John doesn't miss a beat. "We were talking about birth announcements."
"Right. Didn't they turn out great?"
"You know that you have to send them out, right?"
"Yes, I know," she confirms.
"Why don't you get them all addressed, and I will come home around lunchtime, and we can have an outing to the post office."
"I don't know about that."
"Kathryn it will be a twenty minute trip. I am sure that she will probably sleep through all of it."
"But..."
"No buts. Take her for a walk around the block. The two of you need some fresh air. I'll come pick you up around lunch to go to the post office."
"Fine."
"And call your mother," he adds, as he returns the baby to her arms. She positions the baby on her shoulder.
"Call her? Why?"
"Because if you don't she is going to kill you."
"She is already going to do that."
"Kathryn you have to tell her. Keely is two weeks old, already. We're going to mail out birth announcements. How do you think that is going to go over with your mother?"
"Like a lead balloon," Kathryn responds.
"You never told her you were pregnant, which I understand. I will give you that one, but she won't. You didn't call her when she was born. She's over two weeks old, and you still haven't told your mother about her."
"You're going to be late for work."
He rolls his eyes, "I am the senator, they wait on me."
"Go."
He leaves the house. She spends the next hour addressing envelopes. Keely sits in her bouncy seat on top of Kathryn's desk, right in front of her. She pulls open her drawer, and slips her mother's birth announcement inside. She grabs an empty bin off the desk, and places the other addressed letters inside. She unbuckles Keely, and plants a warm kiss on her forehead. Keely's eyes fly open. She furrows her brow in dissatisfaction. Kathryn smiles.
"I know, that was mean of mommy to wake you up. We have to go get your diaper changed before we go outside. We're going to go for a walk. What do you think about that?"
Keely closes her eyes, as Kathryn lifts her out of the bouncy seat.
That evening when Daphne gets home she finds Kathryn standing in the kitchen preparing dinner. Kathryn mixes with a spoon in one hand, and holds the baby with the other. Daphne rolls her eyes as she places her backpack on the floor.
"Hand her over, and no one gets hurt!" Daphne insists.
"I'm fine," Kathryn argues.
"Now!"
Kathryn reluctantly hands her over to Daphne. Daphne smiles at the little girl.
"Come on we've got to go get you changed."
"Changed? Daphne I just changed her diaper a few minutes ago."
"Into different clothes."
"Why?"
"He didn't tell you?"
"Who didn't tell me what?'
"We're having a new family portrait taken."
Kathryn looks down at her attire. She is wearing a pair of mom jeans, and a flow-y long-sleeved white button down shirt. She shakes her head.
"No, we're not. I am pretty sure I have spit up on me."
"Since when does she spit up?"
"I am not going to be in a family portrait looking like this."
"You look fine."
"Not going to happen."
"I thought that I should give you fair warning," Daphne explains.
"A couple of hours is not fair warning."
"That is what John told me to say. We aren't really doing it for a few weeks. Maybe right before graduation."
Early Monday morning on a rare occasion Kathryn is still asleep when John gets up. He sneaks over to the bassinet by her side of the bed. He lifts the sleeping beauty out of her bassinet, and carries her down the hallway. He closes the door of the nursery, and flips the light on. He takes a seat with her, in the rocking chair. She is snuggled in a yellow ducky gown. One un-socked foot sticks out.
"I thought for sure mom put sock on you last night."
He reaches into the gown, and touches her other foot. It has a sock on it. He feels around in the bassinet, and finds the other sock. He pulls it out and carefully returns it to her left foot.
"Does your left foot get hotter than the other one? You never leave that sock on."
She yawns, and opens her eyes. She looks up at him.
"Good morning. How is my girl? Huh?"
She jams her second and third finger of her right hand into her mouth. He smirks.
"You are always hungry. I've got bad news," he tells her as he looks at the clock on the wall, "it's not time to eat for ten minutes. That means that we have ten minutes to ourselves before your mom comes and snatches you away from me. Maybe we should do something nice for her. Should we write her a note?"
He vacates the rocking chair. He goes into the office, and turns the lamp on. He pulls the top drawer open, looking for a piece of paper. He finds an envelope. He shakes his head. He hears footsteps coming towards him. He looks up, and finds a familiar figure standing in the doorway.
"You woke her up?" Kathryn questions moving towards him.
"It is almost time to eat."
"I know," she reaches out her hands.
"Hold on a minute, I need you to explain something to me."
"Why did you bring the baby into the office?"
"We were going to write you a note telling you to have a good day."
"Okay."
"Why is this birth announcement to your mother still in the drawer?"
"I must have put it there by mistake."
"You do realize that people are going to start receiving these today. Your mother will inevitably find out, and probably fly in to kick your..."
Kathryn cuts him off, "Will you drop it off on your way to work? Then I can tell her it's in the mail."
"What are you going to suggest that it is lost in the mail?"
"I haven't thought that far into the future."
"Kathryn you have to tell her."
"It can wait."
"Until when? Are we going to wait until she graduates from college?"
"I am not opposed to that, but you need to give her to me."
"Maybe I would like to spend some quality time with my daughter for a few minutes, alone."
"That is fine, but if you don't hand her over I am going to burst."
He places the baby in her arms. "Thank you," she says as she turns to leave the room.