Wine Not Coffee

Chapter 20

Jo had been headed for the kitchen till she heard Alexis crying. The longer she cried the more it was likely to turn into her wailing. And if there was anything Alexis had, she had a healthy set of lungs. It also seemed to be getting closer. Last she knew Katie had Alexis instead of her so why was the sound getting closer?

"Here, do something." Katie put a wailing Alexis in her arms. "Just make it stop." Kate turned to walk away.

"You could learn, Katie!" Jo was forced to yell to be heard over Alexis but Katie didn't stop. "So what's wrong now?" Jo went to Rick's bedroom since that was where everything for a diaper change was located.

Jo found out straight away what had Alexis so upset. "So this is the problem. You could have changed her diaper, Katie. It's just one poopy diaper. …One very poopy diaper. Is this just one or two? No wonder you're so unhappy.

"Maybe I should leave it in Katie's room. What do you think, Alexis? Is that a good idea?" Jo cooed at her and tried tickling her but she was still a mess and just kept crying.

Baby wipes, a new diaper, and a new onesie and Alexis was all better. "That wasn't so bad now, was it?" Jo picked her up and kissed her little face. "This thing needs to go outside in the trash. …And you probably want a bottle next." Except Jo had a dilemma. Alexis in one hand, poopy diaper in the other and she needed to mix up a new bottle.

"Okay, down you go." Jo put Alexis in her crib. "And this thing needs to go outside." Jo left her and hurried to the trash bin outside which was a long walk. "I should have brought the entire trash can with me." Jo shook her head. She was losing it.

Walking back inside she saw Kate sitting in the living room with Alexis in her lap, playing with her and getting her to laugh. "So I do all the dirty work and you get to do the fun stuff?" Jo stopped next to her and glared down at her.

"It was poopy," Kate stated and went back to playing with Alexis. "It was really poopy, wasn't it? Yes it was! It was very poopy." Kate bent down and gave Alexis a little raspberry through her onesie.

"Your baby is going to be just as poopy, Katie. You can learn now or learn later and you haven't seen anything yet. We aren't even close to the potty training stage," Jo warned her and grumbled all the way to Rick's bedroom to mix up a bottle. She should be getting really close to ready to switch from a bottle to something a little more solid.

"We're not listening to her, are we? No, we're not," Kate said to Alexis and kept playing with her since she had a happy Alexis in her lap and she wanted to keep her that way. Happy babies she could do. Babies with poopy diapers, not so much.

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Kate was still keeping a happy Alexis happy when suddenly a warm bottle showed up in front of her. "Here, feed her then give her back to me. I have another job for you to do." Jo left the bottle and walked away.

Now Kate had Alexis in her arms and was feeding her, looking down at her as Alexis looked up at her. Except Kate had a problem and it might turn into a really big one since Alexis had shown in the past she was more than capable.

"MOM!" Kate bellowed till she showed up.

"What's wrong now?" Alexis couldn't possibly have a poopy diaper already and if she did Katie was just going to have to deal with it herself.

"I need towel or a bib soon," Kate told her.

"Oh." Jo hadn't thought of that. Yup she was losing it alright. "I'll get you one."

"Thanks, Mom. …You don't want to throw up on me, do you? I'm the one that's feeding you. You throw up on me and I'll never feed you again," Kate threatened her but Alexis just kept sucking on her nipple and looking up at Kate. She was even trying to help her hold the bottle in place.

And then trying to move the bottle and kick Kate in the ribs followed by holding the bottle in place. "Hold still, can't ya?" Then Alexis stopped and pushed the bottle away. "But you're not done yet. You've only had maybe half." Kate tried putting the bottle back in her mouth but Alexis would have none of that. Then she began crying again. "Now what?" Kate set the half empty bottle to one side and checked her diaper.

"You won't eat and your diaper is clean. Have you got a temperature again?" Kate got up and found her mother in the kitchen.

"Here." She handed Alexis over to her who was still crying. "She only took half and I'm going to go find her thermometer." Kate left her with the half empty bottle and walked away.

"So bottles aren't good enough for you now." Jo sat her up, put her on her knee, and bounced her which instantly got her to shut up.

"I remember this picture. Except for the hair color." Jim sat down next to her.

"Just like the good old days. …Katie could only get her to take half a bottle," Jo told him and kept bouncing a now happy Alexis.

"So we're ready for some puree of this and that, are we? You want to go into town or should I?" Jim was offering to do it.

"I've got her happy for now so you can. You know what to get." Jo had faith in her husband.

"I remember with absolute clarity. I just hope our little town has what we need or I'll have to go to Lausanne. I'll be back." Jim got up and gave his wife a quick kiss then went to a vehicle that was still here.

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"You got her to stop." Kate was amazed.

