--One week later--
Clay and Nicole were having everyone over to meet Teagan after dinner. They'd only been home for 4 days and Nicole finally felt up for visitors. Megan was the only one that came to the hospital to see them, only because it's her best friend and no family members were around for coming obviously.
"Babe you want me to get that?" Clay asked as he observed Nicole attempting to unload the dishwasher. You could tell she was still sore by the way she was moving.
"No I got it." She said.
"Okay..." Clay said and went to sit down on the couch. Teagan was asleep in the swing, he just stared at her sweet little face.
"Ow! Fuck!" Nicole shouted from the kitchen, Clay got up to see what happened. She was running her hand under cold water.
"What!?" He asked concerned.
"It's hot! Shit..." She said, Clay just watched her run it under the sink.
"Wahhhh...wahhhh!" The newborn cries filled the apartment quickly. Clays attention immediately turned to the baby.
"Hey...shhh." Clay unbuckled her and scooped her up. She was pretty much as big as his bicep. She looked so small in his arms.
"I'm sorry sweetie..." Nicole came over and apologized to her, she ran her fingers over her hair but she still cried.
"Teagan...it's okay baby girl..." Clay switched positions and put her up on his shoulder. Nicole just watched, letting him figure it out. She started to stop as he rubbed her back and bounced up and down gently. Nicole couldn't help but smile.
"How's your hand?" Clay asked her, she was holding a wet towel over her fingers she burned.
"Fine. That metal tin was hot!" She said.
"I would've unloaded it." Clay said.
"No. I wanted to. I should've waited longer is all." She told him. He sat down on the couch and let Teagan snuggle into his chest.
"Do you have to shower before they come?" Clay asked.
"Yeah, I'd like to put a little makeup on, maybe throw some curls in my hair." She explained.
"Well why don't you go do that. I can manage." Clay insisted. Nicole checked the time on her phone.
"I mean she'll probably be hungry soon..." Nicole said unsure.
"Babe just go take a shower, relax." He told her, Teagan was perfectly fine in his arms and so Nicole went to shower.
———
6:45 rolled around, Nicole was ready and breastfeeding Teagan again. Clay was getting dressed when the knock came on the door.
"I'll get it babe." Clay walked out and said, stopping Nicole from getting up, she covered herself.
"Hey." Clay stepped aside and let in Ray, Naima, Lisa, Jason, Sonny and Megan.
"Sup man." Ray gave him a hug after he saw Nicole with the baby. She stopped breast feeding so everyone could see her face.
"Oh she's beautiful." Naima said and gave Nicole a side hug after she sat up a little on the couch.
"Congratulations." Ray leaned down and kissed her cheek.
"Wow, ain't she just the perfect." Jason said as he gave Clay a handshake/hug. Everyone else came in and said the same things.
"Whoever wants to hold her...just wash your hands and I'll hand her over." Nicole said. Everyone basically listened and went to wash their hands.
Naima was the first one back, so she sat next to Nicole and held the baby.
"How do you feel?" She asked.
"Uh, better. Today's the first day I got up to make a meal. Still sore but it's probably normal." Nicole said.
"Yeah...give yourself a couple weeks and you'll feel almost 100% back to normal." Naima said. Nicole nodded agreeing. Everyone else came back to sit down. The guys started talking about work and whatever other guy stuff.
Teagan made her way to Ray, then Lisa, Jason, Megan and Sonny was last. Megan handed her over carefully.
"Hey there...welcome to the group." He told her. She stared up at him and then yawned.
"Aw, don't worry. It'll get more exciting as you get older." Sonny said making everyone laugh at him.
After a couple minutes Teagan started crying again. Everyone decided to leave and let them have the night to themselves. Nicole said goodbye to everyone and then hurried off to change her diaper and get her ready for bed.
"That wasn't too bad?" Clay came in and asked.
"No not at all. I enjoyed socializing" Nicole said.
"Good." Clay kissed her cheek. Nicole picked her up and headed to the rocking chair.
"Where's her blanket?" Nicole looked around the room, in the crib.
"Did you-" Clay started to help her look.
"Ugh! I forgot I washed it." Nicole said.
"I'll get it...it's in the dryer?" Clay asked and started out the room.
"Huh. No...just throw that in though quick so she can have it."
"Do you just wanna use another blanket?" Clay asked. Nicole stopped and stared at him in disbelief.
"You know it was family heirloom right?" Nicole questioned.
"Yes..." Clay didn't see the problem with using another blanket.
"My parents are dead. I have no one. So I have heirlooms. Please just respect that." Nicole said grabbing another blanket as Teagan was fussing, very tired and not caring what blanket Nicole swaddled her in.
"I know, I'm sorry." He apologized not needing to start an argument about it. He watched her swaddle her up and then sit down and nurse her. Clay left her alone and went to take a shower.
When he got out Nicole was in bed, sleeping already. He quietly tried to get dressed and then climbed in next to her.
"Mmm." She moaned and turned to snuggle in his arms still half sleeping.
"She went down quick?" Clay asked.
"Yeah. She ate and passed out." She told him.
"Good." He kissed her and then they fell asleep.
———
"Shhh...hey...Teagan..." Clay said calmly. Bouncing his little girl in his arms at 1:45am.
"Wahhh" she wailed.
"You're okay..." he told her, rocking her side to side in his arms.
"What's wrong?" Nicole came in the nursery, hair in a sloppy bun, half sleeping.
"Not sure. She seems pretty angry though." Clay told her over the screaming.
"Let me see." Nicole held out her hands.
"Huh you are killin' me baby girl" Clay said sweetly as he handed her off.
"Oh her belly hurts Clay, see how she's arching her back." Nicole said and laid her down on the changing table.
"From what?" Clay asked concerned.
"She maybe didn't burp enough or is just gassy." Nicole told him and did bicycles with her legs. It was working she was farting up a storm.
"For real?" Clay was so amused by this.
"Yeah haha." Nicole laughed at him.
"I gotta try that." He said joking. Nicole punched his arm and was laughing. He smiled and rubbed his thumb over her forehead as she slowly started to relax.
"That's better..." Nicole said and stopped the bicycle movements.
"I'll get her back down. Go back to bed." Clay said and picked her up. Nicole thought about it with uncertainty but then realized he could be spun up tomorrow and not see Teagan again for months. She let him alone and went back to bed still hearing her fuss over the monitor.
A couple minutes went by
"See that's better isn't it? Yeah...mom always knows best I guess." Clay said over the monitor. Nicole was curious and got up to see what he was talking about. She stood in the doorway and saw him wrapping her in the blanket she had from her family.
———
Well that was SUPER CUTE! He's already such a good "girl dad". Hopefully he doesn't have to go away too soon, Nicole is still recovering and needs him. At least she'd have Megan or Naima if needed. Leave your reviews/comments of the chapter! It is greatly appreciated.
