Chapter 46
After about an hour Steven woke up, moved and put his boots back on, checking that Jackie was still sound asleep. They had given her some pain killers when they took Reggie to the nursery. Needing to stretch and wanting to see his son he walked towards the nursery. There were only a few babies in their when he stood at the window looking in, just staring at his son. He wondered if the nurses knowing that he belonged to Kitty's family was reason he was up front. It amazed him he could be so content to stand there and watch this baby sleep. He heard someone approach but didn't bother to turn and look, till he felt a hand on his shoulder and he jumped some.
"Wow never thought I would ever be able to sneak up on you before"
"Hey, Eric just watching Reggie sleep, not expecting anyone to be up here"
Eric turned and looked at the baby Steven was back to looking at, "Mom said he looked like you, and dad added that he sounded like Jackie"
Steven laughed, "He slept being passed to your mom, to dad and then after Red had him for a few minutes, well he had enough of being passed around, and was getting hungry and he let us all know. I don't think Jackie cared for Red calling him Loud One Jr."
"I bet she didn't, how is she doing?"
"Well they gave her some pain meds after she fed him and she fell asleep not long after, I slept for a bit too, but woke up and wanted to check on him. He might be waking up shortly"
"Forget the Jedi robes, he needs dirty jeans and tiny Led Zeppelin t-shirt, he's a mini you"
"Well the best part of that is forgetting the Jedi robes. But yea may need to get him his own Led Zeppelin t-shirt. I wonder if Jackie would mind a family picture of the three of us wearing t-shirts"
"Well I don't know if how soon we could get one of those for him, maybe see if WB could find one.
A nurse came up to the two, "Mr. Barnett?"
"Yes that's me" he was getting used to the name by now, the doctors and nurses mostly called him by that now.
"There is a phone call for you, we checked the room and your wife was asleep and I figured you might be here, they said it was long distance."
Steven looked at Eric, "Donna or Bob"
He quickly followed to a room where they transferred the call to and give him privacy, he motioned for Eric to come with him.
"this is Steven"
"Hey Steven just called to check on Jackie and the baby"
"Hey Donna, both are asleep right now, but both are fine."
"Kitty called with updates, the last call was that he was born and was fine, what does he look like?"
"Everyone is saying he is a mini me, with Jackie's mouth, light brown curly hair, blue eyes. We will have to send you a picture soon. Eric is here with his camera and we will make sure to get a copy for you."
"That sounds great, how are you doing? Kitty called and told me there was some trouble"
"Better now, feel like I can breathe again. He's amazing, Jackie was amazing, I just wish I could have been there." All of a sudden they could hear a screaming baby in the hall, "Donna I think I hear him now, must have woke up and wants his momma"
"Wow I can hear him, they are right, he is Jackie's, you take care of them and give Jackie my congratulations, love you guys"
Eric was standing by the door, "Wow they wasn't joking about how loud he is"
"That's my boy, probably wanting a boob"
"Don't we all? I think I'll wait out here till after he is done, just come get me in the waiting room"
Steven stepped towards Jackie's room as Eric went over to the waiting area. When he walked in, Jackie was waking up and Reggie was still screaming, he went over to the bassinet and picked up his son, who seemed to calm down some in his father's arms. But he kept at it that there was someone else he really wanted. "Donna could hear him from the hallway when I was on the phone"
"Donna called?" Jackie was sitting up and taking Reggie from Steven.
"Yea, she had just called to check on you and Reggie, Eric is here too, he said he would wait in the waiting area till you were done nursing him."
"I don't see Eric prepared to see me nurse even if I was covered"
"Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, but I don't know that I like the pain meds they gave me, I felt odd before I fell asleep, and still feel like I am in a tunnel or something, I think film had a better feeling than whatever they gave me."
"Well maybe we can see if there is something else they can give you when you need it."
"So you were out talking to Donna, that why you wasn't in here when they wheeled him in here?"
