Chapter Seventeen
"Is he supposed to be crying this much?" I ask Finnick worried.
"Yes. He's crying because he needs something Annie." Finnick says and starts rocking him back and forth.
"I know that Finnick, but it seems like he never stops." I say.
"Annie, he's fine." He says although Nick is still crying.
"I feel like we are messing up. You don't think we messed up his life already do you?" I ask.
Finnick sighs but is smiling.
"Annie he's only two weeks old."
I grab Nick his pacifier and give it to Finnick. Nick happily takes it and stops crying.
"See better already." Finnick says and kisses my forehead.
"I'm just worried about him." I say softly.
"I worry about him too." Finnick says. "But we've never done this before so it's scary."
"I know." I say and Finnick sets Nick down in his bassinet. "I just want to make sure he has everything he needs." I say and stare at Nick.
"Annie look at me." Finnick says and gently shakes my shoulder.
I turn towards him.
"He's going to be fine." Finnick says.
I nod and kiss him.
"I just love him so much." I say.
"Me too." Finnick says and we both look to our son.
"Is someone hungry?" I say and pick up Nick from his bassinet.
"That is his hungry cry." Finnick says with a smile as he starts to heat up a bottle.
"I know that's his hungry cry." I say with a smile. It took a little bit of time to figure out what he wanted when he was crying. Finnick and I learned fairly quickly. When you're baby cries for wanting you, you pick up on what they want besides your love.
"I know you do." Finnick says.
Nick whimpers loudly.
"Calm down Nicky Daddy's getting it." I say and kiss Nick's forehead.
Finnick comes over and gives me the bottle.
"Here we go." I say and start to feed Nick.
It's been a month since we've brought Nick home. It was a little scary at first. I had lots of those what the hell should I do moments but after a week Finnick and I got it down, for the most part.
"You go back to work next week?" I ask Finnick.
"Yes." Finnick says. "But you'll be okay with Nicky." He says.
"I know." I say and look up towards Finnick. "Nicky and I are best friends aren't we cutie?" I say.
Finnick smiles.
"I though I was your best friend." Finnick teases.
"Not until Nick came around." I smile.
Nick starts to fall asleep after his bottle.
"Go to sleep baby." I say and set him down gently.
Having Finnick go back to work was a little hard at first but I got it down now. Gregg asked when I would be going back to work. I said I would talk it over with Finnick.
"Hey Finnick." I say after dinner when Nick is asleep.
"Yes?" He asks.
"Finnick, I was thinking about when I should go back to work." I say.
"Okay, I was wondering too." He says.
"I was thinking maybe I should stay home for the first year." I say softly. I don't know how Finnick will react to this. I know I will always have a place at work but money is the real issue. I believe we have enough but Finnick gets his say as well.
"I think that's fine, great actually." Finnick says with a smile.
"Good. I just… I would rather take care of him than have someone else do it." I say.
"I know. I would like that as well but gotta make that money." Finnick smiles.
"I'll send you videos if you miss anything." I say.
"You better." Finnick teases and kisses me.
"I love you." I say.
"I love you too."
"Mama." Nick says and chews on his teething ring.
"I'm coming baby." I say and pick him up. "Someone needs a new diaper." I say.
It seems like Nick has grown up pretty quickly. Every time we buy him clothes it seems like a few weeks later he needs new ones. He's six months old now. I can't believe it actually. He has some downy baby fluff hair that is the same color as Finnick's. He also has Finnick's eyes. There's no denying that this is Finnick's child.
I kiss Nick after his diaper is changed but he moans.
I hear the door open and am confused. Finnick shouldn't be home yet, it's only one. Finnick does come home for lunch sometimes but he always calls to make sure we're home.
"Let's see who's downstairs baby." I say and carry Nick in my arms. I set him down in his play pin.
I jump when I find the intruder.
"Ella?" I ask.
"Annie." She says and wraps her arms around me.
"What are you doing here?" I ask.
"I'm in town and you said I could visit." She smiles.
"I thought you would call." I say.
"Mama." I hear Nick say.
"Is that my little nephew." Ella smiles and walks towards the family room.
"Yes it's him." I say.
"Awe look how big he's gotten." She says and picks him up.
"He's growing every day. It's hard to get him clothes that he will fit into longer than a few weeks." I say.
Ella nods.
"He's the cutest little thing I've seen." She smiles. "It seems like he was just a little newborn." She says.
"I know. His teeth are starting to come in." I say excited.
"Yet he isn't very good at walking?" Ella says and is bouncing him on her lap.
"He doesn't like that." I say and stop her he sometimes throws up from the motion.
"Sorry." She says and kisses the top of his head.
"Be careful, I don't want his hair to fall out."
Ella rolls her eyes.
"Kissing him will not let the fluffy hairs fall off." She says. "When do you think it will grow in properly?" She asks.
"No idea."
"He still looks like a mini Finnick." She looks down at Nick. "Yes you do. You look just like Dada." She says in baby talk.
"Dada?" Nick says confused.
"Do you think he could say Ella?" She asks.
"Probably not, he can't say most words. Dada, Mama, baba, and other incoherent noises." I say.
"So nothing really exciting."
I scoff.
