Jack softly knocked on the door as he opened it and peeked around the corner of it. "Morning," he said, as he stepped in and closed the door, walking across the hospital room. "How's he doing?'
Lisa had looked up and given him a warm smile when he'd entered, and she looked back down at him there, where his gray eyes were open and looking up at her as she fed him a bottle. She nodded to Jack, "Good morning. He's doing very well. The nurse just brought him down. You were right," she raised her eyebrows at Jack admitting that, "letting him stay in the nursery all night was a good decision. I'm starting to feel a lot better, and I got some sleep."
"Good," he nodded. He put the things in his hands down on the chair and walked to the pair there, standing next to Lisa where she was sitting up in bed feeding John. He was making little sounds, and Lisa commented on those.
"I just love all of his little noises," she sighed. "He is perfect." Jack stroked at his foot, which had poked out of the baby swaddle. That startled John, and he pulled it up, back into the blanket.
"Good reflexes," he chuckled. Lisa finished feeding him, and she tried to shift him around, glancing to Jack.
"I'm not good at this, trying to burp him. I always handed Katie back to Lou or Peter. I suppose I need to figure it out," she said.
Jack gestured to John, and Lisa grinned while she handed him over. He looked around for something to use to burp him, and Lisa handed him a burp cloth she had there with her. Jack effortlessly put John on his shoulder and walked the room trying to burp him. Finally, for being a little guy, he let out a loud one both heard and laughed at, while at the same time Jack made a face at Lisa.
"Apparently, I have the gift of that, but it came out both ends. I'll change him," he told her, and she watched as he took care of that. When John was freshly changed, Jack wrapped him back up best he could and walked back over. Lisa moved her feet so he could sit there again.
"What I can't master is that swaddle thing," he explained. "We will have to see how you do when you are up moving around better."
"You're on," she said nodding and crossing her arms. "I will take that challenge."
"So, how are you doing? I will admit myself," he said looking at her, "you might have been right that a good night of sleep at home was just what I needed. Thank you for making me go home. I am also feeling a lot better."
"Ahh," she winked, "maybe we do listen to each other sometimes."
Jack, studying John who had pulled his little fists out of Jack's swaddle attempt, was making noise and shaking them around. The two just watched and laughed a little watching him. "Not that I care," Jack stated as he looked to her and back down to John, "but I figured you for one of those moms who would want to breastfeed."
She sighed and leaned back, making eye contact with him, "Truthfully?" Jack nodded, and she continued, "I just really don't want to do that, and I know it makes me out to be some selfish, horrible person, but I also don't think it fits into any of this with him somehow back and forth between both of our places, and I just," she paused. "I just feel like I have given every ounce of everything I have for the last few months and cannot worry and stress over that too. I am sure it makes me some horrible new mother, but I can only remind myself plenty of babies use formula and are just fine. I'm sorry if that's not what you want to hear."
"No, no," he shook his head. "I support whatever you want to do, and it's not my job to tell you what you should be doing, Lise. My goodness, you just carried a baby for the last 36 weeks and no offense," he rolled his eyes, "but at your age, which we know is risky for a mother, and all the while managing your multi-million dollar business and dealing with everything and everyone judging you. I just wanted to ask. I'm glad I will be able to feed him without trying to figure out where you are or what I have to do with breastmilk."
"Okay," she said with a small smile and nod. "Thank you. I was almost dreading an argument about that," she made a face. He chuckled and looked down at John again.
"I know there is a lot we need to discuss, that you couldn't bring yourself to think about before he was born, but he's here, and we will need to start figuring things out."
Lisa nodded in agreement, "I know. I am still going to France in October. That trip has to happen, and I am again checking that you are still okay with that? He's going to be gone for a few weeks."
Jack studied John and pursed his own lips, "I don't like it, but I've told you that I understand. He also needs to be with his mom when he's so little. I can't just stop working the ranch 24/7, but I don't want you to think that I can't and won't rearrange things and delegate some things to have him with me. I just want to ask you something about France," he looked to her, his eyes studying hers.
"What?" Lisa shook her head.
"Just don't extend your trip or anything like that," he pleaded. He glanced to John and back to her, "You've had to do that before, and I'm just asking that you bring him back home when you say you will."
"I won't extend my trip. Promise," she said, reaching forward, hissing a little as she did, but squeezing his hand in that promise. "I'm also not going off the grid," she teased slightly, trying to lighten the mood. "I can still text and call, and there is a video chat feature you haven't used, but I will show you. You can see him that way."
"Okay," he told her. "Just make sure I have time with him before then, lots of time because a few weeks will feel like an eternity now that he's taken a big spot in both of our hearts."
"I promise," she said, sighing. "He definitely changes everything."
The two enjoyed just studying him for the next few minutes. Jack eventually had to stand and put John on the bed to try and re-swaddle him. They looked at his fingers and toes and laughed about his noises. When Jack had him wrapped back up, he gestured him to Lisa.
