Big thanks to DoomedSometimes for her suggestion and subsequent help with this chapter! I know nothing of small humans, because I'm very much not a "kid person" so I needed all the help I could get. Thank you!
"I'm doing it wrong." Alex announced glumly.
"Stop." She said gently. "You're doing fine."
"I'm too rough. My hands are too big." He said dejectedly, over the sound of the baby screaming.
"Shut up, Alex." She said from where she was standing behind him, leaning over him, watching him closely. "They don't always like it at first."
She flinched as Jacob let out a particularly shrill scream as his foot made contact with the water.
"Is it too hot?" Alex chirped out, lifting the baby back out of the water, cradling him against his chest, the screams immediately quieting to soft whimpers.
Norma bent over with difficulty, gritting her teeth at the slight ache as her body protested the movement, scooping her hand through the lukewarm water, and shaking her head.
"It's fine. Promise." She smiled at the sight of Alex uncertainly lowering their son closer to the water again, his hands looking absurdly large as they cradled the tiny newborn. He was braver this time, ignoring the shrill screams emitting from the infant and lowering him confidently into the water, managing to take his infinitely slight weight in one hand easily, as his other hand tentatively dripped water over his belly.
"Hey, hey. Come on now." He murmured softly, scooping a handful of water over his torso, gently sweeping his hand over his son. "Shhh..." He whispered soothingly, as Jacob began to get used to the water, his screams quieting to soft cries, and then to contented gurgles.
"There we go." He said to him quietly.
"See." Norma said gently, her hand coming to rest on his shoulder as she leaned over them.
"You're a natural." He turned his gaze up to her, smiling widely like he couldn't quite believe it.
She leaned her weight on him for a moment, pressing her hand into his shoulder as she struggled down to the floor next to him, wincing and flinching as she managed to settle her weight down on her knees.
"You ok?" He asked, his voice thick with concern, glancing at Jacob a couple of times, but mostly keeping his attention on her. She nodded tightly. In truth, everything hurt. Her and Jacob had only been home from the hospital a few days, and her body still felt sore and tender after a difficult labour. Alex had been fantastic, but she still felt guilt at not being about to bounce back like she had with Norman and Dylan.
"I'll be fine." She said truthfully. She would be. She just wasn't sure when. She hissed as she resettled her weight, pretending she was fine as she knelt next to him, leaning over the side of their bathtub to smile at their son.
"Hi!" She trilled. "How's your bath, baby?" She cooed at him, collecting a handful of water and pouring it over his feet, tenderly grabbing one little toe as she did so.
"Were Norman and Dylan ever this tiny?" Alex said disbelievingly, as he washed their baby with inept, but eager-to-learn hands.
"Dylan and Norma weren't premature." She reminded him sharply. Jacob had made his arrival into the world a little sooner than expected, though he was no worse for wear for the ordeal. Norma, however felt awful, as the midwife explained it was normal for older mothers, not realising she was doing nothing to assuage Norma's guilt. The words "Don't worry - It's normal for older mothers" had become Norma's most dreaded fear during the last nine months, feeling as though she was doing her baby a disservice merely by daring to be over the age of 35. As she looked at Jacob now, perhaps a little smaller than other newborns, but still gurgling happily in his first bath, her guilt began to subside a little.
"Maybe my hands make him look smaller." He offered casually, sensing her discomfort. He knew well enough how much she hated any reminder that she hadn't been able to keep him safe inside her belly for the full nine months.
For a split second, she wanted to glare at him for patronising her, but then she glanced at him, watching as he carefully scrubbed his hand through their child's wispy hair, and she softened immediately.
"Maybe?" She conceded a little, leaning over to rest her head against his shoulder.
"He's perfect." Alex breathed out, and Norma stifled a sob, nuzzling her nose against his shirt, leaning in to take the baby's tiny hand in her own.
"He is." She agreed gently, reaching up on her knees, ignoring her body's protests to press a soft kiss against Alex's cheek.