"Actually I had woken up a little bit before and had went and was watching him in the nursery when Eric came in, then they came and said I had a phone call"
"That was sweet for Donna to call, I'll have to try and call her when we get home, probably much easier to call than try from here. Did Eric bring his camera?"
"Yes, he did. I haven't even told him about the pictures I developed I have been a little too occupied."
"Well can you hand me my makeup bag? I want to make sure to get my makeup and hair done before we have pictures" She looked down and realized she had on a hideous hospital gown, "I may try and put a different top on just for pictures."
Steven couldn't help but shake his head, there was still part of that Jackie that he met years ago. "Eric suggested we get him a little Led Zeppelin shirt and have a pictures done with all three of us wearing Zeppelin shirts"
Jackie looked at him, she couldn't tell if he was serious, "Well I left mine at home and not sure where to find one to fit him"
Taken back that she didn't protest the thought, "well I'll have to see if WB can help find one and maybe do that sometime down the road"
"Here you want to take him while I get ready?"
"Sure we will go for a little walk and get Eric."
He took his son from Jackie, he wasn't screaming or even asleep. "Let's see if you can stay that way for a bit so Uncle Eric can get some good pictures with your eyes open." He walked down the hall and saw Eric fiddling with his camera, "Hey we better do this quick, he's awake and content."
Eric walked over to him and looked at the bundle in his arms, "Wow those are your eyes for sure."
"Yea Jackie fussed, she went through all that work for him to look just like me"
"Well hope he gets your height and build too"
"Yea a short stick is not a good look on a guy is it?"
"hey I bulked up some"
"Finally, I'd rather he not have to wait 20 years before he starts to have a man's body"
They made their way into the room just as Jackie was finishing her hair. "Ok that is the fastest I have ever known you to do your makeup and hair, it would be nice if you could always get ready this fast."
"Ha, probably never going to happen again, though I have a feeling I won't have much time to get myself together with this little one"
"Exactly, so just get used to getting ready quick."
"Well I have my camera and a couple rolls of film, strange now that when I say film I actually mean film"
"Totally understand, noticed that when I was developing your film."
"So how did those pictures turn out?"
"Really good, in fact we are having a few blown up and framed for the house, I just have to talk to WB since it would be easiest to get that done in Milwaukee."
"Wow I feel honored that you are using some of my pictures to decorate your house"
Jackie piped in, "Well we are also using some of your mother's as well."
"That reminds me, when you can sneak down in the den and pull that picture of us in the tub and burn it"
"WHAT? I did that after that picture day when we were talking about it I promise, mom must have made sure to keep a copy or something"
"Ok burn that picture and find the negative, Jackie, Fez and Laurie all saw it last night"
"Puddin, don't worry it is burned…into our brains now"
"Ok guys, I'll see if I can destroy all evidence other than what is burned your brains from that picture so Puddin Jr won't have to ever see it, but let's see if we can get his pictures done," looking at Steven noticing the death glare he was giving him "before I die"
"Don't call my son Puddin Jr again and you might live"
Eric walked over to Steven and looked at the boy, "Ok we are going to take pictures, I suggest you get used to it, Grandma Kitty will probably have you blind before you start school from the flash. Lay him on the bed and I'll get some of him first"
They took several pictures, Reggie seemed content mostly when he was in his parents' arms. Steven had even gotten a picture of Eric holding him. "Mom is going to be upset there is a picture of me with him before she got her picture"
"Are they coming back up here?" Steven asked as he took Reggie back and started to rock him to sleep.
"Yea they are coming up soon with Fez and Laurie and I think WB and Angie will be up too. So we will try to get more pictures with grandparents and aunts, Michael and Brook are spending time with Betsey since she can't come up, but they will be up tomorrow before work I believe."
Eric was changing the film in the camera, while Steven took and changed Reggie's diaper. There was a soft knock at the door, "Sounds like Kitty" Eric walked over and opened the door and Kitty, Red, Laurie and Fez all walked in.
