy! See how cute I am?" he talked in a baby voice, his hand tickling around Brennan's cheek.
Brennan smiled and grabbed his arm, pulling the tiny slip of clothing from Booth's hand, checking the size. "Well this is actually for a premature baby. It's a lot smaller than I think our baby might be" she said showing him the size. Booth stared at it and said "Oh!" not really understanding the sizing system for babies. "You do realise that I have to push it out of me during labour, right? I seriously don't want it too big!" she said laughing at the look on Booth's face.
"I. Um. I guess." he was clearly flustered at the thought of her giving birth. Her eyes were wide "Really? You guess? You really haven't thought about this at all have you?" she asked. He turned and walked quickly down the aisle, towards the stroller display. He felt less weird looking at these than tiny baby clothes. He began looking at price tags and turned to stare at Brennan, his face blanched "These are really expensive!" he exclaimed. Brennan picked up the tag and looked at it. Her shoulders dropped "This is way too expensive. It's only a stroller, after all. I'm going to look over here at these ones on sale" she said walking to the other side of the display area.
Booth looked again at the price tag on the silver and black stroller. Twelve hundred dollars? They have got to be kidding! It would want to open itself and play music and charge my phone! he thought as he dropped the tag. The sales woman walked up "Oh these are the newest thing on the floor. You press this button and they fold or open automatically." she said as the stroller slowly collapsed down and the handle folded over making it a small compact size, perfect for a car trunk. "And, they have a dock for your phone with inbuilt speakers for music" Booth's mouth dropped open and he backed away from her "Thanks, but I'm gonna go over there, with my wife. But thanks for the demonstration" he said as he turned and followed Brennan to the sale area. Oh My God he mouthed at her, trying to point at the space age stroller over his shoulder.
"So I told Wendell that he absolutely, positively could not continue working two jobs. He is exhausted and has been making a lot of silly mistakes recently. He either needs to commit to his internship and give up the motor mechanics, or he can just go back to it. Honestly, can you believe that he's been working two jobs Booth?" Brennan asked looking up at the man lying in the hospital bed.
"Anyway, he told me that he had to work the second job because of money. He can't seem to make ends meet working at the Jeffersonian. I must look into the wages and see if they really are that bad. I actually felt a little mean telling him to choose. And what if he chooses motor mechanics? It would be such a waste of his degree." She stared at Booth, almost certain he was going to turn and look at her and answer.
It had been six weeks since he was moved to St Germaine's Hospital. His head was no longer bandaged. His hair had started growing around the large semi circle scar that wrapped around his skull just above his ear. His eyes were closed, dark lashes casting a shadow on his cheekbone. Oh how I long to see those dark velvety eyes she thought. She reached out and ran her fingers gently across the scar. "Can you hear me Booth?" she asked him. She smoothed his eyebrows and let her hand rest against his cheek for a moment "Just give me a sign you can hear me. Flutter your eyelashes. Or move a finger. Something." she asked, a tinge of desperation in her voice.
She let her hand drop back into her lap and bit her bottom lip, staring at his arm lying motionless at his side. She stood up and adjusted his sheet across him. Her hand resting on his chest for a moment. She bent down and dropped a light kiss on his forehead. "Goodnight Booth. I'll be back again tomorrow to see how you are" she said, stroking his cheek, before turning from the bed, smiling at the nurse who was sitting on the other side of the private room reading a book while she visited with him.
"Night Doctor Brennan" the nurse said as Brennan walked through the door, closing it behind her.
Brennan sat in her car in the carpark next to the hospital and stared at her hands gripping the steering wheel. She let go of the wheel momentarily, then banged both hands against it. She sucked in a breath and banged her hands against the wheel again. A sob catching in her throat, she banged the wheel again. And again. Over and over, until her palms were numb. All the while, biting on her bottom lip to keep herself from sobbing.
She was panting as she leaned back in the drivers seat, her bruised hands lying in her lap, her eyes closed.
I will not cry again He will wake up I know he will I know it He will