"Honey, I'm home!" His voice rang out through the hallway, startling her awake, jolting the sleeping baby on her chest. She sat up, holding Jacob against her, sleepily nuzzling her nose against his soft baby hair, which seemed to grow thicker each day.
She frowned at the sound of Alex in the hallway, groggily checking her watch - They weren't usually still napping when he came home and she frowned at the time.
"Hey!" She called out, her voice a tired croak. "You're home early?" She started, as Alex strolled in, Emma and Dylan following behind him. She cleared her throat, her face breaking into a smile at the unexpected sight.
"Dylan! Emma! Hi!" She struggled to her feet, rearranging the baby against her chest, ambling over to press a kiss against both their cheeks. "What a lovely surprise! I haven't started dinner yet. But stay! I'll make enough for all of us."
She trailed off as they both opened their mouths uncertainly, glancing at Alex, who smiled warmly at her.
"No need." He said simply, and he started forwards, easing their son from Norma's arms, pulling him against him for a second before depositing him into Emma's needy arms.
"Hi!" She cooed softly, and Dylan smiled a tiny smile that he didn't think anyone had noticed.
"What-?" Norma started, confused.
"Dylan and Emma are going to watch Jacob tonight. Me and you are going out." He announced and she frowned, her gaze flicking from the impossibly young couple fussing over her child, to her pleased looking husband.
"Where are we going?" She asked uncertainly.
"I made us reservations. It's nice, I promise."
She sighed, her uncertain gaze flicking over to Emma, and she crossed her arms across her chest.
"I don't know. He's so little..?" She pouted a little. "And you guys have never been alone with him for a long period of time?" She cut off both Dylan and Emma as they opened their mouths to object.
"I just... Wouldn't it be nicer if I made us all something? I can whip up something in-"
"They'll be fine." Alex assured her, taking a step towards her, his hands drifting to her elbows.
"But... I'm tired, Alex." She protested weakly, and he leaned forwards to kiss her forehead tenderly.
"Come on. Table's booked for seven. Go get dressed." He commanded gently, and she puffed out a sigh.
"But..." She started.
"No buts. Get dressed."
Norma was upstairs for half an hour, stomping around in a way that made Dylan and Emma worriedly cast their gaze upwards, biting their lips, not sure what to say.
Eventually, Alex excused himself, going upstairs to check on her, sliding into their room just in time to see her tear a dress over her head, balling it up and throwing it angrily to the ground. She stood, panting in her slip for a second, before stomping back over to her closet, angrily shoving coat-hangers to the side, muttering to herself the whole time.
"What's wrong?" He murmured, and she jumped, crossing her hands across her body instinctively.
There was a pause before she spoke.
"What's wrong is that none of these stupid dresses fit me." She threw another handful of stiff black satin filled with tulle underskirts down to the ground in a rage, and a slow smile spread over his face, in spite of her anger. He secretly hoped she never lost "the last ten pounds", secretly loving the pleasant roundness it afforded her hips and ass. He'd always been an ass man, but something about the fullness of her rear was drawing his attention like never before. He found himself staring every time she left a room, like a horny teenager, not a full grown man.
"And I don't like being dictated to." She added, shaking her head haughtily, and his mouth dropped open, his salacious smile fading immediately.
"Dictated to?" He said incredulously.
"Yes Alex." She said sharply. "Get dressed." She parroted his words back to him, sniffing with irritation, still rifling angrily through her wardrobe. She pulled out a flowery print jersey wrap dress, inspecting it for a moment, before nodding and throwing it onto the bed.
"I get it, ok?" She said suddenly, before he could rearrange his thoughts to answer her. "It's fine. I'll go. I'll dress up. I'll do whatever you want."
He shuddered at her words. She made it sound like it was some big chore, just going to dinner with him, her words laced with some heavy implication he couldn't quite grasp.