"WB and Angie should be here soon, they had to run over and check a few things out at the store"
Steven looked at Laurie, "Is everything all right?"
"Yes, just a shipment came earlier than expected, and they guys weren't sure what do with it"
"OK, I'll try to get up there after I get Jackie and Reggie settled at home, at least for a few hours. It seems odd not being there all the time"
"I think they guys are coming up after work tonight"
Red spoke up, "has he been fed and changed recently? If not I'll step out till he his, if he has hand him over so he isn't crying this time."
Steven laughed, "Here ya go, he is in a good mood, if it changes we are blaming you"
Eric began to take pictures of everyone holding Reggie, when WB and Angie came in they took more.
"Eric see if one of the nurses can come in and get a few pictures of all of together" Jackie said as she was finally handed back her son.
Not long after the family picture was taken Reggie was ready to eat again, "He's had a busy few hours, we probably should go home too. I brought up some food for you two, its in the nurses' break area marked for you, they know it's there if you want it after he gets done."
"Thanks Mrs. Foreman, the hospital food is lacking taste, especially compared to your food." Jackie told her.
"We will see you tomorrow, I have to work so I'll stop in. And you two need to start either calling me Kitty or mom" She went and gave the family of three each a kiss on the cheek.
Steven looked at her as she kissed him last, she had been his mother even when Edna was around she mothered him, he really didn't even call Edna mom. "thanks mom."
Laurie, Fez and Eric all left too. Eric said he would come by one day after they got settled in and they could work on developing the pictures.
WB and Angie stayed around they went to the waiting room till after Reggie was done. And came back in the room.
"Hey dad, I have some pictures that are on the dinning room table with notes we want to have enlarged and framed to put on the walls in the house. I thought there would be someone in Milwaukee that could do that, I can only do so much in the dark room in the basement"
"Sure I know just where to take them. What kind of pictures are they?"
"Some are ones Eric took in Africa, they turned out pretty good, different landscapes sunsets and sunrises, some of the animals he saw. And then there are ones over the years of us that Kitty had. Some of the pictures she had of us I didn't know she had taken the picture. Of course there will be more once we get the ones developed from today, I know we will need copies for everyone, I talked to Donna earlier and told her I would send a picture, we will probably send one to Bob as well."
Angie was over on the bed with Jackie and Reggie, "This little guy has be best family you know that?" Angie said holding Reggie in his arms, "Three perfect grandparents, and a group of aunts and uncles."
"He already has more than Steven and I had growing up."
"But know that you both have all that now as well, Kitty and Red are starting to feel like second parents to me as well, and I know they love you as if you were their own, just those two are something special."
"The mold was broken after those two"
"WB came over and took his grandson from Angie, "I think it is about time to head out of here, Steven are you staying here tonight?"
"I don't know that they will let me, but I am here till the kick me out."
"I understand, I'll probably see you later at your house. Jackie take care of this little guy" He kissed Reggie on the head before handing him over to Jackie, giving her a kiss on the cheek as well.
Later Randy and Todd both come up to visit bringing flowers that they said was from the entire crew of Grooves, not jus the three guys but Laurie too. Flowers had also been brought up by WB and a huge basket of fruit and flowers from Bob and Donna.
As it was getting late, Steven knew he was going to be kicked out soon. He laid next to Jackie on the bed holding his son. "it's surreal how I could have lost all this. I love you both so much."
"I love you too, I didn't think I could love you anymore than I did, but seeing you being a daddy to our son, there are no words."
"I wish I didn't have to leave, I don't know how they expect me to sleep without you."
"I know what you mean, we haven't been apart since I first came home from the hospital back in December. Promise me this will be the only times we are apart."
"I'll do my best to keep it that way."
When the nurse finally came in and told Steven it was time for him to leave for the night, he promised he would be back as soon as he could in the morning.
That night as he got ready for bed he gathered Jackie's pillows and arranged so he could hold one, it was the closest he could come to having Jackie in his arms.