Chapter 44

James Henry woke early Sunday morning and, for a while, his feet kept him entertained. Martin was a light sleeper due to all his years as a doctor and he had a sixth sense when it came to his son. He woke at the first sound from the nursery and lay curled up against Louisa listening to his son's babbling. He eased away from the sleeping form next to him, pulled on his pajama pants, robe and quietly walked to the nursery. The baby saw him and started kicking and waving his arms in greeting. That big toothless grin and then giggles brought a smile to his father's face. It occurred to Martin that he was smiling more than he had in years and it was all due to that precious baby lying in the crib waiting for his morning routine to start. He greeted his son "Good morning, James Henry. Let's be quiet and let Mommy sleep." Martin touched his forehead as usual and his astute sense of smell told him something unpleasant was in the room. "You need a diaper change!"

He changed a sopping wet diaper, managed to clean a squirming baby by being faster than the little legs were. "Come on. I bet you're hungry so let's go eat some cereal and apple sauce. Sh-h-h now, Mommy's still asleep."

He mixed up the cereal, warmed the remaining apple sauce and started the process of feeding the baby. "Be patient! I can't feed it to you any faster. Ok, now a bottle that Mommy fixed for you. Yes, yes I know. Mommy tastes better but you're just going to have to get used to this. That's it. Good, isn't it?"

James Henry chewed on the nipple in protest but was too hungry to make much of an effort and drained the bottle. "You certainly give the impression that the bottle is satisfactory. Please, when I'm winding you, keep what you just consumed in your body and not on my robe." Martin placed him on his shoulder and patted his back. A loud burp ensued and, fortunately, nothing else. "Thank you, James Henry. It appears that our talks concerning manners have taken affect."

Martin took him upstairs, wiped his face and dressed him for the day. "We're going to see Aunt Ruth today. She cooks very strange things, you know. Well maybe they're not strange, it's just the way she cooks. Which is shockingly bad!"

Louisa stirred and called out to Martin. "Come on in, the two of you. I want hugs and kisses from my favorite men before I step foot out of this bed."

Martin took the baby to her and her reward was giggles, grins, kicks and arms waving. And a kiss from Martin.

"Don't forget that we're supposed to be at Aunt Ruth's at 11:00. Have you any idea what she's going to tell us?" Martin said as he prepared to take a shower.

"No, none. She's not exactly secretive, just non-communicative to the extreme. I'll make the coffee while you're in the shower. What do you want for breakfast? I'm having bacon and toast. Want me to fix you a rasher? Just for a treat?" Louisa asked.

"Yes, one rasher, scrambled eggs, toast and coffee sounds perfect." She could barely hear him over the noise of the shower. She pulled on her gown and robe and she and James Henry went downstairs to start the day. He played happily in the playpen while she busied herself preparing breakfast.

Martin came to the table impeccably dressed and so handsome that she had to kiss him. "H-m-m, if we weren't supposed to be at Aunt Ruth's, I'd take you upstairs and have my way with you. You look absolutely delicious!"

Poor Martin, blushed at her praise and the arousal caused by the press of her body against his and that kiss. "Er, yes. I'll just make the coffee while you finish – Louisa, please tie your robe. That garment you're wearing is transparent!"

She giggled and teased him "Thought you liked it. No?" And she swayed a little as she slowly tied the robe.

With a husky voice and eyes narrowed on her body "I'll show you tonight how I feel about it. Now is not the appropriate time." His hand, seemingly of its own volition, slipped inside the robe and stroked that hip and went around to that luscious bum.

She tiptoed and whispered in his ear "I can't wait you lovely man!"

The rashers were rescued just in time, just at the point of being extra crisp. He made coffee while she made toast and the eggs.

Between bites, she asked "Should we take something to share with whatever she's decided to try to cook? At least we'll have something we want to eat!"

"I'll call her and ask if that would be acceptable. I hope she's not going to try fish pie again! I still haven't figured out what she did to the fish to make it tough. Fish is not tough!" He answered with a look of disgust.

"Well, whatever it is, you know we'll eat it and smile. You are incapable of lying so just say your usual h-m-m." She said with a smile. "Now, I'm going to shower and dress. Be back shortly." She blew him a kiss as she left.

He cleaned up the kitchen and sat down to read the latest journal while he waited. James Henry was rolling over and would get stuck against the sides of the playpen. Martin would get up and put him back in the middle. It only took a couple of times for James Henry to figure out that this was a good game. Daddy got clued in when he saw the expectant look on the little distraction's face as he got stuck again. "He's teaching me!" Daddy actually chuckled at that. James Henry grinned and laughed with him. Louisa was at the bottom of the stairs and stopped in amazement when she heard Martin laugh for the first time ever. It was a beautiful, throaty sound. And she found it incredibly sexy. She walked softly into the lounge and stood watching the loves of her life interact so well.

"I suppose that if we teach you, it's only fair for you to teach us. You know, I was once called a miserable bugger by a good friend. You know him, it's Mr. Fenn. This is our secret but no one can call me miserable anymore. I've got your mother and you and a profession that I was born to do. What more can a man ask for?"

Louisa went back to the stairs and spoke as she re-entered the lounge. "You two ready to go? I'll pack the nappy bag if you'll change him. Oh, and put that darling little sailor suit on him. He's so cute in it!"

Martin agreed and soon they were on the way to the farm. He grimaced and said. "I didn't call her. We'll just hope for the best."