"You up for a two-fer?"
Kate looks up just as Rick pulls the library door closed behind him; his other hand is splayed across the expanse of Erin's back, fingertips skimming the base of her skull for support.
The hungry baby is fussing against his shoulder; her head wags back and forth, insistent cries muffled by her own tightly fisted hand shoved into her mouth. She kicks fruitlessly at his ribcage, never fully making contact as her toes stretch the restricting yellow terrycloth.
Kate makes a mental note to take that romper out of the rotation. Clearly the baby has grown since she wore it last.
She slides her hand down Elena's leg, fingering the seam when she locates it. The older twin, still slightly the smaller of the two despite her healthier appetite, wiggles her toes - bends her knee; curling tighter around her mother's body as she eats.
Yeah, these outfits are history.
They grow so fast; too fast.
"I can't seem to appease her." Erin has always been a Daddy's girl, since the moment she was born; Daddy can do no wrong. So it frustrates them both when he can't seem to make her happy. Well, she's not exactly unhappy - just hungry, but they're both clearly frustrated "I know you don't really like doing it, but I've tried everything. She's relentless…"
"What's wrong? Daddy lost his touch?" She winks at him.
"I blame you."
Rick smiles down at her, the baby fusses even louder now that his momentum has ceased.
"Me? What did I…?"
She's interrupted by a particularly harsh growl from her youngest daughter. Finally giving up on her knuckles, Erin has resorted to sucking on her father's neck; her wet hand claws at his Adam's apple.
"Need I remind you…" Rick lowers himself to his knees in front of her as he talks; he places a hand on her thigh for leverage, "…of that little display in the garage a few minutes ago?"
Kate furrows her brow; tries not to smirk. Of course she remembers. How could she forget? But no, she can't think about that right now, not while she's…
"She can smell you all over me." Rick fills in; putting images in Kate's head. Pictures that threaten to send her blood singing.
Erin grunts and burrows in deeper; growing louder with each suck. Kate can see a thin line of slobber already running into Rick's collar; the light blue material darkening with the moisture.
Kate laughs at the look of consternation he has on his face. Or maybe it's lingering arousal. Oh…? Maybe that's why he's frustrated; part of it anyway?
"So, I know you don't really like it, but…?" Rick looks at her questioningly.
Ah, his original question; a two-fer. He's right, she doesn't prefer it. In fact it makes her feel more like an udder than a mother, but sometimes it's necessary.
Kate twists on the sofa, pulls one leg up to tuck it under herself as she nods to the large C-shaped pillow thrown in a nearby recliner. She doesn't use it too much for nursing yet. The girls are still small enough, each weighing just under eight pounds at their last checkup, that holding them with one arm is pretty easy and comfortable. Their little round heads fitting easily into the bend of her elbow, her forearm running along their backs as she cups their bottoms; wraps her thumb and forefinger around their chubby thighs for added assurance. However, on the rare occasion that she has to feed both of them at once, what Rick likes to call a two-fer, the pink polka-dotted cushion comes in extremely handy.
She takes the pillow from him. Somehow he'd managed to reach it without getting up from his kneeled position in front of her.
Kate fits it around her waist; slides it under her left arm to rest Elena on the firm bolster. The infant eyes her mother, protests all the motion with a subtle snort of annoyance, but also takes the opportunity to catch her breath; relax her tired cheeks. Then her lids flutter over tired rolling eyes as she latches back on and continues to eat.
"I know baby." Kate runs her fingers through Elena's damp hair; the girl is a little furnace when she eats. "Not my idea." Then she sticks her tongue out at Rick as she reaches for her other baby.
"Football?" He holds the baby out with her feet pointed towards Kate's back.
She shakes her head, "No, she doesn't like the football."
Rick just shrugs his shoulders; helps situate Erin on the pillow, her little body lined up behind her older sister's. He waits with a hand at each infant's back while Kate unties and unfastens; gets comfortable. He can't help but notice how skilled she's become at the task, even one-handed; nimble fingers.
Then he plops down on his rear-end in front of her. Even though it makes her a little uncomfortable, makes her feel vulnerable; he watches.
Watches the way Kate loves their babies.
Her face relaxed yet full of so much emotion; of love. He watches her eyes flit from one gorgeous little face to the other, memorizing each and every detail. He watches her lips pucker as she blows cooling air over Elena's sweat-soaked locks. He watches her hand massage Erin's back; a trick the pediatric nutritionist suggested might help ease her sensitive stomach. It looks difficult, a little bit awkward with one hand, but Kate does it nonetheless. Does it happily, because it helps ease her daughter's suffering.
The way she loves them. He could watch forever.
"Stop." Kate nudges at him with her toe; rests her dangling barefoot on the side of his knee.
"Stop what?"
She cocks her head, "You know what."
Yeah he knows; but he doesn't get it, because he finds it beautiful. She's beautiful. He wants to tell her, show her.
Before he can form the words she's nudging at him again. One side of her nursing bra is closed and she's shifting her weight forward.
"Here, she's done." Her head nods towards Elena.
"Oh, but Daddy lost his touch?" He teases but scoops the baby from her lap anyway.
The pink pillow discarded Kate drops her other leg, Rick twists until his back his pressed against her shins.
"Hey Half-Pint."
Rick brings his daughter to his face. Her hair is still soaked, she's bright-eyed like she always is this time of night, and she throws him a loop-sided smile. He brings her to his lips, he can't help it, he's drawn in by her mouth; her little lips red and swollen from nursing. He has to kiss them.
"One of these days you're gonna end up with a mouthful of spit-up."
He chuckles, she's right after all, it's just a matter of time. But until then, probably even after then, this is just what he does; how he bonds.
He works his way down her cheek, blows a raspberry against her neck as he settles her at his shoulder. One of these days he'll get more than just a smile from her. He can't wait to hear her laugh for him, at him, for the first time. He hopes she sounds like Kate.
He rubs a few circles on her back, kind of a warning before he starts patting. She burps easily, she always has, but he keeps patting and rubbing anyway, she likes it.
"Elena." Kate sing-songs from behind him.
Rick feels the infant lifting her head to find her mother; following her voice. He can't see it, but he knows the second she does because Kate makes a sound behind him. It's soft and high-pitched and Elena loves it. The baby's head wobbles then falls to his shoulder. Her mouth, wide open with glee, hums into his neck, and then she lifts again; seeking her mother's face once more.
The game doesn't go on long, Elena is still too young to keep her head up for any length of time. She finally plops it down for good; exhausted. He tilts his head to connect his cheek to hers, rocks side to side as she cuddles in close; coos her contentment.
She loves her daddy.
Kate shifts behind him again. He can hear the palm of her hand against Erin's back. She pats harder than he does, but the baby needs it; still has trouble burping even with the extra force. Kate murmurs in the baby's ear, encourages her to give it up, and she must finally because Kate whispers a soft 'good girl' as she leans forward.
Her fingers skate over Elena's hair then find their way into his. She scratches at his scalp, tugs gently at is ear, curls her fingers at the front of his neck.
He turns his head, finds Erin close, cradled in Kate's arm, wedged between their bodies.
"Daddy?" Her mouth is at his opposite ear; her voice so close.
"Hmm?"
"You'll never lose your touch with me."
I know, absolutely no substance but this scene kept playing in my mind. I couldn't jump any further into this story without giving you all a glimpse at some parent/baby bonding time.
Oh, and sorry about the breast feeding fascination. I'll try to ease up from here on out.
May bump the rating up to M for the next one. You've been warned.