"Hey, Ryan," Theresa said. She was holding a baby carrier, which was dark blue in one hand with Matthew inside. She had a large baby bag with Peter Rabbit on her shoulder. She looked very motherly.
"Hey, Theresa. Want some help there?" Ryan asked. He took the baby carrier from her, since it looked quite heavy with the six-month-old baby inside.
"Thanks," she replied. She stepped into the Cohen's house, and followed Ryan into the kitchen where Marissa, Seth, and Sandy were waiting. She stopped when she saw them. For some reason, Theresa was intimidated by all of them together, particularly Marissa. Something in Theresa said that she had power - the ability to influence people. Ryan put the baby carrier down on the island with the baby still inside. Sandy was setting the table, while Seth and Marissa were sitting at the island.
"Hi, Marissa," Theresa said.
"Hi, Theresa," Marissa said. There was an awkward silence between the two.
Ryan walked over to Theresa, and said, "Here's your check." She thanked him.
"So what do we need to know about little Matthew here?" Sandy asked, trying to get onto something a little lighter.
Theresa beamed. She clearly liked people wanting to know about her son, and replied, "Well, he goes to bed pretty early. Usually between seven and eight in the evening. I try for closer to seven, but it depends on how easily he goes down. When he is going to bed, I try and read him a book every night, like Bernstein Bears series or something likethat. I give him a bath every night before bed too."
"What about food?" Sandy asked. "Did you bring any, or should we go pick some up?"
"He's already been fed for tonight. He eats once during the night, and throughout the day. I brought some cerial, baby food, and pumped breast milk," Theresa replied. She could see the disgusted looks on Ryan and Seth's faces.
"Breast milk?" Seth asked. Theresa nodded. She smiled because she knew he was grossed out by it.
"Will we run out of anything?" Ryan asked.
"Maybe, if you do. You can find it at the grocery store. If you run out of milk... buy some formula. That will work too. Oh, and I brought several outfits and pajamas. There are plenty of diapers too. His size, in case you need it is 1 in Pampers," Theresa told them. She looked at Ryan. Clearly the look he was giving her said that he did not know what any of this meant. Luckily, Marissa and Sandy did.
"We'll make sure he's fine, Theresa," Marissa told her. She smiled at her.
"We'll anyway, I should be going. I told my mom I'd go to the movies with her tonight," Theresa said. She smiled and began to walk over to the front door. Ryan walked over with her. "Take care of him, Ryan."
"I will," he replied, as she walked out the door. He closed the door, and walked back into the kitchen. Seth went off into the living room to watch some television, and Sandy got something to drink. The only ones left doing nothing were Ryan, Marissa and the baby.
"Hey, wanna take him into the living room and play with him?" Marissa asked Ryan.
"Sure, okay," Ryan replied. He picked up the baby carrier and brought it into the living room. They sat on the floor with that and the baby bag. Marissa took Matthew out of the carrier, and sat him down on the floor against the bottom of the couch. She took a couple of toys out of his bag. He grabbed one and put it in his mouth.
"Who's that? Who's that? Is that your Daddy?" Marissa said to Matthew. She looked over at Ryan who clearly looked a little uncomfortable with the idea of being a father. "Are you okay... with this?"
"Yeah, yeah, it's just going to take some getting used to," Ryan told her.
The baby continued to suck on the toy. Marissa looked at Ryan and asked, "I know that Theresa said that he's your baby - that he looks so much like you, but he's six months old. I mean, how much do babies look like their parents at six months. Did you ever consider getting a paternity test done?"
"No, why would I? She's my oldest friend, and I trust her. Theresa wouldn't lie about something like that," Ryan told her.
"Yeah, but you're going to be paying all this money for the next eighteen years. You might as well know if the baby is really yours," Marissa said to him.
"As if this isn't already complicated enough!" Ryan exclaimed.
"I'm sorry," Marissa replied. She looked at the baby and then back at Ryan. "I should go. My parents wanted me to have dinner with them and Kaitlin tonight, anyway, and I'm sure you two have a lot of catching up to do."
"Okay, I'll call you tomorrow," Ryan replied. Marissa stood up, and began to walk over to the door. Ryan walked over with her, gave her a kiss, and let her out. Then we went back over to where the baby was sitting. As he soon found out, there was not a lot that a person could do with a little baby. Ryan began to think while he was sitting on the floor with Matthew. He wondered if a paternity test would not be a bad thing.