"Practice, Katie, just practice. Something you need to learn. I think you can put that back. We don't need it. Do we?" Jo got Alexis to start laughing again. "We're going to need a high chair soon. Not just yet but soon. Start looking for a bigger bed soon too.

"And new clothes and new toys. Something to ease the pain when she's teething. Growing teeth hurts, you know. And a bouncy thing. Portable play pen. A mobile to keep her happy. Probably a night light." Jo was just getting started.

"I hope Rick is rich," Kate commented and sat down next to them. She only had eyes for a happy Alexis.

"We managed with you. I'm sure Rick will do just fine. And we need all those things for when we babysit. She's still coming over here even after he finishes his remodel." That left Jo wondering what to do after it was done. She couldn't insist on keeping Alexis when she had a perfectly capable daddy to take care of her. She needed a new plan.

"Go change into your leathers. I have new places for you to sell wine at," Jo informed her and watched her leave.

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Kate was riding out with addresses in her GPS unit and four bottles in her saddle bags when she saw her dad drive in, never realizing he had even left. They both waved and kept going.

"Montreux has what we need but the options are limited. One jar of puréed chicken, puréed sweet potatoes, puréed carrots, and puréed apples." Jim set each little jar in front of her.

"They had a few others but not many. Mix it up with a little touch of formula and we can see how she likes that. If she hates it she won't eat it or she'll spit it out like Katie did." Jim remembered those times.

"We're going to need to start thinking of other things soon. Highchair, playpen, teething toys, bigger bed," Jo listed since Alexis was going to need a lot of things growing up.

"We're not keeping her, Jo. No matter how attached to her you've gotten." Jim needed to stop this before it became too late.

"I know. But Rick's going to need someone to babysit her when he takes Katie out on dates." Jo argued. She did know. She just didn't like it.

"I still think you're playing with fire, love. Katie might run back to Stanford and leave all of us behind if she catches wind of this. But I won't stop you. I just hope you know what you're doing." Jim kissed her this time and left the baby food behind.

"So what would you like to eat first since you only finished half a bottle?" Jo looked over her choices and chose apple first. She got up and headed to Rick's room to mix up a whole new bottle, added in some purée of apple, and mixed it all up.

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Rick was happy. He had new floors everywhere. New kitchen cabinets but no countertops yet. Furniture was going to be last. The countertop installer was going to be out tomorrow to measure. Right now they were installing new lights everywhere including the under counter lighting in the kitchen. He was even getting a strip of light in the kick space at the floor which sounded pretty cool.

His feature walls were in place and painting was scheduled for tomorrow. The contractor had arranged for a small trailer to be parked for him to use while the contractor ripped open his lobby area so he could stay in business.

Emile was here as well as Rayan to do some maintenance on the train cars while the guests were gone. He also needed to test all of the split systems and make sure they worked properly.

So far, save for that little problem with the knob and tube, there were no more surprises. They still had to open up the lobby and replace all of the windows that weren't there yet so new surprises were still possible.

He was done for the day. He was tired and a little hungry and he really missed Alexis. He was so attached to her it wasn't even funny. Dirty diapers and all.

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Kate was on her way home. The wine was gone like it was supposed to and of the four places only one didn't put in an order for some of their wine. So the trip wasn't that bad.

Then her mood brightened considerably. She saw a flash of red so she slowed way down and soon saw a red Ferrari making its way to an intersection. So Kate got in behind it and followed it all the way home.

Rick parked next to her car. Yes, she could have used her car to deliver the wine but she liked her bike. She rode past him to put her bike away. She took her helmet off and left it behind then shook her hair free and walked toward him.

She was gratified that he only had eyes for her. She hadn't really thought of her leathers as being sexy but now she was glad that he thought so. She walked right up to him and thanks to her high heeled boots she didn't have to lift up much to kiss him and found herself in his arms being kissed back.

She actually felt pretty good being in his arms. "How was your day?" Kate asked him as they walked to her room since she wanted out of these leathers. They had served their purpose for today.

"A little boring as usual. We only have two train cars so not that many guests. They get ready in the morning, come into the office to get suggestions on what to do and what to see. Then they're usually gone all day. They're still gone.

"If it wasn't for the contractor it would be even more boring." Kate closed her bedroom door and locked it.

"Wait here, I'm going to change." Kate walked into her closet and started unzipping and working to get out of her leathers.

"Alexis has suddenly decided not to finish all her bottles," Kate called out from her closet.

"That hasn't happened since she was really little. Is she running a temperature?" Rick asked in concern.

"Apparently not. I went to get the thermometer and by the time i was back Mom had her laughing. "Not sure how she did that. She was crying pretty hard just prior to that. Wouldn't do anything for me."

