Part 18.


"I'm never going to sleep again," Max moaned, as Kylie's cries pierced the air, "What time is it?"

"Three," Kenny groaned, rolling over to look at the clock, "Why can't she just sleep?"

"I don't know," Max said, stumbling out of bed, "Go back to sleep. I got it. This time."

"Hmm."

Just one night of uninterrupted sleep, Max thought, rounding the corner to Kylie's room, and I'd be happy. I don't think that is asking too much.

"Hi there," she whispered cautiously, "What's the matter with you tonight? You're not wet. Please stop crying Ky."

Lifting the girl into her arms, Max walked her around the room talk soothingly to her and bouncing her a little. Smiling down at her daughter, she just shook her head. I still can't believe that she's mine, Max thought, I never really thought I'd have any kids. She's amazing. Settling down in the rocking chair in the corner, she stifled a yawn, as Kylie's cries began to recede.

"See? You're fine," Max said quietly, looking down at her red face, "You've gotten so big. I think your Dad and me are going to have big trouble when you get older. We'll have to fight to keep the boys away because you're absolutely gorgeous. They'll be coming here in droves."

Tickling Kylie's stomach, Max watched as she drifted back to sleep. Lifting the girl back into the crib, she smiled before rejoining Kenny in bed.



"You look tired," Skeeter said the next morning, shooting Kenny a look, "Someone keep you up all night?"

Kenny stifled a yawn, as he nodded, "When do they start sleeping through the night?"

"Give it a few months. How's everyone doing?"

"Kylie is good. She's got a set of lungs on her though, but I could just sit there and look at her all day. Max is amazing with her too," Kenny replied, "I think we're both still a little shocked with everything. It's a big change."

Skeeter grinned, "I remember when Lisa had our first. It was like the world turned upside down. It's great though."

"Definitely. I hate leaving them every morning though."

"Women get that whole maternity leave thing. Do you think they know how lucky they are?"



"I can't move," Max said aloud, leaning against the sofa, "I never thought that being a Mom would be so exhausting. Tracking down serial killers was less tiring."

Looking down at her breast-feeding daughter, her negative feelings dispersed as the doorbell rang, "It's open!"

"Well look at you," Jill said with a smile, looking at her overall clad friend, "You two look cozy."

Max grinned, "I'm not sure I can get up."

"It is exhausting," Lisa agreed, "And I had three of them. And they were all under five at one point. I wonder what we were thinking at the time."

"One will do," Max replied, as Kylie finished, "I don't think I could handle another one at this point."

"Can I hold her?," Jill asked, giving her friend a once over, "You look like you want to go clean yourself up."

"I would be indebted to you forever," Max replied, as she watched Jill and Kylie for a minute, "She should be fine, she usually falls asleep after she eats."

"Go," Jill said, sitting down on the couch with Lisa, "Take a shower if you want too. Don't worry so much."

"Thanks," Max said again, before dashing up the stairs.



"Hey," Kenny said later that night, as Kylie played in her playpen, "She's getting big. I can't believe that she's almost three months old. Where did the time go?"

"I don't know," Max sighed, collapsing on the couch next to him, "She was in the hospital for the first month."

"You have few months of maternity leave left," Kenny said, "I know you're coming back to work, even though it's part time for three months. We need to get some help or something."

Max nodded, "I don't want to leave her with some stranger Kenny. I guess we don't really have a choice though. We have time to find someone good though."

"You don't want to be a housewife?"

Max shot him a mock glare, as she laid her head on his shoulder, "No. I just don't like the idea of leaving her."

"I hate leaving the both of you every morning. Hate it," Kenny offered, "Do you have any idea how lucky you are to be able to stay with her for these few months? I'd kill for that Max."

"I want you here too."

Kenny stroked her face gently, and kissed her, "You're so beautiful. I don't know what I would do without you. Either of you."

"You have me. Now and forever," Max whispered, knowing that he owned her heart, "I love you."

Kenny kissed her again, as they fell back against the cushions. Max groaned, as she felt his hands roam up her shirt and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Hmm," he groaned, as he kissed her stomach, "Max . . ."

"Kenny," she whimpered, as Kylie cried out, "Oh."

He paused to look at her, before turning to their daughter, "I guess we shouldn't do this in front of her."

Max nodded, despite the fact that her body cried out for him to touch her, "Yeah. Maybe after she falls asleep?"

Kenny swung his legs onto the floor, "I'll hold you to that. Hey, Ky. What's the matter?"



"Max was a mess this morning. She had baby food in her hair," Jill said shaking her head, "But she looked so happy Jimmy. Although I think she was relieved to go take a shower."

"Kenny's got a permanent grin on his face," Jimmy added, "She's a gorgeous little girl Jill, and they have every right to be proud."

Jill nodded in agreement, "They certainly had to grow up quickly with this. I love the house that they're renting too. It's adorable, and they're just a cute family Jimmy. Kenny adores both of them."

"That he does, and I know it kills him to leave Max and Kylie every morning. It's tough in the beginning, and I know that they're going to look for help when Max comes back to work."

"It is a change," Jill trailed off with a grin, "What's going on with your and Skeeter's plan for them? I don't think they're thinking of getting married right now. They have enough on their plates."

