"There you go." Owen adjusts the knitted cap on Chloe's head. "All ready for a walk?"
Cristina frowns. "Are you sure she should go outside?"
"It's a nice day, we should take advantage of it." Carefully, Owen places Chloe in the wrap that he's wearing. She stays where she is. "Yes!"
"Hippie," Cristina mutters.
"It helps with attachment!"
"You're attached, you wait on her hand and foot."
He pulls on his gloves. "Come on, it's not hurting her. She's bundled up, she's warm."
Cristina looks at Chloe. The baby lets out a little sigh, her chubby face pressed against Owen's chest. "Fine."
As they walk to the local park, Cristina checks on Chloe to make sure she's comfortable. Their infant daughter is contentedly sleeping, still pressed against Owen.
"Oooh look!" A mother with young children approaches them, her eyes on Owen. "That is so adorable! Daddy wearing the baby!"
Owen proudly lets the woman coo over Chloe, while Cristina impatiently waits. Not even two minutes later, another woman stops them, to admire Owen and Chloe.
By the time they get to the park, Cristina has had enough. "Give me the wrap," she tells Owen, in a low voice.
He raises his eyebrows. "Won't that make you a hippie?"
"It will stop the hordes of women wanting to stop you and admire you," she replies. "If they aren't stopping you, they're looking at you."
"That's gender-typing," Owen teases. "Those moms are appreciating that I'm a 21st century father. And they're paying proper homage to our adorable baby."
"They're drooling over my husband. Wearing her has pushed your sex appeal over the top."
He grins at her, surprised. "Are you ... jealous?"
"I said, give me the wrap."
Owen shakes his head. "It's too big for you. Get your own."
"Well stop looking so hot!"
He throws his head back and laughs. "I'm not trying to be hot!"
"Ugh!" Cristina sits down on a bench and scowls.
Chuckling, Owen joins her, wrapping one arm around her shoulders. "Look, I'll show everyone that we're together."
"Not funny."
"I really like this," he says, quietly. "I like feeling Chloe breathe, feeling her body heat. I feel like ... I imagine that you feel this close to her when you breastfeed, which is something I will never get to do."
She glances up at him. He smiles.
"I suppose this isn't hurting her," Cristina admits.
"She seems to like it."
"I like that you're a modern dad who changes diapers and stays up with her when I need to sleep. Keep up the good work."
"We're a team." Owen smiles. "You, me, our little lady." He looks down at Chloe.
"I'm still getting a wrap for myself," Cristina says.
To be continued...