"That is exciting." I say. I was so excited when he said Mama. He started saying Dada weeks before. Finnick drove me crazy with his bragging as well.
"I guess for you it would be." She says.
"So are you staying here?" I ask her.
"I thought that was the implication you and Finnick have a guest room, right?" She says.
"Yes and you may stay here. How did you get in our house anyways?" I ask.
"Door was unlocked." She says and sets Nick down. He crawls off but I make sure to watch him. The house is incredibly baby proofed so he shouldn't be able to hurt himself. I wouldn't let that happen anyways.
"Finnick probably forgot to lock it back up." I say but the alarm should've gone off.
"Yes…Finnick." She smiles. "Do you and Finnick get out much?"
"I-"
"I mean you need alone time without Nick." She says.
I sigh.
"I don't like leaving Nick." I say. Finnick and I do leave the house together. Have a 'date night' but it's not very often. I don't trust just anyone looking after our child.
"Well why don't you and Finnuck go out tonight?" Ella asks eagerly.
"Ella-"
"Come on, its Friday night and you and Finnick are both young and attractive."
"I don't-"
"Besides, I won't charge you unlike most babysitters." She smiles.
I sigh and Nick crawls back over to us.
"I'll talk to Finnick." I say.
Finnick will say yes. He wants the same the same thing. Besides, it is healthy to leave your baby sometimes.
"Yay!" Ella says. Nick looks up at her and claps his hands. "Your son agrees as well." She says.
Finnick comes home in a few hours and is happy to go out. We aren't doing anything special. Probably the stereotypical dinner and movie. Finnick and I have been wanting to see a movie and if we're hungry afterwards so be it.
"Remember you can call Finnick or myself if you think anything is wrong." I say.
"I know." Ella smiles.
"Extra diapers are in the bathroom cabinet." I tell her.
"Good to know." She says.
"And he really likes his teddy bear so if he has trouble getting to sleep-"
"Annie I think Ella can take care of him for a few hours. Besides, Nick is a good baby. He hasn't had trouble sleeping in months." Finnick says.
"Okay but if you need anything at all."
"I'll call you, I know." Ella smiles. "Good. Now go and have fun."
I nod.
"Make sure she isn't tense all night Finnick." She tells him.
"Don't worry I'll make sure she has fun." He says with a smile.
"Let me say goodbye to Nicky." I say. I pick him up and hug him. "Mama and Dada love you." I kiss his forehead. "We'll be home soon." I whisper and kiss him again. "I love you."
"Mama." He says.
I kiss his cheek one more time and then give him to Ella.
"Make sure to set the alarm after we leave." I tell her.
"I got it." Ella smiles.
Finnick and I leave.
"He's going to be fine Annie." Finnick says and kisses me.
"I know but that doesn't mean I won't miss him." I say.
"That movie was a little awful." I say.
"It wasn't even the good kind of awful." Finnick says with a smile. "Hungry?" He asks.
"I want to check in with Ella first." I say and he nods.
This is Ella, you know what to do. I hear her voicemail play.
"What's wrong?" Finnick asks.
"I got her voicemail." I say.
"She's probably putting him to bed right now." Finnick says.
"But I-"
"Annie he's fine but if you want to go home-"
"That will make me seem like a worried Mom." I say softly.
Finnick smiles.
"You are a worried Mom." He says and kisses my cheek.
"Why don't we just pick up dinner and then we can go home." I say.
"I like it." Finnick smiles and we go to our usual Chinese restaurant to get take out.
We get home fairly quickly.
"Ella!" I shout as we walk through the door. Finnick starts to set out the food. "Ella!" I shout and head to the stairs. If she was putting Nick to bed that is where she will be.
When I get to the stairs I see Ella passed out on the bottom steps.
"Finnick!" I shout.
I kneel next to her and see her head is bleeding.
"What's wrong?" Finnick asks coming into the room.
"She's unconscious and bleeding." I say.
"Do you think she fell down?" Finnick asks.
"I don't know." I say.
"I'm calling 911." Finnick says.
I hear Ella moan.
"I'm checking on Nick." I tell Finnick. If she fell down I want to make sure he's alright too.
When I get to his room I see it is messy. His things are all over the room. It's as if Ella was searching for something. All of his diapers and clothes in the room are gone. So is his blanket but his teddy bear rests on the floor. I don't see Nick though.
I go back downstairs.
"Where's Nick?" I say gently to Ella. She isn't unconscious anymore but she is still out of it.
She mumbles something.
"Where is he?" I ask with more force and shake her a little.
"Annie don't the paramedics said to leave her be." Finnick says gently.
"Nick isn't upstairs though."
"He's probably downstairs then. I'll get him." Finnick says and I nod.
"Find… him." Ella moans.
"It's okay Ella." I say.
"Annie." Finnick say frantically.
"What?" I ask and stroke Ella's hair.
"I can't find him." Finnick says worried.
"Ella." I say gently. "Where's Nick, where's our son?" I ask.
Ella moans but manages to sob out a sentence.
"They took him." She moans again.
"Who took him?" I ask worried.
"She and he." She mumbles. She goes back unconscious.
"Someone took our son." I say and feel tears run down my cheeks.