A few things:
1. Thanks for taking time to review these snippets. It feels good to know I'm not only indulging myself with Baby Vauseman fluff lol
2. I'm open to prompts so hit me up (is that even how people say it anymore? idk). But my ideas can only go so far...
3. One guest reviewer expressed concern about BB. This is me telling you to rest easy. Big chapter coming up and I would die trying to do it justice. Your update is a-comin...
…Going Home
"Did you see her?" Piper asked as they got off the elevator and into the entrance hall of the hospital.
"Honestly, I couldn't figure out why she wasn't latching in the first place. I mean, if it were me…"
"That's not funny."
"Considering my recent banishment from your body, I agree, so not funny." Alex held the door open for Piper to pass through.
"I'm just glad we could stay another night, you know. Having people around who knew what they were doing really helped me not freak out about it."
Alex watched as her wife walked out with their baby, her passing statement about people who knew what they were doing stinging a little more than she was ready for, and it took a while before she followed.
"You sure you read the instructions when you did it?" Piper asked as they came up to their car.
"For the hundredth time, Piper…" Alex gave an exasperated sigh as she stuffed the suitcase into the trunk of the SUV, before making her way around to open the back door.
"And you checked it after? That it was stable?"
"You're really going to make me do it, aren't you?"
"Do what?"
"Punch you in the face."
"Al, I just want to be sure that she's safe."
"And I don't." And the two got locked in a stare down – Alex holding the door open and Piper making no move to place the baby inside. And then:
"Can you just check it again? Just so I can see. I want to see for myself."
"Wow, way to display your major distrust in me in front of our child, Pipes."
"Please don't. I don't want to fight. Not today."
"There…" Alex reached in and wiggled the seat around, a bit more aggressively than necessary. "See? It's totally stable. Like I told you." She didn't know why she was so pissed off. Piper was just being Piper.
Alex stepped aside so she could settle the baby. She watched as careful hands released their protective hold and gently lowered the bundle into the seat. A few adjustments were made to the blanky, chin, sticking out hand, and then she started with the straps.
"Let me," Alex pushed forward, inadvertently knocking Piper aside in the process. "I can do it."
"Are you sure?"
There was that tone again. Alex pursed her lips and tried to brush it aside but she could feel her temper rising. It was enough that she was scared out of her mind about whether she could do this or not. It hurt like hell to know that Piper was questioning the very same thing about her. She bent over the baby and lightly lifted the three straps. Piper was practically laying over her with her ever-watchful eye as she worked and it took some doing from Alex to push that aside too.
"There has to be a click," her wife's voice came from behind her.
"I know," she replied and it was through gritted teeth because of her tense focus on getting the two side straps lined up so they could clip into the one at the bottom.
"No, I mean you actually have to hear it."
Alex's hands fumbled and the straps fell apart. "Piper could you just-" And then the baby started fussing.
"Oh no, she's fussing."
"You don't say." Alex deadpanned as she awkwardly fished for one of the straps that had disappeared under the baby's blanket.
"Could you hurry up? People are staring."
"They're staring because I'm hot. Ah, got it!"
"Stop kidding around."
"And you stop being a pain in the ass. Aaaand we're done!" She emerged from the car red-faced but triumphant and straight into the face of Piper, on the verge of tears. "Shit, are you…? Babe don't… don't cry. Shit, I didn't mean-"
"I didn't hear a click," Piper mumbled as she dried her eyes and the guilt Alex felt for making her cry quickly turned into irritation. Angry irritation that she was now fighting hard to keep in check.
"There was a click."
"I didn't hear it."
"It was a silent click. Would you just get in?"
"A silent click? A silent click is no click, Alex. It has to be audible. You have to hear it click."
"Say click one more time. I dare you."
Piper reached into the car and used one finger to test the strap. It fell apart at the lightest touch and she looked up at Alex with her most infuriating I-told-you-so face.
"It must be defective. Take the baby and I'll go return it."
"What? Alex, it's not defective."
"It clearly is! I did everything you're supposed to do and it won't click. It'll take me an hour, max. I'll just make the exchange and come right back to get you guys. Maybe get a different brand because this one's obviously-" The end of her sentence was interrupted by a click. An audible one.
"See? Not defective," Piper said as she emerged from the car with a smile on her face that Alex couldn't bear look at.
She shook her head and without saying another word, got into the car. Piper checked the baby once more before going around and sliding onto the back seat beside her. Alex glanced in the rearview mirror and watched as Piper fussed and fawned over the baby, the softness of her expression melting away whatever frustration Alex was feeling at the time, leaving her nothing more than a warm and fuzzy mess. This was them now. A family. And they were going home.
"Okay, we ready to go?" Alex turned the ignition.
"You need to slow down!"
"Pipes, we haven't started moving yet."
"You haven't read about the crazy statistics for road accident deaths?"
"People die every day."
"Oh my god!"
"We're dying as we're sitting here."
"Stop it. Just stop. And go. But slowly!" They backed out of the parking space and pulled away. "Slower!"
Alex just shook her head (for the nth time that morning) but kept the car going at a crawling pace of no more than forty miles an hour. Raging hormones and new mommy sludge brain were not to be toyed with. "That okay?"
"Perfect." And then: "I wish you could see her right now."
"Why? What's she doing?"
"Nothing. But I just wish it anyway…"
Alex stole another glance at Piper in the rearview mirror and smiled softly. "Yeah, me too."
