"You might have random visitors tomorrow," Jen remarked.
"Other members of the nursing staff?" Gretchen asked.
Jen nodded, "Pretty much."
Alexander started to fuss and cry.
"Oh, oh, Alexander, what's wrong?" Gretchen asked as she cuddled him.
Jen gave a smile, "A word of advice, always check the diaper first... then see if he's hungry."
Gretchen nodded, "That is good advice."
Jen watched as Gretchen changed Alexander's diaper.
"There you go. All clean," Gretchen said.
Alexander stared at Gretchen, then whimpered.
"Are you hungry now?" Gretchen asked as she picked him up and tried to feed him.
"I'll let Monica know that you should be ready for discharge tomorrow," Jen said, turning for the door.
"Thanks Jen," Gretchen replied.
Jennifer left and Gretchen remarked to her son, "You know you gave me quite the scare."
Alexander blinked.
"You weren't supposed to come this early. But it would seem you know better huh?" Gretchen continued softly.
Alexander merely stared at her.
Gretchen laughed softly, "You're not even a day old and I already love you. Your Daddy loves you too. You just make him a little nervous."
Alexander gurgled.
"It's been a busy day with everyone visiting," Gretchen remarked.
Alexander blinked.
"I'm going to ask Ferb if we can have a couple of quiet days at home. No visitors, no phone calls; just us," Gretchen continued.
Alexander cooed.
"I'm going to tell you a little secret," Gretchen said.
Alexander blinked.
"Daddy knew Mommy was pregnant with you before she did," Gretchen stated.
Alexander yawned.
Gretchen laughed softly and smiled, and rocked him gently humming a lullaby.
Eventually Gretchen put Alexander into the bassinet. She got back into the bed and fell asleep herself. She was awoken several times during the night to feed and change Alexander. In the morning a nurse came in and set a breakfast tray down just as Gretchen began to rouse.
"Good morning Gretchen," The nurse, yet another co-worker of Gretchen, greeted.
"Morning," Gretchen returned groggily then her eyes went wide, "Where's Alexander?"
"He's in the bassinet, looking around," the nurse replied.
Gretchen sat up, "Has my husband-"
"Not yet," the nurse said.
"I'm going to have to kick Shane's-" Gretchen growled just as Ferb came in.
"Hello love," Ferb said.
Gretchen raised an eyebrow.
Ferb was just about to say something, when Gretchen launched into small tirade, "Don't you 'Hello love' me. Where were you? When did you get home? Where were you?"
Ferb's eyes went wide, "Did you sleep well?"
Gretchen tried to get out of bed, but was held by the nurse when she realized what might happen, "NO!"
Ferb turned to Alexander, "Did you keep Mummy up all night? I'll go get her a coffee, it's best if she's mad at me," he said then started to leave.
"You get back here, Fletcher!" Gretchen yelled.
Ferb quickly slipped out of the room.
"Get back here!" Gretchen hollered.
"Easy now," the nurse, named Reyna, remarked.
Gretchen looked more than irritated.
"I agree Gretchen, you need your coffee. Between lack of coffee and your hormones-" was all Reyna managed to get out before Gretchen KO'ed her.
Alexander made a noise of discontent.
Gretchen groaned and got out of the bed, "That wasn't too nice of Mommy was it?"
Alexander blinked.
Gretchen sighed and moved the taller and obviously heavier nurse to the nearby chair.
Ferb came back with a strong coffee, and his eyes went wide at the scene in front of him.
Gretchen gave him a sheepish look.
"What did you do?" Ferb asked.
"She said something about hormones," a grumbled admittance from Gretchen.
Reyna groaned as she came to.
"I'm so sorry," Gretchen said quickly.
"And I thought trying to deal with drunk drivers was a hassle," Reyna said wryly.
"I'm so sorry," Gretchen said again.
Ferb helped Reyna to her feet, "Please don't report her."
Gretchen was now holding Alexander, and started crying.
"Don't worry, I should have known better," Reyna waved it off.
Ferb arched an eyebrow.