"Want to hold him?"
"I do," she said, but she looked to the pile of things on the chair. "I don't suppose you brought anything to eat? The food here is not encouraging me to eat it."
He grinned and gave her John, pointing to his pile. "Sorry about that. I was excited to see John this morning," he said walking to it and corrected himself as he did, glancing back at her, "you too. I was told there was a French bakery in Calgary, found it, and I brought you these."
"Oh wow!" Lisa exclaimed when he opened the box. He'd bought an assortment of pastries, and the box was full of them.
"These look delicious. How did I not know there was a French bakery in the city, eh? Jack," she beamed at him, "thank you."
"Well," he dropped his head, almost bashful, "I mean, you were in labor for probably a couple of days, according to the doc and had no epidural for hours on end. I do feel you kinda earned them, and I was glad to get them. Might not like most French food," he winked, "but these pastries do look good."
"Well, let's enjoy some of them," she gestured, and Jack moved the table top over to her bedside. She looked around, trying to figure out what to do with John.
"He'll be fine," Jack interjected, reading her mind. He scooped him up from her lap where she had his stretched out and put him in the bassinet. "He's not far," he winked. "You can still see him, and he's letting us eat."
"Okay," she chuckled. Jack moved back to the chair where he had brought a Thermos with him. He held it up, "I made fresh coffee, that blend you like."
"Oh, hot coffee and pastries, Jack," she sighed meeting his gaze, "That will make me feel like a new person. Well done, Cowboy."
"How are the girls doing with all of this?" Lisa asked him as they were enjoying their pastries. "They seemed to be pretty excited to meet John yesterday."
He nodded and wiped his mouth, sitting at the end of the bed again. He looked to her, his eyes almost twinkling, "I think they are goners. He's already won them over. They couldn't stop talking about him, and they did say they were worried about you. You are really looking a lot better."
"I'm feeling a lot better," she admitted, gesturing with her hand in the air. "I mean, I still feel terrible," she chuckled and rolled her eyes, "but I've gotten up and hobbled to the bathroom and am eating, getting a little rest. My headache isn't gone, but it's manageable. I would like to freshen up at some point. That shower yesterday was so great, and I'm feeling a bit," she frowned, "gross right now."
"I'm sure you can do that," he told her. "It's really good you are on the mend, Lise," he said quietly, making eye contact again. "You really had me worried, and I don't let a lot get to me."
She pulled her head back, a bit taken aback, "I'm sorry I did. You didn't show it, I mean the worry. I didn't mean to worry you."
He nodded, "You couldn't help your health issues. I just felt very helpless watching you agonize and then with his birth, all of that blood loss," he shook his head. "An old cowboy sounds crazy if he can't deal with that."
"You're not crazy," she reached out and squeezed his hand. "Thank you for telling me. John and I came through that, and we are both on the road to recovery."
"Still can't get over Tim," he frowned and gave her a look. "Why can't he just leave his name alone?"
Lisa chuckled and titled her head at Jack, "Are you really upset he wants to call him JT? You're still okay with his name, aren't you?"
"I really like John," he nodded. "Strong and firm."
"And goes with Jack," she said, tilting her head again and nodding.
"Goes with Jack," he said, rolling his eyes in a playful gesture. "It's just Tim! It has to be Tim."
"He means well, Jack. If it bothers you that much, tell him again. I'll tell him if you want, but personally," she shrugged, "I think it's kind of sweet. Tim is a big kid himself. You know that. Let's think about this-he is your ex-son-in-law. You spent years despising him, and he's worked his way back into the family, into your heart," she paused and made eye contact with him. "He's become, yes, at times, the most annoying person to you, but he's also someone now you wouldn't know what to do without him around. He abandoned Marion and the girls, and you've told me how awful that was. He's fought addiction and fought his way back into their lives. Since I've known him, what, now for over seven years, he's been kind to me, and I've seen such a dramatic change in his relationship with all of you. He's that guy in the family. He's just Tim, and for whatever reason, he's wanting to show a special bond with our little boy. Do I love it? No," she rolled her eyes and laughed. "He's thrilled and wants a connection to your family. I am okay letting it go, letting it be, unless it's a battle you want to fight."
He frowned at her and thought another few moments, glancing over to John as he did. He looked back to Lisa, "Why did you have to make good points? I was wanting someone to wallow in my frustration." She grinned, and he rolled his eyes in defeat, "Fine, he can call him JT, but his name is John, and that's what the rest of us are going to call him."
"Before we put this point of contention to rest," she paused and waited for his pouty face to look at her, "is there a reason it bothers you so much?"
He shrugged but looked back at her then, "I told you that you could pick his name. You picked a mighty good one," he said with a firm nod. "I just don't want to disappoint you by having people attached to me," he rolled his eyes, "going back on what I promised. I just want you to be happy."