Chapter Twenty-Five: Stressed
Pony POV
It'd been a month since baby Dally was born, and it definitely was a change.
"Georgie, are you okay?"
I walked in the kitchen and saw her pouring a cup of coffee.
"Yeah, why?"
I chuckled.
"One, because you don't like coffee, and two, you just put salt in it."
She made a face, poured it in the sink, and started pouring herself another cup.
"It's the only thing that'll get me up in the morning."
"She didn't sleep good last night?"
"She sleeps okay, she just wakes up a lot to feed. It's just taking a lot out of me."
She sat down at the table, and as soon as she did, the baby started crying. She smiled and stood up.
"Duty calls."
Soda didn't get home until late that night. I noticed that this had become a pattern. I decided to pay Steve a visit.
"Hey, Ponyboy. What brings you here?"
"I think we have a problem."
He sighed.
"What's wrong with her?"
"With who?"
"Um... Georgie?"
"Wow, we really need to have more faith in her. She's fine, that's not what I wanna talk about."
He chuckled.
"Sorry. It's a reflex."
About that time, Two-bit walked in.
"Howdy!"
I rolled my eyes.
"Have you been working late, Steve?"
"With a new baby at home? Of course not!"
"We've gotta do something, then..."
"About what?"
Steve POV
When Pony told me what was going on, I was actually pretty shocked. I got Jules to invite Georgie over that Saturday so I could talk to him, but he wasn't home. I called the office.
"Hello?"
"Soda, what're you doing there?"
"Uh... I'm doing some paperwork."
"We don't work on the weekends."
"I know, but..."
"I'm at your house. Come home."
"I..."
"Now, Soda."
About twenty minutes later, he came through the door.
"Make this quick, Steve. I've gotta get back..."
"What the hell are you doing?"
He looked taken aback.
"What're you talking about?"
"Ponyboy said you're working late every night and leaving earlier in the mornings. Why?"
"Because I have a business to..."
"Cut the crap, Sodapop. What's going on?"
He tried to argue with me for a while, before he finally yelled at me.
"I don't know how to handle a baby! Alright?! Are you happy, now?!"
He sat down in the chair with his head in his hands.
"Pony said that Georgie's hardly sleeping. Are you helping her at all?"
"I don't know how to help her!"
He stood up again and started pacing.
"What exactly do you mean?"
"I don't remember when Ponyboy was a baby! I know how to deal with kids, I don't know the first thing about taking care of a baby!"
"And you think I did?! I had to learn. The only way to learn is to just do it!"
He sighed and sat back down.
"She's just so good with her. Like, really good with her."
"I promise you, it was hard for her, too. It's just as new for her."
"You'd never know it..."
"Sodapop, she's running herself ragged. She's not only taking care of the baby, but she's also writing her next book, cooking all of the meals, and taking care of you and Ponyboy. Pony's even taking care of Dally an hour a day so Georgie can sleep."
"I just... I didn't expect it to be this hard... I just thought I could work a lot until..."
"Until what? She's five?!"
He just sat there. I was getting angry. I ran my hands over my face trying to calm down.
"Sodapop, you can't do this."
"She's so small... I'm afraid I'll break her... And she always cries when I hold her..."
"That's because she can sense that you're terrified... The more you hold her, the more you'll get used to it and you won't be nervous anymore..."
I sighed.
"Look, tomorrow's Sunday... Why don't we send Georgie over to Darry and Jody's to rest and I'll help you with Dally."
Soda POV
I didn't sleep well that night. I heard Georgie get up to feed Dally every two hours. The next morning, I told Georgie to go to Darry and Jody's house to get some rest. She was hesitant, but got ready. She was about to leave when Steve walked in.
"Hey, Steve."
"Hey, gorgeous."
She rolled her eyes, but gave him a hug.
"Are you sure you don't want me to stay, Sodapop?"
"Y-yeah. Why?"
"You've never had her alone, And I know she makes you nervous..."
Steve wrapped and arm around her shoulders.
"Hey, I'm here with him. Go on, we'll be fine."
She looked unsure.
"Okay... I'm right down the road if you need me..."
She left, and Ponyboy walked in holding Dally. She was completely calm.
"Here's Daddy."
He handed her to me, and she started whimpering. Steve sat next to me and put a hand on my shoulder.
"Relax, buddy. She knows you're nervous."
I tried to relax, but I couldn't. Steve took her from me and started talking to her in a low voice. She calmed right down.
"How do you do that?"
"You can't let her intimidate you. She's a baby. She won't bite."
Pony smirked.
"At least not yet."
"Screw you!"
Steve handed her back to me.
"Relax..."
I took a deep breath and looked down at my baby girl. She was whimpering again. I started talking to her like Steve.
"Hey, hey. It's okay... Daddy's here. I'm not gonna let anything hurt you..."
I touched her cheek as I talked. She calmed down, which made me relax.
"Hey, there's that crazy grin we all love!"
"Again, Ponyboy. Screw you!"
The day went on, and I got better and better. I fed her, changed her, bounced her to sleep. She was taking a nap when Georgie got home.
"Hey."
"Hey, you."
I leaned down and kissed her. She smiled.
"Was she too much trouble?"
"No, she was pretty good. Did you sleep any?"
"I rested, but I didn't sleep."
Later that night, I heard the baby crying. I felt Georgie get up, but I stopped her.
"Is this a breastfeed or bottle feed?"
"This is the first time, so breastfeed."
I walked to the baby's room with her and watched. I'd never really seen her do it.
"What?"
"What?"
"Why're you staring at me?"
"You're just... So beautiful."
She smiled. From then on, every time it was a bottle feed, I fed her. Then it was Georgie's turn to stare.
"Now I know why you asked earlier. That's kind of creepy."
She chuckled.
"I'm gonna go lay down. You need me for anything?"
I looked down at my little girl.
"No. I think we'll be just fine."
Georgie POV
I didn't know what exactly Steve had done, but I was really happy that Sodapop wasn't afraid of her anymore. It gave me some peace of mind. I went back to our room.
"I like her name..."
"Oh my gosh..."
Dally was standing at the window looking out of it. I hadn't seen him in a long time... I think it had been two years... Maybe longer...
"She's beautiful, just like her mom."
I smiled.
"Thanks..."
"How're you doing?"
"I'm stressed, but it comes with it, I guess."
He looked at me.
"You're so grownup."
"And you're still 17."
He smirked.
"I wouldn't have been a good adult anyways."
"I figured you'd already be asleep."
Dally winked at me and disappeared. I turned to Soda.
"I will be. I'm definitely exhausted."
We climbed into bed and he pulled me close and we fell into a peaceful sleep. Until two hours later, anyway.