Jimmy nodded, "Sometimes I wonder if they will at all. I can see them just living together without ever making it official."



"It's so quiet," Max mused a few mornings later, as they lay in bed together, "You didn't drug her food did you?"

"Ssh. Don't jinx it," he countered, pulling her closer to his side, "Maybe she'll sleep for a while. I've missed lying with you like this."

"I'm so glad that you're not working today."

"Me too," he trailed off, "I talked to my parents the other day. They're anxious to meet their granddaughter. They want to come up sometime, if you're okay with that. I think they're trying to extend the olive branch sweetheart."

"I'm glad they want to come," Max said softly, "I get why they were upset before, it was all a shock for them. Hell it was one for us too."

"Your parents will come around," he promised.

"You don't know them. I'm an inept failure as far as they're concerned. This just cements it for them."

"You had a beautiful baby girl. They should be proud of you for that. It's their loss if they don't want to know her."

"I know. I could bring peace to the world and it wouldn't be good enough. I'm tired of trying to make them happy," Max trailed off, "I promised myself I'd never treat Ky like that."

"Never," Kenny said firmly, as a knock sounded at the door, "It's not even eight yet. And there goes Kylie. Which do you want?"

"Hmm. I'll get the door. Good luck with the diaper."

"Thanks," he said, giving a good long stare to her flannel-encased butt.

She turned back to smile at him as she headed downstairs. I would have loved to stayed in bed for a few more hours with Kenny. I missed him lately, she thought, smoothing back her hair.

"I'm coming," she called, throwing open the door, "Oh. Hi. Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?"

"You're looking decent for someone who just had a baby," Kathryn Stewart replied, looking over her daughter, "Where is the girl?"

"Upstairs, with Kenny," Max offered, feeling about twelve again, "I wish you told me you were coming."

"Is that your engagement ring? It's so small," Kathryn continued, ignoring what her daughter had just said, "When is the big day?"

"Um, I don't know," Max replied, "Sometime."

"Are you going to invite us inside?," Edward Stewart asked, "Or do you expect us to freeze out here?"

"Oh, sorry. Come in. Of course," Max replied, opening the door fully, "It's still kind of a mess, we haven't got everything unpacked yet. Life's been crazy lately, but come in."

"This is quaint," Kathryn said, looking around, "Where is our granddaughter?"

"Um, I'll go get her," Max said, needing to get her bearings, "Have a seat. I'll be back. Or not. Hi."

Kenny shot her a look, as he shifted a dry and happier Kylie in his arms, "Hi yourself. What's going on?"

Max smiled at him, "These are my parents. Edward and Kathryn Stewart. They came to meet Ky."

He just looked at her for a second before responding, in a tone only for her ears, "That's ironic. We were just talking about that."

"I know," she replied, turning back to her parents, "Mom, Dad, this is Kenny Lacos, and this is Kylie."

"So you're the father," Edward said coldly, "This is my granddaughter? She's so small. Are you taking proper care of her?"

"She was premature," Max offered, keeping her voice even, as Kenny laid his hand on the small of her back.

"She's doing great though," Kenny added, "Putting on weight, and getting stronger. The doctors say that she is going to fine, despite being early."

Kathryn nodded, "Well that is something at least. What are your intentions toward our daughter and granddaughter?"

"My intentions?," Kenny asked, shooting Max a look.

"You can't expect to live in the squalor together," Edward added, "It's no place to raise a child, and look at the example that you're setting. What are you going to tell her when she gets older about her birth?"

"Dad," Max exclaimed, "What are you doing?"

"What is right," he replied, "You can't expect to raise a child in this environment. Look at it. Look at the person that fathered your child. You're not cut out to be a mother Maxine, and I suggest that you bring that baby home with us."

"What the hell are you talking about?," Max asked dumbfounded, feeling shocked by the verbal slap.

"You can leave," Kenny added, seeing how pale Max had gotten, as he threw their front door open, "Now."

"This isn't over yet," Edward promised, "You'll be hearing from us again."

"You okay? ," Kenny asked, turning back to look at her, "Max?"

She shook her head, "No. Not really. Why do they hate me so much?"

"They're idiots," he countered, pulling her down on the couch with him, "They'll come around sweetheart."

Max looked up at him, "Both of our parents are so dead set against this. What if they're right?"

"Max," Kenny said patiently, seeing the hurt in her eyes, "They're not right, and you know that. What parent wants their kid to grow up? We're so good together Max. Whatever our parents say, we belong together."

She shook her head as he pulled her close to him, "I hate what they do to me. How they make me feel about myself."

He kissed the top of her head, "It's their loss."

"You make me so happy," she said softly, "Through everything that has happened. I love you."

He looked down at her thoughtfully, "I love you too. Know what we never finished?"

She shook her head, "What are you talking about?"

He lifted up her hand with the engagement ring on it, "This. What do you say?"

She smiled at him, "I'd love too. Just tell me when and where."

Kenny looked over Kylie who was playing happily in the play pen, "It's March now, how about in May? It doesn't have to be huge or anything, but it'll give us some time with everything. Maybe finish unpacking these boxes?"

"We're really getting married," Max mused, as he kissed her again.


To be continued.