Kate walked out wearing panties and a bra and had plain jeans and a top in hand. She tossed them on the bed then found herself being moved in front of him between his spread legs.

Rick pressed his face into her chest right between her breasts and Kate held his head there. Then she felt her bra being removed, slipped off her shoulders and tossed behind him onto her bed. She was all set to complain when she felt his lips on one nipple and his hand on her other breast.

She held his head in place and savored the feeling. He had listened! She liked it when he touched her. She wanted him to touch her.

As much as she liked this…. "Mom's going to wonder where we are." Now his other hand was on her ass and fingers were creeping into her waist band to pull them down.

"Rick." If he didn't stop soon she wasn't sure she could.

Rick removed his hands and moved his head away from her breast. "Spoil sport."

"We can have sex tonight after they go to bed. There are two bedrooms and a bathroom between here and there." Kate offered him compensation. Mostly because she wanted to have sex with him again tonight.

"Just a second." Rick drew her in closer and kissed a nipple then the other nipple. Kate groaned when suddenly his middle finger was sliding its way up between the folds of her pussy. "Just marking my place for later," he explained.

Kate worked at getting herself back under control. Just that little bit had left her unhinged a little. "How is your back? And I'm still sorry. Turn around for me." Kate used her hand to show he had to spin.

Rick stood up and took his shirt off, then spun around to show her. He was still clearly marked. They didn't look as bad any longer but she was still sorry. "I'll get the cream, don't move." Kate hurried into the bathroom. She was back with just the cream and applied it to his wounds. "There, all done." She kissed his back.

"Just one little kiss?" Rick teased her.

"You're all creamy. Now put your shirt back on before I rip your pants off and forget that my parents live here and might be looking for us." Kate went back to the bathroom.

Rick was buttoning his shirt when Kate came back and got dressed. "How do I look?" She wasn't sexy looking and she knew it, but she was comfortable. She had even been comfortable letting him watch her get dressed which was a first for her.

"Good enough to eat," Rick growled.

Kate felt a blush starting. She remembered what he had done last time and was looking forward to a repeat of last night. "Maybe later." But she found herself being pulled into him. She went willingly and even put her arms around his neck.

"The other night was nothing. I don't know what those boys before me have been doing, but I'm going to show you what I can do." Rick kissed her and kept kissing her.

"Now let's go find Alexis." Rick let go of her. Kate stood there, swaying a little. That hadn't been just a kiss. That was a kiss. Putting her mind back into gear she headed for her now open bedroom door and jogged a little to catch up.

They found everyone in the kitchen. "Mom's papers." Kate turned around and ran to her room. She had papers for the one place that had ordered wine from their place.

Rick lifted an awake Alexis out of her carrier on the table, cuddled her close, and reveled in the feel of holding her. "I heard there was trouble." Rick said, looking at Jo.

"Alexis has decided all on her own that formula alone is not enough any longer. Jim went into town to get her some baby food. So I mixed some puréed apple with a little formula. She took every bit of it. Didn't spit up or throw up any of it. She was a good girl," Jo smiled.

"Did you now?" Rick put her in front of his face. She smiled and batted at his face then whacked his nose but good. Rick didn't care. "That's my girl!" Rick gave her kisses.

"She likes bouncing and belly raspberries now too," Jo told him. Alexis immediately got one from him which had her laughing.

"So how is your remodel going?" Jo asked him.

Rick sat down and settled Alexis in his lap. "Floors are down everywhere. The kitchen cabinets went in today. Light fixtures were installed. Countertop installer will be out tomorrow. I'm not sure just when the countertops are going to show up. Tomorrow will be all about the bathroom upstairs.

"Once the residence side is done they'll start ripping apart my entrance lobby. Just before that starts a trailer will show up and I'll need to add signs and that will be the temporary office.

"I hope it has heating or A/C or this could be bad. Trapped in a trailer, baking or melting depending on what's happening outside. I'm not even sure how many windows it has if it has any at all." Rick was thinking bad thoughts so anything better than that would be good.

"I'm sure it will have something. So do they have a time to completion?" Just how much longer were they going to have his company?

"Two weeks. Including replacing all the windows. If something happens there it might go longer but the walls are stone so it can't be that bad." Rick didn't see how it could be that bad. Stone this old and still in good shape meant no carpenter ants, termites, or wood rot. All of those pests were why the wood windows had to go.

"Two weeks." She had two weeks to come up with a plan. One that got him and Alexis over here more often. Or Katie over there a lot. Preferably with her in tow so she could baby sit. Alexis was just so precious.

"Where's Jim?" He was missing.

"Shopping in Lausanne. Our little town just didn't have what we wanted." He was off looking for a playpen, more baby food, a mobile to attach to the playpen, more toys and maybe a new bed since Rick would be taking his with him when he moved out.