"Norma... If you don't wanna go, it's fine. I don't..." He trailed off, floundering under her intense glare, as she threw a pair of spindly black heels towards the head of the bed, without breaking eye-contact with him.
"This is about sex, isn't it?" She blurted out suddenly, and his mouth dropped open. From downstairs, he heard something drop to the floor, followed by the sound of the kitchen door softly pressing shut. "It's ok. I get it." She carried on before he could speak, as she retrieved a tiny little velvet purse, slamming it onto the bed and staring at him challengingly. He didn't know what to say, shaking his head, his mouth flapping open helplessly. He hadn't been expecting this.
"What? No?" He finally choked out, hearing how lame it sounded.
"I just... I just..." He started helplessly, before she cut him off.
"You just what? Thought you'd take me out - Wine me, dine me, hope that your old wife comes back?"
She sniffled suddenly, and he looked up, watching as her face crumpled, her shoulders sagging as all of the anger left her as suddenly as it had arrived. A single tear slipped down her face, and he started forwards.
"I know it's been a long time." She whispered, and he tutted, pulling her into his arms before she could stop him. A long time was a relative concept. Sometimes it felt like Jacob was only born yesterday. He'd been present at the birth - He knew the horror and the trauma her body had been through during their son's difficult birth. And he knew how tired she was. He was older too - He was just as tired as she was, insisting on taking just as many night shifts with Jacob, despite having to get up for work, determined to not be the sort of husband who used his job as an excuse to get out of doing anything for his son. Sex had been the last thing on his mind. Well, sort of. He'd found himself lusting after Norma's new shapely form, though he'd never acted on his newfound lust for her changed body.
"I'm frustrated too." She breathed out shyly into his chest. He had no idea what to say, his arms gently holding her shoulders as he let his head drop back. He hadn't expected any of this. He'd just wanted to take her to dinner.
He took a deep breath, letting his hands slide around her back, holding her gently against him.
"You gave birth to my child, Norma. You brought our beautiful son into the world. I..." His words failed him for a minute, as she breathed out a surprised gasp against his shirt, her hands tightening around him. "I'm in awe of you." He whispered honestly.
She reared her head back, gazing at him with wide watery eyes.
"I wasn't expecting anything tonight." He said sincerely, and she immediately believed him. "I just wanted to take you out, give you a night off."
He shrugged, and she sniffled a little.
"That sounds nice." She admitted, glancing up at him shyly. She stared up at him seriously for a moment. "I do want to." She added, and he shook his head immediately, making a small shushing sound.
"No, no-"
"I do! I just... I'm not ready yet." She said quietly, addressing his chest.
"That's ok." He said imploringly, nodding seriously at her, ducking his head to make her look at him, staring deeply into her eyes. "It's ok." He repeated.
"How long did you wait with the boys?" He wondered outloud, and she tensed at his words, shrugging herself out of his hands and turning towards the bed, where the pretty floral wrap dress lay waiting for her.
"We didn't." She whispered. "They didn't." She corrected herself, glancing brokenly over her shoulder at him, and he realised what she meant with a start. She meant her previous husbands, and he shivered involuntarily, hating the lives she'd lived before she'd met him.
"They didn't wait." She added, her voice quivering and breaking and he jumped forwards, wrapping himself around her from behind, feeling her shaking hands come up to hold his forearms, feeling her soften and relax into his body.
"I'll wait for you forever if that's what you wanted." He said gently, pressing a soft kiss against her temple and she gasped.
"It wont be forever..." She murmured.
"I wouldn't mind if it was." He shot back immediately, pressing a line of soft kisses along her neck. "Put your dress on." He insisted gently. "I'll cancel the reservation. Let's make dinner together. Emma and Dylan can stay?"
She let out a little sob, turning around in his arms, her dress still hanging limply from her hand.
"Really?" She breathed out hopefully.
"Mm hmm." He nodded. "I'll help." He announced, and he leaned down to peck her cheek. "Our son can get his first whiff of Cuban food..."