Reyna remarked to Ferb in a low tone, "Her body has to readjust . New mothers are a bit unpredictable."
Ferb gave a nod.
"Am I able to go home today?" Gretchen inquired.
"Your doctor needs to make that decision, however, I don't see why not," Reyna replied then left the couple alone with their son.
Gretchen now turned to Ferb, "Do you have to go to work today?"
Ferb shook his head, "Apparently I've got the week off."
"Dad must have said something to your supervisor," Gretchen mused aloud.
Ferb shrugged and Gretchen raised an eyebrow at him.
"My supervisors were aware, but Mr. Rivers didn't say anything," Ferb explained.
"When we get home, can we just relax?" Gretchen asked him.
"I don't see why not," Ferb replied.
"I mean it Ferb. I want a day or two with no phone calls, no visitors, just us," Gretchen said, indicating herself, him and Alexander.
Ferb smirked, "I can arrange that."
"Thank you," Gretchen said softly.
"Anything for you," Ferb returned.
"Do you want to hold him?" Gretchen asked.
"He seems content right now," Ferb hedged.
Gretchen, who obviously not had enough coffee yet, snapped, "Ferb, you are his father. Hold him!"
Ferb blinked, and carefully accepted Alexander from her.
Alexander didn't like the fact that the person holding him suddenly changed without warning; so he gave out a soft whimper.
"Shh, it's okay. Mummy's going to have her coffee, then she'll be our sweet girl again," Ferb soothed the one day old infant.
Gretchen shot her husband a dirty look.
Ferb merely raised an eyebrow.
Gretchen then took a long sip of her coffee.
Alexander snuggled into Ferb's arms, and made a happy noise.
Ferb grinned, "Do you like that?" he asked and let Alexander grasp his finger, "That's a good boy."
"I see you're finally getting comfortable holding your son," Gretchen remarked.
"Finish your coffee, love," Ferb replied.
Gretchen rolled her eyes.
"I'd say he's prefect just the way he is," Ferb said.
"Okay with him not having your hair color?" Gretchen asked.
"Might I point out your hair color isn't all that common either," Ferb returned.
"It's brown," Gretchen snapped.
Ferb shook his head and talked to Alexander, "Mummy thinks she's got brown hair, that's not true. She's got auburn hair. That's brown with some red mixed in."
"He doesn't understand you... yet," Gretchen said.
Alexander blinked.
"I'm not sure, he seems to be taking the information in," Ferb observed.
"Ferb, he's only a day old," Gretchen pointed out.
"He's a smart lad," Ferb returned.
"Ferb, he's a day old," Gretchen repeated.
Ferb smiled at her, "I know."
Alexander cooed.
Ferb glanced at his exasperated wife and raised an eyebrow.
"I don't believe you," Gretchen said.
"Would you like another coffee?" Ferb inquired.
Gretchen paused, and took a deep breath, "What?"
"Would you like another coffee?" Ferb repeated the question.
Gretchen blinked, as if unable to process the inquiry.
Ferb set Alexander in the bassinet, "I'll go get you another. You eat."
Alexander began to whimper as Ferb left the room in search of coffee.
Gretchen went over to her son and picked him up, "Don't tell him, but he's right. I've not had coffee in a very in a very long time."
Alexander's whimpering grew to a cry.
"Oh, none of that please," Gretchen said softly then began to rock him gently, softly singing in German.
Alexander's crying quieted to a whimper.
"Are you hungry?" Gretchen inquired.
Alexander blinked.
Ferb soon returned with a coffee. He was surprised to see that Gretchen had barely touched her breakfast, though he saw that his son was having his in full.
Gretchen looked up and gave him a soft smile, "He was hungry."
Ferb raised an eyebrow.
"I never thought I'd enjoy this, but it's very relaxing," Gretchen admitted.
Ferb raised an eyebrow, "I can tell."
Gretchen looked at him.
"Alexander seems to enjoy being close to you," Ferb noted as Gretchen shifted the baby to be burped.
Gretchen tilted her head slightly at the comment. Alexander burped as the door opened and Doctor Manson came in.
"How are you feeling today?" he asked.
"Would you be surprised if I said a bit cranky?" Gretchen replied.
Ferb said nothing but turned to look out the window. He thought he caught a glimpse of a tall brown haired man out in the parking lot. He narrowed his eyes and the person was gone. Ferb decided not to say anything, no reason to worry his wife.
"That's understandable," Dr. Manson said with a nod.
Gretchen raised an eyebrow at him.
"I just want to give you a quick check over then you can get ready to head home," Dr. Manson said.
"Okay," Gretchen replied.
"You'll have to pass the baby to your husband," Dr. Manson stated.
Ferb came over and took Alexander.
did the check, and made a few notes, "Okay, you are clear to go home."
Gretchen looked extremely relived.
"I am going to give you a few simple things to make sure everything is all right," Dr. Manson said.
"What's that?" Gretchen asked.
"Just some routine antibiotics, we don't want you getting an infection," Dr. Manson replied.
"Okay," Gretchen said.
"I also want to see you in two weeks, in office," Dr. Manson added.
"I'll book that as soon as I get home," Gretchen replied.
Dr. Manson nodded, "I can be assured you'll make sure that is arranged right Mr. Fletcher?"
Ferb gave a confirming nod.
Gretchen glanced at her husband.
"I'll be back later to sign your discharge papers," Dr. Manson promised.
"Why am I being treated like a child? I can book my own appointment," Gretchen demanded.
"I remember Candace mentioning something about 'baby brain' where new mother's forget simple tasks," Ferb replied.
"Are you calling me hormonal?" Gretchen growled.
"Not at all. I will note that you are still exhausted from yesterday though," Ferb said lightly.
Gretchen looked at him with a quirked eyebrow.
"Last night probably didn't help, but I don't think Alexander would have liked the smell of liquor on my person," Ferb added.
"Did you get intoxicated?" Gretchen asked.
"Hardly. I had two pints with dinner," Ferb scoffed.
"I'm jealous," Gretchen said.
Ferb raised an eyebrow, "That I went out or that you didn't?"
"Yes," Gretchen admitted.
"You know we do have that Champagne that I had planned for us when you told me," Ferb said with a light smirk.
Gretchen raised an eyebrow.
"You and I can celebrate," Ferb said.
Gretchen cast a thoughtful look at her son, "What about Alexander?"
Ferb became pensive, "Just a moment," he said handing the infant to Gretchen, left the room, came back a minute later, "The doctor said that a little bit would be fine; provided you feed him first."
Gretchen smiled, "That sounds wonderful."
"On the way home you can tell me what you'd like for dinner," Ferb said.
Gretchen smiled at him as he took Alexander once more.
"And maybe I can get you a dark chocolate something for dessert," Ferb tempted his wife with her favorite type of chocolate.
"That would be fantastic," Gretchen said, a slight sparkle coming to her eyes.
"I know how much you've missed that too," Ferb said, knowing that Gretchen was a bit notorious for her sweet tooth.
Gretchen looked at Ferb as he held Alexander, "I think Alexander likes you more than he likes me."
Ferb looked at his son, "Why do you say that?"
'He's so calm when you hold him," Gretchen answered.
"He's calm when you hold him," Ferb pointed out.
"Not like when you hold him," Gretchen returned.
"He listens when you sing that lullaby to him," Ferb remarked.
"Just accept it Ferb, you're a great father," Gretchen said.
Ferb looked lovingly at his son, "I'll try to be the best father that I can."
Gretchen gave him a slight smile.
"You're a great mother," Ferb said softly.
Gretchen started to shake her head.
"You are a great mother," Ferb said.
The door opened and the nurse from earlier, Reyna, came in.
"Your papers have been signed, you can head home now," Reyna said.
"Thank you," Gretchen said and Ferb nodded his agreement.
Gretchen and Ferb packed everything up and got Alexander secured into his car seat. Ferb was the one to drive home.
"Have you decided on what you-" Ferb stopped and smiled as he noticed Gretchen had drifted off to sleep, as well as their son.